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Innovative Steel Plate Girders with Corrugated Webs for Short Span Bridges

Conference Paper · October 2005

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Ezzeldin Yazeed Sayed-Ahmed

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 Ezzeldin Yazeed Sayed-Ahmed - 1

Innovative Steel Plate Girders with Corrugated Webs

for Short Span Bridges

Ezzeldin Yazeed Sayed-Ahemd – Professor, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt; on

leave to University of Qatar, Doha, Qatar

Abstract
For a corrugated steel web I-girder, the flanges provide its flexural strength while the web
solely provides its shear capacity. Failure of the corrugated web occurs by steel yielding, web
buckling or interactively between them. Lateral torsion and local flange buckling of
corrugated web girders represent another two possible failure criteria. The shear behaviour of
the corrugated webs is investigated focusing on the different failure modes which affect the
web design. An interaction equation that considers buckling and yielding of the web is
proposed. Numerical analyses are performed to investigate the buckling modes of the
corrugated web, verify the validity of the proposed equation and explore the post-buckling
strength of corrugated web girders. The numerical model is extended to determine the critical
moment causing lateral instability for these girders. The applicability of the critical moment
design equations, currently used for traditional girders, to corrugated web girders is
examined. The numerical model is also used to scrutinize the local buckling behaviour of the
compression flange of corrugated web girders. The applicability of the currently used limiting
values for the flange outstand-to-thickness ratios to corrugated web girders is investigated.

Introduction
Trapezoidal corrugated steel webs (Figure 1) were recently used to replace the stiffened steel
webs of plate/box girders (Cheyrezy and Combault 1990; Lebon 1998; Sayed-Ahmed 2001).
The flexural strength of a steel girder with a corrugated web plate is provided by the flanges
with almost no contribution from the web and with no interaction between flexure and shear
behaviour. The corrugated steel web provides the shear capacity of the girders where the
shear strength is controlled by buckling and/or steel yielding of the web. The flanges provide
boundary supports for the web which lie somewhere between a simply supported boundary
and a clamped one (Luo and Edlund 1994; Elgaaly et al. 1996; Johnson and Cafolla 1997a).

Failure of a corrugated steel web plate occurs by the classical steel yielding of the web under
a pure shear stress state. It may also occur by web buckling due to either local instability of
any “panel” between two folds or overall instability of the web over two or more panels. An
interactive failure mode between these different failure criteria represents another possibility
of failure (Sayed-Ahmed 2001, 2005). An interaction equation which considers the different
web failure criteria is proposed and numerically verified. The post-buckling strength of
corrugated web girders is also numerically investigated.

Lateral torsion buckling and local buckling of the compression flange are two other possible
failure modes for steel I-girders with corrugated web. A finite element model is adopted to
determine the critical moment initiating lateral torsion buckling of corrugated web girders
 Ezzeldin Yazeed Sayed-Ahmed - 2

and compare it to that of y Horizontal panel c = 2 (b+d)

girders with plane webs. The s = 2 (b+ d / cos α)
validity of the equivalent h= d tan α
moment factor concept β= a/b
established earlier for plane Inclined panel
web girders is verified for
corrugated web girders. The
numerical model is then used
to investigate the local
buckling behaviour of the
c hw
compression flange for these
girders. The applicability of
s h x
the limits defining the section a α
class for girders with plane b d
web to corrugated web girders
is examined. Figure 1. Trapezoidally corrugated steel web plate.

Failure Modes of Corrugated Steel Webs

Corrugated web plates may fail by steel yielding, plate buckling or interactively between both
modes. The shear stress which causes an element of a corrugated web to yield is defined by:
F
τy = y (1)
3
where Fy is the yield strength of the steel.

Two buckling modes are associated with corrugated steel webs: local buckling and overall
buckling. The local buckling mode corresponds to the instability of a panel simply supported
between two folds. The web, in this mode, acts as a series of flat panels that mutually support
each other along their vertical (longer) edges. The panels are supported by the flanges along
their horizontal (shorter) edges. An estimate for the elastic critical shear stress τcr,l for the
local buckling mode is given by (Galambos 1998):
2 2
π 2 ⋅E t   b 
τ cr ,l
= ks ⋅ ⋅ w  k s = 5.34 + 4.0   (2)
12 ⋅ ( 1 − υ )  b 
2
 hw 
where tw is the web thickness, b is the panel width, E and v are Young’s modulus and
Poisson’s ratio for the steel respectively and ks is a coefficient for the local buckling mode.

Global buckling is characterized by diagonal buckling over several corrugation panels. The
critical shear stress for this mode is estimated by considering the corrugated web as an
orthotropic plate. The critical shear stress of this mode τcr,g is defined by (Galambos 1998):

τ cr ,g = k g ⋅
(D y ⋅ Dx3 )
1/ 4

hw2 ⋅ t w
(3)
Dx =
E  w
⋅
 b ⋅ t ⋅ [d ⋅ tan α ]2
t
+ w
⋅ [d ⋅ tan α ]3 
 
Dy = 
b+d   E ⋅ t 3 
w 
 ⋅ 
b + d  4 12 ⋅ sin α   b + d / cos α   12 
where hw and tw are the web height and thickness respectively, Dx and Dy are the flexural
stiffness per unit corrugation about the x- and the y-axes respectively, kg is the global shear
buckling coefficient which depends solely on the web top and bottom constraints: kg is 36 for
steel girders (Elgaaly et al. 1996; Johnston and Cafolla 1997a), b is the panel width, d is the
 Ezzeldin Yazeed Sayed-Ahmed - 3

horizontal projection of the

inclined panel width and α is the τcr,g τcr,l
1 τy
corrugation angle. The critical

Critical stress / Yield stress

shear stresses of the local and τcr,i Fy = 350 MPa
global buckling modes are 0.8
hw = 2000 mm
determined using Equations 2 tw = 4 mm
and 3 and plotted in Figure 2 0.6
hw /tw = 500
together with the yield stress τy. β =a/b =1.0
0.4
α = 37o
On the other hand, an
interaction equation which 0.2
includes buckling and yielding
failure criteria (τy, τcr,l and τcr,g: 0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Equations 1 to 3) and defines
Panel width (mm)
the interactive failure mode has
Figure 2. Typical critical shear stresses’ curves.
been proposed (Sayed-Ahmed
2005) where:
n n n n
 1       
  = 1  + 1  + 1  (4)
τ  τ  τ   
 cr ,i   cr ,l   cr ,g   τ y 
A value for n of 3.0 was recommended in Equation 4 (Sayed-Ahmed 2005). The interactive
critical shear stress τcr,i resulting from Equation 4 is also plotted in Figure 2.

Numerical analysis of I-girders with corrugated webs was performed using the finite element
technique via the computer package ANSYS. A linear model was first adopted to assess the
web buckling modes using Eigenvalue analysis. A nonlinear finite element model which
considered both the geometric and the material nonlinearities was then developed to
investigate the validity of the proposed interaction equation. Isoparametric 8-node shell
elements with 6 degrees of freedom per node were used to model the girders. The
dimensions, the geometric characteristics, loading configuration and the steel uniaxial stress-
strain relation adopted in the analysis are listed in Table 1 and plotted in Figure 3. Due to

bfl Stiffener Plate P 1 Stress Et=0.001 E

tfl Fy =
350 MPa
L 1
hw E=200 GPa
tw
+ V = τ hw tw Shear ν=0.3
force G=77GPa
- Strain
diagram
Sec. 1-1
Plane of
Symmetry

Line of support
Girder G2
L=7.86 m
Figure 3. Numerically analyzed corrugated steel web girders.
 Ezzeldin Yazeed Sayed-Ahmed - 4

symmetry, only one half of the girder was analyzed with a plane of symmetry located at the
girder centre-line. A mesh sensitivity analysis proved that the typical model shown in Figure
3 is mesh-independent.

Table 1. Corrugated web girders numerically analyzed to verify the web behaviour.
Girder b mm tw mm hw mm b/ hw hw /tw bfl mm tfl mm Lm
G1 400 2 500 0.8 250 300 20 10.48
G2 300 2 500 0.6 250 300 20 7.86
G3 200 2 500 0.4 250 300 20 5.24
G4 100 2 500 0.2 250 150 20 4.06
G5 20 2 500 0.04 250 50 20 2.252

The critical load was determined in both the Eigenvalue and the nonlinear analyses while the
ultimate load is determined using the nonlinear analysis. The results of the numerical
analyses are plotted in
Figure 4. The shear force Vcr
at which web buckling 2 hw = 500 mm Fy = 350 MPa
Global
initiated and the ultimate buckling
tw = 2 mm β =a/b =1.0
hw /tw = 250 α = 37o
shear force Vult causing final
Local
failure are normalized with buckling Vcr /Vy – Linear model
respect to the shear force 1.5 Vcr /Vy – Nonlinear model
causing steel yielding Vy (τy Vult /Vy – Nonlinear model
hw tw). Figure 4 shows that Vcr / Vy – Eqs. 1 to 4
V / Vy

the results of the numerical

analyses are in a good 1 Yield

agreement with the

Inter.
behaviour theoretically buckling
predicted by the proposed (Eq. 4)

interaction equation 0.5

(Equation 4). Local, global
or interactive buckling mode
was specified by inspecting
the deformed shape resulting 0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
from the analysis: Figure 5 Panel width (mm)
shows local and global Figure 4. Critical and ultimate loads analytically and
buckling modes for Girders numerically determined.
G3 and G5 respectively.

The nonlinear finite element model investigated the post-buckling strength of corrugated
web girders. The results revealed that these girders continue to carry loads after web buckling
is encountered (Figure 4). The critical shear force Vcr which initiates web buckling, the
ultimate shear force Vult at which final failure occurs and the percentage of the post-buckling
strength are plotted in Figures 4 and 6. It is evident from Figure 6 that the post-buckling
strength of corrugated web girders is highly dependant on the panel width. For corrugated
webs with larger panel widths (which suffer local buckling), the post-buckling strength may
reach 53% for a 400 mm panel width. On the other hand, for webs with smaller panel widths,
particularly those suffering global buckling, the post buckling strength is not significant.
 Ezzeldin Yazeed Sayed-Ahmed - 5

Girder G3 (b=200 mm)

Girder G5 (b=20 mm)

Figure 5. Local buckling mode (above) and overall buckling mode (below).

1 100
Lateral Torsion Fy = 350 MPa
Buckling of hw = 500 mm
Corrugated Web 0.8
tw = 2 mm
80
hw /tw = 250
Girders β =a/b =1.0
The critical moment α = 37o
initiating lateral instability 0.6 Vult/Vy 60
for a simply supported
%
V / Vy

traditional I-girder is:

(Vult - Vcr)

M cr = Cb ⋅ M ocr Vcr/Vy
Vul

0.4 40
C bπ
= EI y GJ ( 1 + WR2 ) (5)
L
(Vult-Vcr)/Vult
π EC w 0.2 20
WR =
L GJ
where Mocr is the critical 0
0
moment for a beam 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
subjected to constant Panel width (mm)

bending, E is the Young’s Figure 6. Corrugated web girders’ post-buckling strength

modulus, G is the elastic
shear modulus, and L is the beam span. Iy, J and Cw are the second moment of area about the
weak axis of inertia, the torsional constant, and the warping constant of the beam’s cross
 Ezzeldin Yazeed Sayed-Ahmed - 6

section respectively. Cb is the equivalent moment factor which is defined by CAN/CSA-

S16.1-02 specifications for beams subjected to unequal end moments (MA and MB) with no
other loads through the beam’s span by:
M M
Cb = 1.75 + 1.05 A + 0.3 ( A )2 ≤ 2 .5 (6)
MB MB
where MA is the smaller end moment; MA/MB is positive for beams bent in double curvature
and negative for beams bent in single curvature. The same specifications use Cb of 1.0 when
the moment between the end supports becomes greater than the end moment. The AISC-
LRFD specifications define Cb by the following equation:
12.5 ⋅ M max
Cb = (7)
3 ⋅ M 1 + 4 ⋅ M 2 + 3 ⋅ M 3 + 2.5 ⋅ M max
where M1, M2, M3 are the absolute values of the moments at the quarter point, midpoint and
three-quarter point of the beam, respectively and Mmax is the maximum moment.

In the previous equivalent moment factor equations, the loads act along the shear centre of
the beam’s cross section. To include the effect of the load location with respect to the shear
centre, the following definition for Cb has been proposed and verified (Sayed-Ahmed 2004):
A / B loads acting at the top flange

Cb =  A loads acting at the shear centre
 AB loads acting at the bottom flange

A = 1.35 B = 1 + 0.649 ⋅ WR − 0.180 ⋅ WR2 Central concentrated load (8)
A = 1.12 B = 1 + 0.535 ⋅ WR − 0.154 ⋅ WR2 Uniformly distributed load

For corrugated web girders, the critical moment causing lateral buckling was numerically
determined. The applicability of the equations developed for I-girders with plane webs to
determine the elastic critical moment to girders with corrugated webs was examined. The
applicability of the equivalent moment factor concept established for I-girders with plane
webs to girders with corrugated webs was investigated using the numerical model. The effect
of the point of application of the load with respect to the cross section height was scrutinized.

Shell elements with 8 nodes and 6 degrees of freedom per node were used to model the
girders. The girders were considered to be simply supported in flexure and in torsion: at the
beam’s ends, rotation and warping about the weak axis were unconstrained while rotation
about the centroidal axis was restrained. The girders were subjected to end moments with
MA/MB ratios ranging between -1.0 and +1.0 or to a central concentrated load acting on the
top flange, at the mid-height of the web or on the bottom flange. Eigenvalue analysis was
performed to evaluate the critical moment. The analysis was performed on girders having the
cross sections and properties shown in Figure 7 and Table 2. The inclined panel of the
corrugated web was assumed to have the same width as the horizontal panel (a=b): a typical
practical geometric configuration. The flange width and thickness (bfl/2tfl = 15) as well as the
web height were kept constant through the analysis. The analytical critical moments of the
girders when subjected to constant bending moments were determined using Equation 5 to be
526.1 kN.m and 527.4 kN.m for corrugated web thicknesses of 2 mm and 4 mm respectively:
the girders were assumed to have plane webs with an equivalent thickness teq = tw s/c.

Results of the numerical analysis are listed in Table 3 and plotted in Figure 8. The
“analytical” values of the critical moments Mcr-Eq.5 were calculated using Equation 5 with the
 Ezzeldin Yazeed Sayed-Ahmed - 7

equivalent moment factor Cb evaluated using Equation 6 for girders subjected to end
moments or Equation 7 for girders subjected to concentrated loads.

Table 2. Mechanical and material properties of the analyzed corrugated web girders.
A Ix Iy rx ry Sx Sy Zx Zy Cw J
Property (103) (106) (106) mm mm (103) (103) (106) (106) (109) (103)
mm2 mm4 mm4 mm3 mm3 mm3 mm3 mm6 mm3
tw =2 mm 13.07 770.5 90.0 243 83.0 2963 600 3127 900 5625 1602

tw =4 mm 14.13 791.0 90.0 236 79.8 3042 600 3255 900 5625 1614

300 Stiff Pl. 1

a=b
20 β= a/b = 1.0
d = a cos α
1 h = d tan α
L = 11.52 m
520 c=b+d
tw
s = b + d/cosα
α h teq = (s/c) tw
a
Sec. 1-1 b d
b x tw 200x2 400x2

y
b x tw 200x4 400x4
b =400 mm
No. of elements: 5261
z No. of nodes: 16308
x DOFs: 97848

Stress

Fy =
350 MPa

E=200 GPa
ν=0.3
G=77GPa Strain

Figure 7. Geometric properties and finite element mesh of corrugated web girders
numerically analyzed for lateral torsion buckling.
The numerically obtained critical moments Mcr-FE were also related to the critical moment of
Girder G6 which is subjected to constant flexure through the span. Thus, equivalent moment
factors for all the numerically analyzed corrugated web girders were evaluated: those are
listed in Table 3 and plotted in Figure 8 versus the equivalent moment factors analytically
calculated using the currently adopted equations (Equations 6 to 8).
 Ezzeldin Yazeed Sayed-Ahmed - 8

Table 3a. Finite element analysis for girders subjected to end moments.
b x tw = 200 mm x 2 mm b x tw = 400 mm x 4 mm
Loading Cb-Eq.6 Mcr-FE Mcr-FE/ Mcr-FE Mcr-FE/
Cb-FE Cb-FE
(kN.m) Mcr-Eq 5 (kN.m) Mcr-Eq 5
M M
Girder G6 1.00 606.0 1.00 1.152 635.1 1.00 1.204

M M/2
1.30 797.9 1.32 1.167 835.6 1.31 1.219
Girder G7

M
1.75 1097.9 1.81 1.192 1144.5 1.80 1.240
Girder G8

M M/2
2.30 1522.5* 2.51 1.258 1558.8* 2.45 1.285
Girder G9

M M
2.30 1661.1* 2.74 1.373 1663.8* 2.62 1.372
Girder G10
*
Lateral buckling is preceded by flange and/or web local buckling mode.

Table 3b. Finite element analysis for girders subjected to central concentrated loads.
b x tw = 200 mm x 4 mm
Loading Cb-Eq.7 Cb-Eq.8 Mcr-FE Mcr-FE/
Cb-FE
(kN.m) Mcr-Eq 5*
P
P
1.31 0.96 608.6 0.958 1.202
Girder G11

P
1.31 1.35 847.9 1.335 1.19
P
Girder G12

P
1.31 1.9 1122.1 1.766 1.120
Girder G13 P
*
Based on Cb from Equation 8.

It is evident from Table 3 and Figure 8 that resistance to lateral buckling of corrugated web
girders is different from that of plane web girders. The critical moment initiating lateral
torsion buckling for corrugated web girders is larger than the one of traditional girders. The
numerical analysis reveals that Mcr for corrugated web girders subject to end moments is 15%
to 37% higher than Mcr for girders with plane webs. This ratio becomes 12% to 20% for
corrugated web girders subject to central concentrated loads. The numerical analysis results
also reveal that the concept of the equivalent moment factor which is currently used for
 Ezzeldin Yazeed Sayed-Ahmed - 9

2.75 1.70
Cb Eq. 12 Cb-F.E.
2.50 CAN/CSA 1.60
MA MB
S16.1
2.25 1.50
bxtw =400 mm x 4mm

M cr-FE / M cr-Eq. 11
2.00 1.40
Cb

1.75 1.30
Mcr-FE / Mcr-Eq. 11
1.50 1.20

1.25 1.10

1.00 1.00
-1.00 -0.75 -0.50 -0.25 0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00
MA / MB
2.75 1.70
Cb-F.E.
Cb Eq. 12
2.50 MA MB 1.60
CAN/CSA
2.25 S16.1 1.50

Mcr-FE / Mcr-Eq. 11
bxt w =200 mm x 2 mm
2.00 1.40
Cb

1.75 1.30
Mcr-FE / Mcr-Eq. 5
1.50 1.20

1.25 1.10

1.00 1.00
-1.00 -0.50 0.00 0.50 1.00
MA / MB
2.00 1.25
P
Cb -Eq. 8
1.80
bxt w = 200 mm x 4 mm
1.60 1.20
M cr-FE / M cr-Eq. 11

Cb - F.E.
Mcr-FE/Mcr-Eq. 5
1.40
Cb

Cb - Eq. 7 & AISC

1.20 1.15
Cb - CAN/CSA-S16.1
1.00
Below the shear centre Above the shear centre
0.80 1.10
-0.50 -0.25 0.00 0.25 0.50
Load distance from the shear centre / cross section height
Figure 8. Equivalent moment factor and critical moments for corrugated web girders.
traditional I-girders is applicable to girders with corrugated webs. Furthermore, the analysis
results show that Equations 6 and 7 which are currently used to calculate the equivalent
 Ezzeldin Yazeed Sayed-Ahmed - 10

moment factor are also applicable to steel girders with corrugated webs. It is also evident for
the analysis that Equation 8 which considers the location of the load with respect to the shear
centre produces a better match to the numerical analysis results compared to the currently
used provisions of CAN/CSA-S16.1-02 or AISC-LRFD.

Local Buckling of Corrugated Web Girders’ Flanges

CAN/CSA-S16.1-02 specifications classify traditional I-sections into 4 classes. Classes 1 and
2 compact sections develop the fully plastic moment with higher rotation capacity of Class 1
sections. Class 3 non-compact sections can only develop the yield moment then suffer local
buckling, while Class 4 slender sections can not even develop the yield moment before local
buckling takes place. Both Class 1 and Class 2 sections of CAN/CSA-S16.1-02 are
considered as one class according to the AISC-LRFD (compact sections). For non-compact
sections, the AISC-LRFD uses Fy – 69 in determining the yield moment to account for a
residual stress of 69 MPa in case of hot-rolled steel sections (114 MPa for welded sections).
Based on the flange outstand-to-thickness ratio (bfl/2tfl), these limits are:
Class 3 non - compact : b fl / 2t fl ≤ 200 / Fy CAN/CSA - S16.1 - 02
(9)
non - compact : b fl / 2t fl ≤ 0.83 / E /( Fy − 69 ) AISC − LRFD
For corrugated web girders at a section where the web is parallel to the axis of the girder,
there is a large outstand on one side and a small outstand on the other (Figure 9). Thus, the
flange outstand may be based on the large flange outstand Ll, the small flange outstand Ls or
the average flange outstand Lav. The average flange outstand corresponds to bfl/2 which is
traditionally used for girders with plane webs. Based on a previous investigation (Johnson
and Cafolla 1997b), it was argued that the average flange outstand Lav may only be used as
bfl/2 if a ratio R is less that 0.14 where R is the ratio between area EFGH and area ABCD
defined in Figure 9. For R greater than 0.14, which is more practical, it is recommended use
the large flange outstand Ll. Thus, a considerable uncertainty still exists regarding the correct
value which should be used for the flange outstand of corrugated web girders.

Local buckling behaviour of the compression flange of corrugated web girders is numerically
investigated. The adopted finite element model is similar to the one used for lateral buckling.
The girders were simply supported and subjected to constant moments through the span: the
upper and lower flanges were subjected to states of uniform compression and uniform tension
respectively. Eigenvalue analysis was performed to evaluate the stress and the compressive
force causing local buckling for the upper flange. The numerical analysis was performed on
corrugated web girders having the cross sections and the geometric properties shown in
Figure 9. The span of all the analyzed girders was 11.52 m. The corrugated web panel width
adopted in the analysis was 200 mm. Web thicknesses of 2 mm and 4 mm were considered.
tfl c

A
s D
520 Ls E H
tw Lav
Ll
a α h
F G

300 B b d C

Figure 9. Flange outstand corrugated web girders.

 Ezzeldin Yazeed Sayed-Ahmed - 11

The flange width-to-thickness ratio bfl/2tfl was varied between 7.5 and 37.5 based on the
average flange outstand or 10.5 and 52.5 based on the large flange outstand.

The critical compressive force Ncr acting on the upper flange at which local flange buckling
occurred was numerically determined. This force was normalized with respect to the yield
strength of the flange Ny where Ny = bfl tfl Fy and plotted versus the average flange outstand-
to-thickness and the large flange outstand-to-thickness ratios in Figure 10. The non-compact
section limits according to the AISC-LRFD and the CAN/CSA-S16.1-02 were also plotted in
Figure 10. The AISC-LRFD limit on bfl/2tfl in this figure does not consider the residual stress
(69 MPa for rolled section and 114 MPa for welded sections) as the yield strength of the
compression flange Ny was based on the full yield stress Fy. Figure 10 reveals that using the
average flange outstand-to-thickness ratio to classify the section of a corrugated web girder’s
cross section is acceptable according to the restricted limits of the CAN/CSA-S16.1-02:
Ncr/Ny > 1.0 for bfl/2tfl < 10.7 with bfl/2 based on the average flange outstand. On the other
hand, the large flange outstand-to-thickness ratio is more appropriate for classifying a
corrugated web girder’s cross section according to the AISC-LRFD: Ncr/Ny > 1.0 for bfl/2tfl <

3.00 CAN/CSA-S16.1
Compact

*
AISC limit
Non-

2.50
Non-Compact

2.00
Ncr / Ny

1.50

1.00 Ncr/Ny=1
b/tw = 50
0.50
b/tw = 100
0.00
0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00
bfl / 2 tfl (based on Lav)

3.00 CAN/CSA-S16.1 limit

*
AISC limit
Non-Compact

2.50
Non-Compact

2.00
Ncr / Ny

1.50

1.00 Ncr/Ny=1
b/tw = 50
0.50
b/tw = 100
0.00
0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00
bfl / 2tfl (based on Ll )
Figure 10. Local buckling of the corrugated web girders’ flanges.
 Ezzeldin Yazeed Sayed-Ahmed - 12

19.8 only when bfl/2 is based on the large flange outstand.

Conclusions
An interaction equation defining the interactive failure mode of the webs of corrugated web
girders is proposed. Numerical models have been developed to investigate the buckling
behaviour of these web plates and to examine the validity of the proposed interaction
equation. The results obtained from the model were found to be in a good agreement with the
predictions obtained using the proposed equation. The post-buckling strength was
investigated using the numerical model and found to be highly dependent on the panel width
of the corrugated webs: it varies between 3% and 53% depending on the panel width.

Through the numerical investigation, resistance to lateral torsion buckling of corrugated web
girders was found to be 12% to 37% higher than that of traditional girders. The equations
used to calculate the critical moment of traditional girders would be conservative for design
purposes of corrugated web girders. It was also concluded that the equivalent moment factor
concept is applicable to corrugated web girders.

The numerical model was then used to investigate the local buckling of the compression
flange of corrugated web girders. It is concluded that the flange outstand-to-thickness ratio,
which is currently used by most codes of practice as one of the criteria classifying the section
compactness, should be based on the large outstand of the corrugated web girder’s flange.

References
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strip method, Thin Walled Structures, Elsevier Science Limited, Vol. 18, pp. 209-240.
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