Axial forces in transverse web stiffeners of steel plate girders – a numerical investigation
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Transverse web stiffeners in steel plate girders are used to reduce web span and increase the elastic critical buckling load of the panel or sub-panel by providing lateral support. These stiffeners also enhance the ultimate post-buckling resistance of the girder by anchoring the tension field diagonal and prevent the flanges from moving inward [ 1 , 2 ]. As a result, this post-buckling behaviour generates axial compression in the transverse stiffeners which is presently considered by most design standards’ verifications. However, the axial forces specified in design standards for intermediate transverse stiffeners, particularly in EN 1993-1-5 [ 3 ], are typically higher than those observed in experimental tests and numerical simulations. This may negatively impact both the economic feasibility and sustainability of steel plated girder structures. To investigate this issue, a calibrated numerical model was developed based on experimental tests [ 1 , 2 ], resulting in 13500 finite element (FE) calculations with a wide range of geometries and materials were analysed using nonlinear elastoplastic simulations. The study explored the influence of web slenderness, aspect ratio, flange dimensions, steel grade, and the presence of longitudinal stiffeners. A statistical analysis of the ratio N st , code / N st , max , FEM revealed that the axial force predictions in EN 1993-1-5 are in average overestimated by a factor of 2.
Source: Thin-Walled Structures
Language: English
Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,440
OpenAlex ID: W4413019751