Shear Capacity of Steel Plates with a Square Opening

Abstract

Steel plate elements are frequently encountered in structural applications, where thin plates are susceptible for local buckling at low loads, while thick plates may reach their strength limit. An opening of any size and shape on such structural plates may significantly affect the stiffness, strength, and the failure characteristic of the entire plate. The objective of this study is to quantify the shear capacity of plates containing a centrally placed square opening. The finite element method based numerical investigation considered the behavior of simply-supported rectangular steel plates, with and without a square opening and subjected to in-plane shear loading, experiencing buckling, post-buckling, and yielding until failure. The model employed representative material model, initial geometric imperfections and large deflection analysis. The investigation established the shear strength reduction factors due to opening of different parametric dimensions, and compared such results with the reduction factors based on the current cold-formed steel design code provisions. This paper establishes an enhanced shear strength reduction factor design equation, incorporating the impact of a centrally located square opening, for the shear capacity of un-stiffened steel plates.