Structural shakedown analysis by dual finite-element formulations

Starting from Melan's and Koiter's well-known theorems, the present paper establishes the lower and upper bound theorems for the shakedown load factor α, corresponding to a given load domain. In the case of a linear (or linearized) plastic condition, this leads to simple dual formulations enabling one to compute dual bounds for complex structures by means of finite-element and linear mathematical-programming techniques.