An overview of computational limit analysis for civil engineering applications

Abstract : Limit analysis (or yield design) theory is an extremely efficient tool for estimating plastic collapse loads and has been at the origin of many hand-based procedures of civil engineering structural design (slope stability, strut-and-tie method, yield-line theory). With the advent of efficient mathematical programming solvers and dedicated finite element techniques, limit analysis computations can now be used to assess structural safety in a robust manner for many complex situations. Relying on a FEniCS-based library for automating limit analysis computations, this talk will give an overview of its applications in civil engineering including complex 3D steel assemblies, masonry and reinforced-concrete elements, plate or shell-like structures, etc. We will finally briefly show how conic programming solvers can also be used to extend classical limit analysis computations towards robust design or topology optimization.