Continuous Beams of Aluminum Alloy Tubular Cross Sections. I: Tests and FE Model Validation
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 141, Issue 9
Abstract
The aims of this study are to generate experimental data and develop numerical models for aluminum alloy continuous beams, and to utilize the results to underpin the development of revised design methods for indeterminate structures. This paper presents an experimental program and finite-element (FE) analyses for two-span continuous beams (i.e., five-point bending) of square and rectangular hollow sections (SHSs and RHSs). The experimental program comprised 27 five-point bending tests with three different positioning of loads. The testing procedures and key results are reported. The test specimens were manufactured by extrusion, with 18 of grade 6061-T6 and 9 of grade 6063-T5 heat-treated aluminum alloys. The test specimens were nonslender sections, and mostly of Class 1 proportions. Generally, the specimens failed by the formation of a collapse mechanism comprising three plastic hinges. The distances between the supports and the loading points were varied in order to form the first plastic hinge in different locations, to achieve different load levels between the first hinge and collapse, and to change the rotation demands on the first hinge that formed. The FE models were developed and failure was defined as either when a plastic collapse mechanism was formed or the material fracture strain was reached on the tension flange, whichever occurred first. The numerical models were first validated against the experimentally obtained load-deflection responses, as well as the failure modes. The experimental and FE ultimate loads were both found to be beyond the theoretical loads corresponding to the formation of the first hinge as well as the calculated plastic collapse loads. A key characteristic of aluminum alloy, strain hardening, is shown to be particularly significant in both the experimental program and the numerical investigation. The validated FE models are used to generate numerical results through parametric studies in the companion paper. The development of design rules for indeterminate aluminum alloy structural systems is then described.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The research work in this paper was supported by a grant from University of Hong Kong under the seed funding program for basic research. The authors are also grateful to Ms. Mengxi Wu for her assistance in the experimental program as part of her final year undergraduate research project at University of Hong Kong.
References
ABAQUS Version 6.10-1 [Computer software]. Hibbit, Karlsson & Sorensen, Pawtucket, RI.
CEN (European Committee for Standardization). (2007). “Eurocode 9: Design of aluminum structures—Part 1-1: General rules—General rules and rules for buildings.”, Brussels, Belgium.
De Matteis, G., Landolfo, R., Manganiello, M., and Mazzolani, F. M. (2004). “Inelastic behaviour of I-shaped aluminium beams: Numerical analysis and cross-sectional classification.” Comput. Struct., 82(23–26), 2157–2171.
De Matteis, G., Moen, L. A., Langseth, M., Landolfo, R., Hopperstad, O. S., and Mazzolani, F. M. (2001). “Cross-sectional classification for aluminium beams—Parametric study.” J. Struct. Eng., 271–279.
Ellobody, E., and Young, B. (2005). “Structural performance of cold-formed high strength stainless steel columns.” J. Constr. Steel Res., 61(12), 1631–1649.
Gardner, L., Saari, N., and Wang, F. (2010). “Comparative experimental study of hot-rolled and cold-formed rectangular hollow sections.” Thin-Walled Struct., 48(7), 495–507.
Gardner, L., Wang, F., and Liew, A. (2011). “Influence of strain hardening on the behavior and design of steel structures.” Int. J. Struct. Stab. Dyn., 11(5), 855–875.
Hassinen, P. (2000). “Compression strength of aluminum columns—Experimental and numerical studies.” Proc., 3rd Int. Conf. on Coupled Instabilities of Metal Structures, CIMS’2000, Imperial College Press (ICP), London, U.K.
Hill, H. N. (1944). “Determination of stress–Strain relations from the offset yield strength values.”, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Jandera, M., Gardner, L., and Machacek, J. (2008). “Residual stresses in cold-rolled stainless steel hollow sections.” J. Constr. Steel Res., 64(11), 1255–1263.
Kim, Y., and Peköz, P. (2010). “Ultimate flexural strength of aluminum sections.” Thin-Walled Struct., 48(10–11), 857–865.
Lai, Y. F. W., and Nethercot, D. A. (1992). “Design of aluminium columns.” Eng. Struct., 14(3), 188–194.
Manganiello, M., De Matteis, G., and Landolfo, R. (2006). “Inelastic flexural strength of aluminium alloys structures.” Eng. Struct., 28(4), 593–608.
Mazzolani, F. M. (1994). Aluminium alloy structures, 2nd Ed., E&FN Spon Press, London, U.K.
Mazzolani, F. M., Piluso, V., and Rizzano, G. (1997). “Numerical simulation of aluminium stocky hollow members under uniform compression.” Proc., 5th Int. Colloquium on Stability and Ductility of Steel Structures, Japan Society of Steel Construction, Nagoya, Japan, 29–31.
Mirambell, E., and Real, E. (2000). “On the calculation of deflections in structural stainless steel beams: An experimental and numerical investigation.” J. Constr. Steel Res., 54(1), 109–133.
Moen, L., Langseth, M., and Hopperstad, O. S. (1998). “Elastoplastic buckling of anisotropic aluminium plate elements.” J. Struct. Eng., 712–719.
Moen, L. A., Hopperstad, O. S., and Langseth, M. (1999). “Rotational capacity of aluminium beams under moment gradient. I: Experiments.” J. Struct. Eng., 910–920.
Nethercot, D. A., Li, T. Q., and Choo, B. S. (1995). “Required rotations and moment redistribution for composite frames and continuous beams.” J. Constr. Steel Res., 35(2), 121–163.
Opheim, B. S. (1996). “Bending of thin-walled aluminium extrusions.” Ph.D. dissertation, Div. of Structure Engineering, Norwegian Univ. of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Panlilo, F. (1947). “The theory of limit design applied to magnesium alloy and aluminum alloy structures.” J. R. Aeronaut. Soc., LI, 534–571.
Ramberg, W., and Osgood, W. R. (1943). “Description of stress-strain curves by three parameters.”, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington, DC.
Rasmussen, K. J. R., and Hancock, G. J. (1993). “Design of cold-formed stainless steel tubular members. I: Columns.” J. Struct. Eng., 2349–2367.
Su, M., Young, B., and Gardner, L. (2014a). “Continuous beams of aluminium alloy tubular cross sections. II: Parametric study and design.” J. Struct. Eng., 04014233.
Su, M., Young, B., and Gardner, L. (2014b). “Deformation-based design of aluminium alloy beams.” Eng. Struct., 80, 339–349.
Su, M., Young, B., and Gardner, L. (2014c). “Testing and design of aluminium alloy cross-sections in compression.” J. Struct. Eng., in press.
Theofanous, M., Saliba, N., Zhao, O., and Gardner, L. (2014). “Ultimate response of stainless steel continuous beams.” Thin-Walled Struct., 83, 115–127.
Wang, T., Hopperstad, O. S., Lademoa, O. G., and Larsen, P. K. (2007). “Finite element modelling of welded aluminium members subjected to four-point bending.” Thin-Walled Struct., 45, 307–320.
Welo, T. (1991). “Inelastic deformation capacity of flexurally-loaded aluminium alloy structures.” Ph.D. thesis, Div. of Structural Engineering, Norwegian Institute of Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Xiao, Y., and Menzemer, C. (2003). “Ultimate compressive strength of aluminum plate elements.” J. Struct. Eng., 1441–1447.
Zhou, F., and Young, B. (2008). “Aluminum tubular sections subjected to web crippling—Part I: Tests and finite element analysis.” Thin-Walled Struct., 46(4), 339–351.
Zhu, J. H., and Young, B. (2006). “Experimental investigation of aluminum alloy thin-walled tubular members in combined compression and bending.” J. Struct. Eng., 1955–1966.
Zhu, J. H., and Young, B. (2008a). “Behaviour and design of aluminium alloy structural members.” Adv. Steel Constr., 4(2), 158–172.
Zhu, J. H., and Young, B. (2008b). “Numerical investigation and design of aluminum alloy circular hollow section columns.” Thin-Walled Struct., 46(12), 1437–1449.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 6, 2014
Accepted: Oct 29, 2014
Published online: Dec 1, 2014
Discussion open until: May 1, 2015
Published in print: Sep 1, 2015
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.