Behavior of symmetrically haunched non-prismatic members subjected to temperature changes

Abstract

When the temperature of a structure varies, there is a tendency to produce changes in the shape of the structure. The resulting actions may be of considerable importance in the analysis of the structures having non-prismatic members. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the modeling, analysis and behavior of the non-prismatic members subjected to temperature changes with the aid of finite element modeling. The fixed-end moments and fixed-end forces of such members due to temperature changes were computed through a comprehensive parametric study. It was demonstrated that the conventional methods using frame elements can lead to significant errors, and the deviations can reach to unacceptable levels for these types of structures. The design formulas and the dimensionless design coefficients were proposed based on a comprehensive parametric study using two-dimensional plane-stress finite element models. The fixed-end actions of the non-prismatic members having parabolic and straight haunches due to temperature changes can be determined using the proposed approach without necessitating a detailed finite element model solution. Additionally, the robust results of the finite element analyses allowed examining the sources and magnitudes of the errors in the conventional analysis.