Numerical-analytical investigation on bending performance of laminated beams in modular steel buildings

Abstract

It is well-known that the laminated channel beams can significantly strengthen the combination of adjacent beam components and further enhance the structural integrity of modular steel buildings. In present study, the superimposed bending performance of laminated channel beams was comprehensively investigated using the numerical and analytical methods. Firstly, FE models were developed and validated by the experimental data. Then, a series of numerical parametric studies combining the orthogonal and univariate analysis were successively conducted to identify the sensitivity of design parameters including interfacial bolt number (n), interfacial friction (f), layer height ratio (β), load type (p) and boundary condition (b), and further clarify the influence of key parameters on the cooperative bending properties. Finally, the analytical procedure was proposed to evaluate the equivalent bending stiffness of laminated channel beams. The results showed that the effect degrees of design factors on EIe and Pu were as follows: n > β > f > b > p and p > b > β > f > n, respectively. n and β were selected as the key design parameters for the modular laminated beams. The bending responses were nonlinearly promoted by n, while the linear regularity was observed for β. The influencing mechanism of n indicated that the bolt connections induced the additional internal forces, which caused the transferring of neutral axes and the superimposition effect of laminated beams. Quantifying the neutral axis deviations, the analytical models were developed and reasonably assessed the superimposed bending stiffness of laminated beams in modular steel buildings.