Direct stiffness method

The Direct Stiffness Method is a way to find out how strong a structure will be. First, we need to understand what a structure is. A structure is anything that is built to hold weight, like a bridge or a building.

Now, let's talk about how we figure out how strong a structure will be. We use something called the Direct Stiffness Method, which is like a special puzzle. Think of a puzzle where you have a lot of little pieces that fit together to make a big picture. In the Direct Stiffness Method, we use pieces of a structure, called elements, to make a big picture that shows how strong it is.

Each element has its own stiffness, which means how much it can bend or stretch. By connecting the elements together, we can see how strong the whole structure will be. It's kind of like how a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

Once we have all the elements connected, we can use a big math equation to figure out how the structure will behave when weight is put on it. This helps us make sure that the structure won't collapse or break.

So, the Direct Stiffness Method is like a puzzle that helps us figure out how strong a structure will be by using the properties of the individual pieces and how they fit together.