Web buckling behavior of FRP composite box-beams: Governing parameters and their effect

The lightweight superstructure is beneficial for bridges in remote areas and emergency erection. In such weight-sensitive applications, the combination of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) as a material and box-beams as a structural system have enormous scope. This combination offers various advantages, but as a thin-walled structure, their designs are often governed by buckling criteria. FRP box-beams lose their stability either by flange or web buckling mode. In this paper, the web buckling behavior of simply supported FRP box-beam subjected to transverse load has been studied by modeling full box-beam to consider the effect of real state of stress (stress variation in length direction) and boundary conditions (rotational restraint at web-flange junction). A parametric study by varying the sectional geometry and fiber orientation is carried out by using ANSYS software. The accuracy of the FE models was ensured by verifying them against the available results provided in the literature. With the help of developed database the influential parameters (i.e., αs, βw, δw and γ) affecting the web bucklings are identified. Design trends have been developed which will be helpful to the designers in the preliminary stage. Finally, the importance of governing parameters and design trends are demonstrated through pedestrian bridge design.

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