Time History Analysis is easy, and you should do it: Here’s how.

Abstract

Time history analysis is generally regarded as a highly specialised and deeply technical process. There is also a growing divide between different schools of thought around how analysis should be done. On the one hand, older- perhaps wiser- engineers believe all the good work is done by the human brain with simple pencil and paper calculations. In the other camp, typically younger, digitally native engineers believe (often without consciously knowing it's a belief) that computers can and should do the vast majority of the calculation work to solve complex problems. The author believes that the self-fulfilling prophecy that NLTHA is too hard to learn does not have to come true. And that one does not have to choose between the simple and the complex, but rather a good process does not rely on any one method - mistakes can be made anywhere- but that a systematic process with checks and balances is best. While this approach could be used by anyone, it is primarily for use in design offices. The fundamental goal of this paper is to stress that the goal is good analysis to enable good design, and offers a pathway to achieve this.