Flexural-torsional buckling behavior of aluminum alloy beams

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation on the flexural-torsional buckling behavior of aluminum alloy beams (AAB). First, based on the tests of 14 aluminum alloy beams under concentrated loads, the failure pattern, load-deformation curves, bearing capacity and flexural-torsional buckling factor are studied. It is found that all the beam specimens collapsed in the flexural-torsional buckling with excessive deformation pattern. Moreover, the span, loading location and slenderness ratio influence the flexural-torsional buckling capacity of beams significantly. Secondly, besides the experiments, a finite element method (FEM) analysis on the flexural-torsional buckling behavior of AAB is also conducted. The main parameters in the FEM analysis are initial imperfection, material property, cross-section and loading scheme. According to the analytical results, it is indicated that the FEM is reasonable to capture mechanical behavior of AAB. Finally, on the basis of the experimental and analytical results, theoretical formulae to estimate the flexural-torsional buckling capacity of AAB are proposed, which could improve the application of present codes for AAB.

Keywords

flexural-torsional buckling / aluminum alloy beams (AAB) / finite element method (FEM) / theoretical formula

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Acknowledgment

This work is supported by Shanghai science and Technology Development Fund Project: the study and development of the aluminum alloy reticulated structures (No. A0205124).

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg