Is it important getting symbolic solution for structural?
Is it important getting symbolic solution for structural?
(OP)
Dear Colleagues
It would be very good to ask about one non usual task in structural engineering and its possible solution. I mean such problem conditions.
Please imagine structural construction from big number of rods, spatial beams and so on. It requires calculating it i.e. to find all internal factors, such as stresses and so on.
All today approaches (software, methods, and algorithms) offer only numeric solution for this task.
It will be very interesting to know has it interest for engineers and researches to calculate such structural system with answer in symbolically and numeric-symbolically notation.
For example, as we used always: for this type of loading 10000N we will have at this point of structure vertical deflection 0.9mm. Instead we will speak about result as expression for vertical deflection depend upon all system parameters like Segment Lengths, Young Modulus, Moment of Inertia, Section Area and so on.
Is it useful for researchers and engineers in real tasks?
Heartfelt Gratitude for any comment by this topic.
Eng. Professor Arlou
It would be very good to ask about one non usual task in structural engineering and its possible solution. I mean such problem conditions.
Please imagine structural construction from big number of rods, spatial beams and so on. It requires calculating it i.e. to find all internal factors, such as stresses and so on.
All today approaches (software, methods, and algorithms) offer only numeric solution for this task.
It will be very interesting to know has it interest for engineers and researches to calculate such structural system with answer in symbolically and numeric-symbolically notation.
For example, as we used always: for this type of loading 10000N we will have at this point of structure vertical deflection 0.9mm. Instead we will speak about result as expression for vertical deflection depend upon all system parameters like Segment Lengths, Young Modulus, Moment of Inertia, Section Area and so on.
Is it useful for researchers and engineers in real tasks?
Heartfelt Gratitude for any comment by this topic.
Eng. Professor Arlou





RE: Is it important getting symbolic solution for structural?
corus
RE: Is it important getting symbolic solution for structural?
Yes, there would be some virtue in that if you were interested in optimising the structure. But if you are really interested in optimising structures you tend to end up changing the shape as well as the section sizes.
Cheers
Greg Locock
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RE: Is it important getting symbolic solution for structural?
Additionally, sometimes, it's not just the actual solution that's difficult, but the structure of the problem statement itself, i.e., how would one even begin to create the symbolic solution for a 4-story building?
TTFN
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RE: Is it important getting symbolic solution for structural?
Thanks for notices. Let's take a concrete sample for more subject speaking.
Of course, there is no 4-story building but it is real engineering task.
So, is there real value of such symbolic solution?
Deflection at center of structure.
RE: Is it important getting symbolic solution for structural?
I think that what you present as a "symbolic solution" in many cases whould be considered as a "formula" for calculating for example the deflection. In many cases the "formula" has a value for parametric studies. But what you need for the actual design is the deflection in meters or inches or whatever you prefer.
In general I would say that the actual deflection of the beam is of more interest than the equation giving the deflection. This might also be the reason why numerical methods are so popular. They basically give you what you need to do the design. Provided, of course, that all the boundary conditions are correct. But that is required for both methods.
Just some thoughts
Thomas
RE: Is it important getting symbolic solution for structural?
Just an addition to my previous post.
As an engineer you need the results. How you got them is not neccessarily of interest provided they are correct. It's on the results you base you conclusion, "Thicker plate or not".
As a teacher you are probably not very interrested in the students results in terms of x mm deflection. It's how he got them that is of interest to check his work.
Now, when I work with junior engineers I'm interessted in both the results and how he/she got them. This is to verify that they are correct. But typically it would be a numerical solution. A symbolic solution is often nearly impossible to get within a resonable timeframe.
Some more thoughts
Thomas
RE: Is it important getting symbolic solution for structural?