Abstract
Based on the results of the parametric analysis of the elasto-plastic behavior of model steel subassemblages, a simple formula is derived which estimates the stability limit strength of a certain story of a multistory steel frame from the elastic response line and the rigid plastic mechanism line without tedious computation of the buckling strength. The strengths given by the formula are compared with the results of the parametric analysis and the results of the past experiments, and the accuracy of the formula is examined. In addition, the relations between the present formula and ones proposed previously by others are investigated.
