Full Length Transverse Stiffener Under Compression: Fid-Bau Portal

Full Length Transverse Stiffener Under Compression

Bougoffa, Sabra / Mezghanni, Omar / Durif, Sebastien / Bouchair, Abdelhamid / Daoud, Atef

The behavior of web panels in steel elements loaded in compression is characterized by buckling. Thus, their resistance is controlled by local or global buckling according to the slenderness. To limit the risk of instability which tends to reduce the resistance capacity of this type of compressed panels, transverse stiffeners are added. The resistance of the stiffened web panel is evaluated considering the instability of a column element in compression with a cross‐section composed by the stiffener and a part of the web. In order to observe the behavior of these stiffened sections, an experimental campaign was carried out on panels of two different dimensions stiffened over their entire height. Thus, various zones of stiffened or unstiffened panels are tested in double localized compression until failure. These tests are performed on welded panels of two different heights. The stiffeners are either in a central position or at the edge regarding the beam length. The stiffeners are welded over the entire height on both sides of the web and on the flanges of the panel. Some tests are performed on parts of panels without stiffeners to evaluate the unstiffened panel resistance to be used as reference. The results of the experimental tests are compared with those given by the finite element model using shell elements. The comparison makes it possible to calibrate the nonlinear model considering the elastic‐plastic behavior of materials and large displacements. The results are compared on the basis of displacement‐load curves and failure modes that define the behavior of the stiffeners in compression. They can be used to study the global resistance of the stiffened panels in compression zone of beam‐to‐column connections.