Shear buckling of trapezoidal web plate

Abstract

One of the issues raised since the steel structure was introduced in the construction industry is how to reduce the weight and the cost of the component parts such as girder and beams. Economical design of girders and beams normally requires thin webs. But if the web is extremely slender the problem of plate buckling may arise. Possible ways to reduce this risk are by increasing the thickness of the web plate, adding web stiffeners or strengthening the web by making it corrugated. Recently, by the advances in welding technology, the idea of using beams with corrugated web as an alternative to save cost has been investigated. In the absence of any specific design guide, the British Standard BS5950 can be used as the basis for the design of the corrugated beams and girders. But can we then assume that using the BS5950 for the corrugated web girders would result in an economic design? To develop a new design guide specifically dedicated to trapezoidally corrugated sections, research is being carried out in the Department of Structures and Materials, University Teknologi Malaysia. One of the major scopes is the determination of shear buckling capacity of the web panel. The objective of the research is to study the behaviour of trapezoidally corrugated web plate girder under shear force. A series of laboratory tests have been carried out on the girders with corrugated sections subjected to predominantly shear loading and a series of finite element analyses using LUSAS software is used to study the critical elastic shear buckling of the web of various slenderness ratios. The results of the research are then used for the design calculation of the section properties. An empirical formula to calculate critical shear stress proposed at the end of the study. The shear capacity of the trapezoid web plate girder could be calculated using the proposed formula.