Finite element modelling and design of stainless steel SHS and RHS beam-columns under moment gradients
Author(s)
Zhao, O
Gardner, L
Young, B
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Structural design formulae for beam-columns require accurate end points (i.e. accurate resistance predictions for pure compression and pure bending), should be of suitable form to capture the interaction between the different components of loading and should take due account of the influence of a moment gradient along the member length. However, existing design rules for stainless steel beam-columns do not fully capture the interaction responses observed in experiments and numerical simulations, and are often tied to inaccurate end points; the adopted equivalent uniform moment factors can also be unconservative in the case of high moment gradients. As a consequence, previous comparisons of stainless steel beam-column experimental and finite element results with codified strength predictions have often revealed a rather high degree of scatter. This prompted the present research, to develop improved design proposals for stainless steel square hollow section (SHS) and rectangular hollow section (RHS) beam-columns under moment gradients. To this end, revised design approaches are proposed firstly through the derivation of more accurate design interaction curves for stainless steel SHS and RHS beam-columns under uniform bending moment and then through the employment of more suitable equivalent uniform moment factors, underpinned by and validated against over 1500 test and numerical data points. The new design approaches are shown to lead to improved (safe-sided, accurate and consistent) resistance predictions for stainless steel SHS and RHS beam-columns under moment gradients over the current codified design rules. Finally, statistical analyses are performed to demonstrate the reliability of the proposed approaches, according to the requirements specified in EN 1990.
Date Issued
2019-01-01
Date Acceptance
2018-10-03
Citation
Thin-Walled Structures, 2019, 134, pp.220-232
ISSN
0263-8231
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
220
End Page
232
Journal / Book Title
Thin-Walled Structures
Volume
134
Copyright Statement
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Subjects
0901 Aerospace Engineering
0905 Civil Engineering
0913 Mechanical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2018-10-26