EFFECT OF VERTICAL WEB STIFFENERS ON LATERAL TORSIONAL BUCKLING BEHAVIOR OF CANTILEVER STEEL I-BEAMS

Abstract

Lateral torsional buckling often governs design of I-beams. Although vertical web stiffeners are extensively used to provide internal stiffening, their effect on lateral torsional buckling behavior is totally ignored in the design codes. Here, effect of stiffeners on cantilever beams studied under static uniform moment, uniform load, and end concentrated load. Finite element buckling solver has been used and then linear regression analysis for output data of finite element was conducted to produce simplified equation for the critical moment including stiffeners effect. The results show that stiffeners cause significant magnification in the critical moment than the basic critical moment of the case of beam without stiffeners.