Lateral Torsional Buckling Resistance of Trapezoidally Corrugated Web Girders

Authors: Annamária Käferné Rácz, Bence Jáger, Balázs Kövesdi, László Dunai

Abstract:

Due to the numerous advantages of steel corrugated web girders, its application field is growing for bridges as well as for buildings. The global stability behavior of such girders is significantly larger than those of conventional I-girders with flat web, thus the application of the structural steel material can be significantly reduced. Design codes and specifications do not provide clear and complete rules or recommendations for the determination of the lateral torsional buckling (LTB) resistance of corrugated web girders. Therefore, the authors made a thorough investigation regarding the LTB resistance of the corrugated web girders. Finite element (FE) simulations have been performed to develop new design formulas for the determination of the LTB resistance of trapezoidally corrugated web girders. FE model is developed considering geometrical and material nonlinear analysis using equivalent geometric imperfections (GMNI analysis). The equivalent geometric imperfections involve the initial geometric imperfections and residual stresses coming from rolling, welding and flame cutting. Imperfection sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the necessary magnitudes regarding only the first eigenmodes shape imperfections. By the help of the validated FE model, an extended parametric study is carried out to investigate the LTB resistance for different trapezoidal corrugation profiles. First, the critical moment of a specific girder was calculated by FE model. The critical moments from the FE calculations are compared to the previous analytical calculation proposals. Then, nonlinear analysis was carried out to determine the ultimate resistance. Due to the numerical investigations, new proposals are developed for the determination of the LTB resistance of trapezoidally corrugated web girders through a modification factor on the design method related to the conventional flat web girders.

Keywords: Critical moment, FE modeling, lateral torsional buckling, trapezoidally corrugated web girders.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1316406

References:

[1] A. Rácz Käferné, „Lateral-torsional buckling resistance of trapezoidally corrugated web girders” (in Hungarian) Master’s thesis, 2017.
[2] J. Lindner, „Lateral torsional buckling of beams with trapezoidally corrugated webs”, Proceedings, 4th International Colloquium on Stability of Steel Structures, Budapest, 1990, pp. 79-82.
[3] E. Y. Sayed-Ahmed, „Lateral torsion-flexure buckling of corrugated web steel girders”, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Structures and Buildings, Vol. 158, No. 1, 2005, pp. 53-69.
[4] J. Moon, J. Yi, B. H. Choi, H-E. Lee, „Lateral-torsional buckling of Igirder with corrugated webs under uniform bending”, Thin-walled Structures, Vol. 47, 2008, pp. 21-30.
[5] R. P. Johnson, J. Cafolla, „Corrugated webs in plate girders for bridges”, Structures and Buildings, ICE, Vol. 123, 1997, pp. 157-164.
[6] N. D. Nguyen, S. N. Kim, S-R. Han, Y-j. Kang., „Elastic lateraltorsional buckling strength of I girder with trapezoidal web corrugations using a new warping constant under uniform moment”, Engineering Structures, Vol. 32, 2010, pp. 2157-2165.
[7] Z. Zhang, G. Li, F. Sun, „Flexural-torsional buckling of H-beams with corrugated webs”, Advanced Materials Research, 163-167, 2011, pp. 351–357.
[8] M. Larsson, J. Persson, „Lateral-torsional buckling of steel girders with trapezoidally corrugated webs” Master’s thesis 2013:57.
[9] V. Ilanovsky, „Assessment of bending moment resistance of girders with corrugated web” Pollack Periodica, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2015, pp. 35-44.
[10] ANSYS® v17.2, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, USA.
[11] EN 1993-1-1: 2009, EUROCODE 3, Design of steel structures, part 1-1: General rules and rules for buildings.
[12] M. Kubo, K. Watanabe, „Lateral-torsional buckling capacity of steel girders with corrugated web” Doboku Gakkai Ronbunshuu A, Vol. 63, No.1., 2007, pp. 179-193.
[13] B. Jáger, L. Dunai, B. Kövesdi, “Flange buckling behavior of girders with corrugated web Part II: Numerical study and design method development”, Thin-Walled Structures, Vol. 118, 2017, pp. 238-252.