Sensitivity analysis of steel plane frames with initial imperfections

Abstract The article presents the sensitivity and statistical analyses of the load-carrying capacity of a steel portal frame. It elaborates a typical stability problem of a system comprising two single-storey columns loaded in compression. The elements of this system mutually influence each other, and this fact, in conjunction with the random imperfections, influences the load-carrying capacity variance. This mutual interaction is analysed using the Sobol’ sensitivity analysis. The Sobol’ sensitivity analysis is applied to identify the dominant input random imperfections and their higher order interaction effects on the load-carrying capacity. Majority of imperfections were considered according to the results of experimental research. Realizations of initial imperfections were simulated applying the Latin Hypercube Sampling method. The geometrical nonlinear solution providing numerical result per run was employed. The frame was meshed using beam elements. The columns of the plane frame are considered with two variants of boundary conditions. The dependence between mean and design load-carrying capacities and column non-dimensional slenderness is analysed.

[1]  Ilya M. Sobol,et al.  Sensitivity Estimates for Nonlinear Mathematical Models , 1993 .

[2]  Czesław Szymczak,et al.  Sensitivity analysis of thin-walled members, problems and applications , 2003 .

[3]  Zdeněk Kala.  Stability problems of steel structures in the presence of stochastic and fuzzy uncertainty , 2007 .

[4]  Olli Kaitila.  Imperfection sensitivity analysis of lipped channel columns at high temperatures , 2002 .

[5]  Milan Holický,et al.  Design characteristics of structural steels based on statistical analysis of metallurgical products , 2004 .

[6]  Stefano Tarantola,et al.  Sensitivity Analysis in Practice: A Guide to Assessing Scientific Models , 2004 .

[7]  C. Guedes Soares,et al.  Uncertainty modelling in plate buckling , 1988 .

[8]  Gerhard Sedlacek,et al.  Use of safety factors for the design of steel structures according to the Eurocodes , 2007 .

[9]  Zdeněk Kala.  Sensitivity analysis of stability problems of steel plane frames , 2011 .

[10]  Ulrike Kuhlmann,et al.  Slender thin‐walled box columns subjected to compression and bending , 2010 .

[11]  Holger Keitel,et al.  Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of creep models for uncorrelated and correlated input parameters , 2010 .

[12]  Jin-Guang Teng,et al.  Imperfection sensitivity and postbuckling analysis of elastic shells of revolution , 2008 .

[13]  Francisco J. Pallarés,et al.  Proposal to evaluate the ultimate limit state of slender structures. Part 1: Technical aspects , 2007 .

[14]  Abayomi Omishore,et al.  Stability problems of steel‐concrete members composed of high‐strength materials , 2010 .

[15]  Daisuke Saito,et al.  Buckling behaviour of prestressed steel stayed columns with imperfections and stress limitation , 2009 .

[16]  W. M. Quach,et al.  Effect of the manufacturing process on the behaviour of press-braked thin-walled steel columns , 2010 .

[17]  Ronald L. Iman,et al.  Risk methodology for geologic disposal of radioactive waste: small sample sensitivity analysis techniques for computer models, with an application to risk assessment , 1980 .

[18]  Claudio Modena,et al.  Fatigue assessment of highway steel bridges in presence of seismic loading , 2011 .

[19]  Viorel Ungureanu,et al.  Plastic strength of thin-walled plated members—Alternative solutions review , 2011 .

[20]  Zdeněk Kala.  Sensitivity analysis of the stability problems of thin-walled structures , 2005 .

[21]  Daisuke Saito,et al.  Numerical studies of interactive buckling in prestressed steel stayed columns , 2009 .

[22]  D. A. Nethercot,et al.  Designer's guide to EN 1993-1-1 : Eurocode 3: Design of Steel Structures : General Rules and Rules for Buildings /L. Gardner and D. A. Nethercot , 2005 .

[23]  Zdeněk Kala,et al.  Sensitivity assessment of steel members under compression , 2009 .

[24]  Han Ping Hong,et al.  Reliability of steel frames designed in accordance with the National Building Code of Canada seismic provisions and its implication in codified design , 2010 .

[25]  Zdeněk Kala,et al.  Material and geometrical characteristics of structural steels based on statistical analysis of metallurgical products , 2009 .