Experimental and numerical study for the post buckling behaviour of plate girders subjected to bending and shear

Abstract

This research offers experimental and numerical study for the ultimate strength analysis and post buckling behaviour of plate girders subjected to shear and bending stresses. Two Plate girders of length 2.5m are designed consisting from three separate structural steel plates welded together to form I - section. The dimensions of the first girder section is 512 mm × 120 mm while the second girder section is 412mm × 120 mm. Mechanical properties for plate girders components were found by testing three samples of each plate. The ultimate shear strength was found by examining two plate girders in the laboratory under concentrated load applied at the middle span. A numerical study of the tested plate girders was carried out by using the software program (ANSYS) to study the behaviour of girders steel under the influence of loads application. The results showed that the ratio of the experimental ultimate load strength to the numerical ultimate load strength is 97% 94% for plate girders 1 and 2, respectively. For the part of using theoretical study. The results obtained from the equations, it was observed that the ratio of the experimental ultimate load strength to the theoretical ultimate load strength is 83% for plate girders1 and 90% for the plate girder 2.Through comparison between experimental, numerical and theoretical results it was observed good andacceptable agreement. Thus confirming the accuracy of the modelling between this methods and obtain convergent results in all cases. Also it was found when an increase in the depth of the web has effect in increasing the ultimate shear strength for plate girder by about 19%.