Ultimate Load Behaviour of Perforated Steel Plate Girders with Inclined Stiffeners

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the ultimate load behaviour of perforated thin-webbed steel plate girders with inclined web stiffeners. Non-linear modelling and analyses were carried out on simply supported plate girders using a commercial finite element software, LUSAS. The girders are of practical size and subjected to a single concentrated load applied at the centre of gravity of the section. Effects of inclination degree of stiffeners and central web openings on the performance and behaviour of such girders are investigated. Variations of ultimate strength, failure characteristic and load-deflection response are obtained from the analyses. The load carrying capacity is found to increase significantly when the inclined intermediate stiffeners were provided to the girders; to the extent of 38% for the unperforated girders whilst 45% for those having web openings. Reduction of shear strength due to presence of web openings may also be improved from 56% in the girders stiffened vertically to only 24% in the girders provided with inclined stiffeners of 30 o .