Evaluation of the Rotation Capacity of Wide-Flange Beams Using Shell Finite Elements

Numerical simulation can be useful for planning of experimental tests, performance of parametric studies, and achieving an understanding of complex three-dimensional behavior that may be difficult to observe experimentally. However, the correlation between experiments and detailed numerical models is often sensitive to a number of factors that are not well understood. This paper investigates the use of shell finite elements for a specific stability consideration in steel structures - evaluation of the rotation capacity of wide-flange beams. The examples presented include comparisons of numerical results with published experimental data regarding the effects of web and flange slenderness and moment gradient.