Application of the THIN-WALL-2 V2.0 program for analysis of thin-walled sections under localised loading

Abstract

The Finite Strip Method (FSM) has been developed for pre-buckling and buckling analyses of thin-walled sections under localised loading for general end boundary conditions. The theory is included in the THIN-WALL-2 V2.0 program which has been developed at the University of Sydney using a MATLAB graphical interface, Visual Studio C++ computational engines and a FSM module. The paper describes the application of the THIN-WALL-2 V2.0 program in analysis of thin-walled sections under the four localised loading cases namely IOF (Interior one-flange loading), EOF (End one-flange loading), ITF (Interior two-flange loading) and ETF (End two-flange loading). A linear analysis is required for pre-buckling analysis to determine the pre-buckling modes and the membrane stresses of structural members subjected to localised loading. These stresses are then used in the buckling analysis to get the buckling load and the buckling modes of the structural members.