BEHAVIOUR OF A WEB PLATE IN SHEAR WITH AN INTERMEDIATE STIFFENER.

Abstract

The behaviour of a simply supported plate with a single stiffener, subject to in-plane shear forces, is studied using elastic critical buckling analyses and non-linear elasto-plastic finite-element analyses. Particular attention is paid to factors relevant to design of the stiffener. Variations in stiffener rigidity, panel side ratio, panel slenderness, and imperfection shapes are considered. A primary conclusion for the panel slendernesses considered is that the stiffener behaviour depends primarily on moments caused by transverse shear forces in the panels on each side of the stiffener, and that the axial force in the stiffener has a relatively small effect. This contrasts with current design methods which are based primarily on axial forces resulting from tension field action. Stiffener requirements based on the analyses are compared with the requirements of current design codes, and rather large differences are found. Large differences between codes are also found. A subsequent paper will use the results presented in developing and validating a phenomenologically based model for stiffener design. (A)