AN EVENT-TO-EVENT STRATEGY FOR NONLINEAR-ANALYSIS OF TRUSS STRUCTURES .1.

An efficient strategy to obtain static nonlinear response is presented. It is applicable to trusses made up of elements with piecewise linear force-deformation characteristics and subject to proportional loads or piecewise linear load paths. The strategy uses the fact that the response is piecewise linear; it only computes response at the ends of the linear segments and obtains intermediate response by linear interpolation. The key part of the strategy is identifying the structure stiffness matrix and the load direction in each linear segment. This is done with an iterative procedure based on a changing local deformation criteria.