In a previous paper (Mancini and Savassi, 1999), it was shown that every plane panel, used to brace tall building structures, can be easily and generally approached through the use of the continuous medium technique (CMT) (Albiges and Goulet, 1960). In that paper, following a so-called local formulation, i.e., by deriving the governing differential equations system of the panel, in terms of u(z) panel horizontal displacement and w(i) columns or walls axial displacements, the equivalence (likeness) of formal mathematics, and hence of structural behaviour, between the panel composed by a pair of shear walls associated by lintel beams and another panel formed by the plane association, by pinned horizontal bars, of one shear wall and one single bay frame, was also shown. In both cases, axial deformations due to axial forces on vertical members were taken into account. In this paper, confirming those conclusions, but now following a global formulation (i.e., considering the total potential energy of each panel: strain energy plus applied load potentials), the mathematical equivalence between those two types of plane panels is again revealed by comparison of their two total potential energy analytical expressions. Additionally, based on that variational approach, the one-dimensional finite element formulation is presented. This enlarges the possibilities of solutions for more general types of panels, like those with variable geometry or loading. without any further difficulty. The procedure, for any type of panel, can be codified in one single computer program, very similar to those used to solve plain continuous beam problems. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.
