Non-classical energy method used for analysis of built-up trussed tower structures

A new method — non-classical energy method based on semi-continuity and semi-discreteness idea — is proposed in this paper for the static and dynamic analysis of built-up space trussed tower structures. The tower structure is simulated as a non-classical beam with varible cross-section in the consideration of bending, shear, tension and extrusion, arbitrary node’s displacements of the structure can be described by four trial functions concerning four deformation effects mentioned above. A group of linear algebraic equations is obtained by the energy variational principle. The unknowns number of the equations is few and not relative to complex degree of structure ( e.g. cross-section shape, bar number, floor number and height), In the meantime, the present method can conveniently cope with various truss towers with added installation. The numerical results of TV towers and offshore platform tower are given. They indicate that present method can be run on microcomputer and the computer program is very simple and can be widely applied in engineering.