Compressive performance of H-shaped aluminium alloy members with web openings

Abstract

In this study, experimental, numerical, and theoretical approaches are adopted to comprehensively investigate the compressive bearing capacity and failure modes of H-shaped aluminium alloy members with web openings. The influence of the opening parameters, section size, and slenderness ratio on the bearing capacity of such alloy members is analysed, and a calculation method is presented. Finite element models are established in Abaqus with the same configurations as the test specimens. The following conclusions are drawn from the analysis results: 1) The web openings weaken the practical section and destroy its continuity. Moreover, they affect the force flow transmission, thereby reducing the bearing capacity of the component and changing its failure mode. 2) Web openings have significantly larger impact on members with smaller slenderness ratios. The failure modes of members with different slenderness ratios are therefore different. 3) When the slenderness ratio is approximately 60, the weakening of the load displacement along the strong axis due to the web openings is significantly higher than that along the weak axis. 4) When the opening ratio exceeds 0.7, the openings greatly affect the stability of the components. In contrast, when the opening ratio is less than 0.3, the openings have negligible impact on the component stability. The numerical and theoretical analysis results are compared and verified by the experimental results.