Small displacement - Large Displacement Transition

[slickdeals]

Folks,
Are there limits at which a small displacement problem transitions to a large displacement problem?

For example, if I have small rod that is acting as a handrail or a barrier spanning across an opening in the wall, at what point should I start worrying about axial forces at the ends rather than just shear?

We are Virginia Tech
Go HOKIES

 

[paddingtongreen]

At the risk of sounding insulting, you have to ask the individual member or structure. Your rod for example, must resist a prescribed load but if you ask if it develops an axial force, it will say no unless both of it's ends are rigidly held in the axial direction.

The appropriate questions must be formatted for the problem. If there is no quick qualitative negative then you have to check for a quantitative answer, do the numbers I'm afraid.

Michael.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

 

[slickdeals]

@Pad:
Thanks, that was not insulting. I don't mind doing the numbers, but wanted to know if there were limits based on research/experience at which number crunching was meaningless.

We are Virginia Tech
Go HOKIES

 

[csd72]

slickdeals,

I think in this case all you have to do is look at equilibrium of forces to get your answer.