INTEGRATED USER-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT FOR A 2-D NONLINEAR ANALYSIS PROGRAM

Nonlinear analyses allow simulating, in a more realistic way, the behaviour of structures subjected to several types of complex loading conditions such as earthquakes. However, it is recognized that these analyses normally generate a considerable amount of results, a factor that difficult its interpretation. Over the last years, considerable progresses have been made in structural nonlinear behaviour modelling, associated to the fast growing development of numerical algorithms and computer capacities. Therefore, a number of computational analysis tools have been developed to meet the analysis requirements from the behaviour viewpoint. However, a similar growth in the development of graphical results visualization tools has not been witnessed and the generalized use of such analysis programs is thus made difficult. To face this, a graphical processor called VISUALANL was developed for an existing nonlinear analysis program for plane frame structures. To observe the potentialities of such tool, an application example is presented illustrating both previously referred stages.