• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.571-586
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• 2013

This paper focuses on the buckling capacity of a hybrid grid shell. The eigenvalue buckling, geometrical non-linear elastic buckling and elasto-plastic buckling analyses of the hybrid structure were carried out. Then the influences of the shape and scale of imperfections on the elasto-plastic buckling loads were discussed. Also, the effects of different structural parameters, such as the rise-to-span ratio, beam section, area and pre-stress of cables and boundary conditions, on the failure load were investigated. Based on the comparison between elastic and elasto-plastic buckling loads, the effect of material non-linearity on the stability of the hybrid barrel vault is found significant. Furthermore, the stability of a hybrid barrel vault is sensitive to the anti-symmetrical distribution of loads. It is also shown that the structures are highly imperfection sensitive which can greatly reduce their failure loads. The results also show that the support conditions pose significant effect on the elasto-plastic buckling load of a perfect hybrid structure.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.6A
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• pp.399-409
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• 2012

The flexural behavior of HSB plate girder with a non-slender web, due to inelastic lateral-torsional buckling, under uniform bending was investigated by the nonlinear finite element analysis. Both homogeneous sections fabricated from SM570-TMC, HSB600 or HSB800 steel and hybrid sections with HSB800 flanges and SM570-TMC web were considered. The flanges and web of selected noncomposite I-girders were modeled as thin shell elements and the geometrical and material nonlinear finite element analysis was performed by the ABAQUS program. The steel was assumed as an elasto-plastic strain hardening material. Initial imperfections and residual stresses were taken into account and their effects on the inelastic lateral-torsional buckling behavior were analyzed. The flexural strengths of selected sections obtained by the finite element analysis were compared with the nominal flexural strengths from KHBDC LSD, AASHTO LRFD, and Eurocode and the applicability of these codes in predicting the inelastic lateral torsional buckling strength of HSB plate girders with a non-slender web was assessed.