When should shear-flexible stability functions be used in elastic structural analysis?

Linear, non-linear and stability analyses of elastic structures with shear-flexible beam-columns require knowledge of shear-flexible stability functions. Carry-over and stiffness functions are to be found in the literature. New functions are derived so that compatibility of slope is ensured at the joints. Previous work has not focused on the practical issue of when these displacement functions should be used. Here it is shown that shear-flexibility should be included in linear matrix structural analysis format when the shear-flexibility parameter of members is >0·025.