Stress states and shear failure mechanisms of girders with corrugated steel webs

Abstract

The corrugated steel web girder (CSWG) has been widely used since its light self-weight and high shear stability. Previous studies on the shear response focus on the shear buckling behavior of corrugated steel webs that dominates shear strength of the girder. However, there is a lack of theoretical explanation for this phenomenon. Besides, research on the post-buckling performance of CSGBs is quite limited though that has been observed by several researchers. In this paper, a theoretical approach adopting the rotated stress field method was proposed to analyze stress states in girders with corrugated steel webs under shear and was verified by experimental data. The results could explain the shear strength determined by shear buckling behaviour theoretically. Then, nonlinear finite element analyses were performed on 24 I-beam specimens to investigate the post-buckling performance and ultimate failure mechanisms of the CSWG. The post-buckling performance is provided by a frame system composing the tension zone in the web, the flanges and the stiffeners. When plastic hinges form in the flanges, the girder collapses and the possible collapse mechanisms include the quasi mid-section mechanism, the mid-section mechanism and the girder mechanism. Level of the residual shear strength after buckling and the collapse mechanism are significantly affected by the flange bending stiffness and the web width/height ratio.