Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 July 2016
“The Rank Technique” is a method for automatic selection of redundancies in the Matrix Force Method. The method was developed for the complete linear analysis of general plane frames, but is equally applicable to other forms of two- and three-dimensional configurations whose state can be expressed as a system of linear equations. An attractive feature of the method is that the structure is systematically and automatically investigated to determine its basic characteristics. The first point considered is whether the structure is stable or unstable for the prescribed load conditions; if stable, whether determinate or redundant and if redundant, the degree of redundancy. A consistent set of redundants is automatically isolated. For general structures the technique automatically generates the basic and redundant load systems in an indirect manner which can be made readily available, if required. The initial development of “The Rank Technique” was carried out in collaboration with Robert R. Regl and is given in reference 1.