Limit loads for laterally loaded I-section beams with consideration of shear

The paper examines an effect of shear forces on limit load for I-section beams carrying lateral loads. The problem is solved on the basis of a physical model, which enables one to take into account the effect of a resistance of beam flanges to the plastic shear strain in the web of the beam. The physical model for the evaluation of limit loads was verified using nonlinear finite element analysis. An engineering technique for the calculation of limit loads for ship hull beams subjected to large shear forces was developed using this model. As illustrative examples, the paper shows the application of the proposed technique to obtain closed-form solutions for the prediction of limit loads.