General behaviour and effect of rigid and non-rigid end post in stainless steel plate girders loaded in shear. Part I: Experimental study

Abstract To better understand the response of stainless steel plate girders loaded in shear, an experimental campaign was carried out at UPC as a part of extensive research on shear behaviour of stainless steel girders. A total of 8 stainless steel plate girders were tested. The primary design variables were, apart from the aspect ratio and slenderness of the web panel, the rigid or non-rigid condition of the end post. In parallel, a numerical model was developed in code ABAQUS [Hibbit, Karlsson and Sorensen Inc., ABAQUS/Standard, Version 6.3. User’s manual. Rhode Island (USA); 2002]. The tests results served as a basis for calibration of numerical models and furthermore for the development and verification of a new approach to structural stainless steel design. Different responses and modes of failure in shear were observed and special attention was taken of the effect of the rigidity of the end post during the analysis of results. The comparative analysis of the experimental results with current codes’ approaches clearly shows that shear design procedures included in Eurocode 3 Part 1.4 [European Committee for Standardisation. ENV 1993-1-4. Eurocode 3: Design of steel structures. Part 1.4: General rules—supplementary rules for stainless steel. Brussels; 1996], which specifically deals with stainless steel structures, are overly conservative.

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