Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Thin-Walled Structures
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/tws
Department of Steel Structures and Structural Mechanics, Politehnica University of Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
Laboratory of Steel Structures, Romanian AcademyTimisoara Branch, Timisoara, Romania
c
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
b
art ic l e i nf o
a b s t r a c t
Article history:
Received 13 January 2015
Received in revised form
18 January 2015
Accepted 19 January 2015
Available online 11 February 2015
The steel beams of corrugated web represent a relatively new structural system which emerged in the
past two decades. The thin corrugated web affords a signicant weight reduction of these beams,
compared with hot-rolled or welded ones. In the solutions existing on the market, the anges are made
of at plates welded to the sinusoidal web sheet, requiring a specic welding technology. A new solution
is proposed in this paper, in which the beam is composed by a web of trapezoidal cold-formed steel
sheet and anges of built-up cold-formed steel members (e.g. back-to-back lipped channel sections or
angles with turn lips). The connections between anges and web can be done by self-drilling screws or
by spot welding. The rst part of the study, summarised in this paper, is devoted to the evaluation and
validation of technical solution, including experimental investigations, carried out at the CEMSIG
Research Centre of the Politehnica University of Timisoara (http://www.ct.upt.ro/en/centre/cemsig). In
a subsequent paper, numerical investigations aiming to optimise the solution and estimate its technical
limits for applications will be presented.
& 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords:
Corrugated web beam
Cold-formed steel solution
Discrete fasteners
Self-drilling screws
Experimental investigation
1. Introduction
Corrugated web girders represent a relatively new structural
system emerged in the past two decades especially in Germany
and Austria, used in a large number of applications. Increased
interest of this solution was observed for the main frames of
single-storey steel buildings and in steel bridges. In 1988 the rst
machines for the production of SIN-beams were developed by
Zeman [1]. These semi-automatic machines of the rst generation
were able to produce SIN-beams with parallel anges and web
thicknesses of 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm or 3.0 mm. The machines of latest
generation are able to produce SIN-beams by a fully automated
process. A more variable design of cross-sections, a variety of web
thickness, lower beam heights and smaller ange dimensions
became possible. Furthermore tapered beams and machine-made
web openings can be produced.
In Japan has been developed a roll forming process to produce
corrugated web I-beams and partially corrugated webs which
were used in mobile-modular home construction [2]. In the United
States, beams with corrugated webs are more and more widely
n
Corresponding author at: Department of Steel Structures and Structural Mechanics,
Politehnica University of Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania.
E-mail address: viorel.ungureanu@upt.ro (V. Ungureanu).
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tws.2015.01.018
0263-8231/& 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
used and many bridges and large span buildings are built using
corrugated web I-beam.
The main benets of this type of beams are that the corrugated
webs increase the beams stability against buckling, which may
result in a very economical design via the reduction of web
stiffeners. Due to improvements of the automatic fabrication
process corrugated webs up to 6 mm thickness became possible.
Furthermore, the use of thinner webs results in lower material
cost, with an estimated cost savings of 1030% in comparison with
conventional fabricated sections and more than 30% compared
with standard hot-rolled beams. The buckling resistance of used
sinusoidal corrugated sheet used for webs is comparable with
plane webs of 12 mm thickness or more.
In the existing solutions the anges are at plates, welded to
the sinusoidal web sheet, requiring a specic welding technology
and highly automated manufacturing process. The anges mainly
provide exural strength to the beam with low contribution from
the corrugated web, which provides the shear capacity. Failure of
the web occurs by steel yielding or web buckling. Lateral-torsional
buckling of the girder and local ange buckling, separately or in
interaction, represents other possible failure modes.
The paper presents a new technological solution of such a
system, composed by webs made of trapezoidal cold-formed steel
sheets and anges of built-up cold-formed steel members (e.g.
back-to-back lipped channels, back-to-back angles with turn lips
160
Table 1
Types of specimens.
CWB-1
CWB-2
CWB-3
CWB-4
CWB-5
Standard solution: ange-to-web connection in every corrugations and uniformly distributed seam fasteners (see Fig. 1)
Standard solution supplementary lipped channel sections under the load application points (see Fig. 2)
Optimized solution by adapting the ange-to-web connections according to the distribution of shear stresses (connections at each second corrugations where
the shear force decreases) (see Fig. 3)
Standard solution by eliminating shear panels and doubling of corrugated webs in the zones with high shear forces (see Fig. 4)
Optimized solution by adapting both the ange-to-web connections and seam fasteners to the distribution of shear stresses (see Fig. 5)
2. Literature review
There are several types of built-up cold-formed steel beams on
the market, prepared for industrialised fabrication, for which bolts,
screws or spot welds are used for anges-to-web connection.
Zhao [3] at Queensland University of Technology initiated a
research program to investigate the structural behaviour and
design of hollow ange members in compression. The study was
focus on members with rectangular hollow anges, where the
sections are formed from a single steel strip, with various
manufacturing methods such as spot welding, self-pierced riveting
and screw fastening for anges-to-web connections. He found that
the type of fastening and spacing does not affect the member
compression capacity signicantly. Wanniarachchi [4] extended
the work of Zhao [3] and developed a new cold-formed steel beam
with two rectangular hollow anges, rigid in torsion, and a slender
web, cross-section assembled using intermittent screw fastening.
He has found that intermittent screw fastening method appears to
be structurally adequate and minimises the fabrication cost.
Landolfo et al. [5] evaluated the applicability of built-up coldformed steel beams assembled by laser welding and assessed the load
bearing capacity of the assembled beams. The I-section with hollow
anges is fabricated from two back-to-back special C-proles. The two
proles are joined with connections which are located on the web
and on the anges. Two reinforcing plates are placed inside the top
and bottom hollow anges of the I-section, providing an additional
connection system between the two C-proles.
BEN-VAUTIER S.P.A. [6], patented a modular H-beam comprises
one or more modules, each formed of two half-structural parts of
two pieces of structural steel, forming each a thin sheet, comprising a central part or core, and lateral half-anges. The half-anges
161
Table 2
Yield and ultimate strengths.
Type
BM-CF
BM-CW
CM-CF
BM-CW
BM-SP
438.74
441.65
521.64
349.41
358.42
517.06
521.86
585.07
394.75
419.59
sfu
511.33
513.05
562.49
369.37
413.81
162
Fig. 8. Failure modes of (a) coupons cut from BM-CW, BM-SP, BM-CW and BM-SP; (b) coupons cut from CM-CF.
Table 3
Types of tested connections.
Name
t1 [mm]
t2 [mm]
No. of tests
dnom [mm]
T1-1.4
T2-1.7
T3-3.7
T4-9.0
T5-11.0
T6-2.7
0.7
1.0
2.0 1.0
1.0
2.0 1.0
2.0
0.7
0.7
0.7
8.0
8.0
0.7
6
5
6
5
5
10
4.8
4.8
6.3
5.5
M12
6.3
T4-9.0
T2-1.7
T
2.7
1.0
33.7
T
T1-1.4
163
expensive process. For resistance spot welding, the largest cost factors
identied were energy consumption and frequency of electrode
replacement. Even the material is aluminium, similar conclusions
can be drawn for steel too.
Guenfoud et al. [34] tested welded specimens fabricated
through one, two or four layers of steel sheets with thicknesses
ranging from 0.76 mm to 1.52 mm. A total of 72 tension tests and
107 shear tests were completed. The idea was the initiation of a
research program on the shear resistance and tension resistance of
multi-layer arc spot welds. They found that the type of electrode,
high current setting and proper welding technique affect the
quality of arc-spot welds in multi-layer connections, and a lower
limit for the net effective weld diameter was proposed.
Snow [35] conducted a similar research in order to establish a
relationship between arc spot weld shear strength and the arc time
used while forming the weld. In this case the arc times were broken
down into three separate categories. The rst category consisted of
full-time welds, the second 2/3-time welds, and the third 1/3-time
welds. Testing was performed on steel gauge sheets of 0.85 mm,
1 mm, 1.3 mm and 1.6 mm. Each gauge material was tested in single-,
double- and four-layer congurations. Two types of diameter arc spot
welds were tested. Comparisons were made between shear strength
and weld geometry, including average diameter, effective diameter
and penetration. The research has proven that arc time has a
tremendous inuence on arc spot weld shear strength.
164
Fig. 11. T3-3.7 connection: (a) at 3 mm displacement corresponding to SLS; (b) at 6 mm; (c) at 12 mm; (d) at failure.
with specic aspects of EN 1993-1-1:2006 [36] and EN 1993-13:2006 [37]. At the end, on the purpose of nding an analytical
approach for designing such beams with corrugated web intermittently connected to the anges, the procedure used for calculation
sheathing acting as a diaphragm could be adapted [38]. The experience, in this case, has shown the most contributing factors, both to
165
250
CWB - 1
200
Force [kN]
Fig. 12(c)
150
100
buckling of the shear panel (BSP)
Fig. 12(b)
50
collapse
Fig. 12(a)
10
20
30
40
50
Displacement [mm]
Fig. 14. Loaddisplacement curve for CWB-1 beam.
60
Fig. 15. Deformed shape of the beam end shear panel and distortion of the web corrugation.
Fig. 16. Evolution of shear yield lines for beam end shear panel: (a) at 44 mm; (b) at failure.
166
(grade S350GDZ);
CWB - 2
Fig. 16(a) Fig. 16(b)
200
Fig. 15(c)
Force [kN]
250
Fig. 15(a+b)
100
BSP + DCW
DCW+ pull out of the screws
50
150
ness and 830 mm length, at the beam ends where the shear
force is maximum (doubling the corrugated web) (grade
S320GDZ);
reinforcing U150/2.0 proles used under the load application
points, to avoid excessive local deformations (grade S350GD Z);
self-drilling screws for ange-to-web connectionSTP-6.3 25;
self-drilling screws for shear plates to end support with a
nominal diameterSTP-5.5 25;
self-drilling screws as seam fasteners for corrugated webs with
a nominal diameterSTT-4.8 20;
bolts M12 class 8.8 for anges to the end support connection.
collapse
0
10
20
30
40
50
Displacement [mm]
Fig. 18. Loaddisplacement curve for CWB-2 beam.
60
Fig. 19. Distortion of the web corrugation at different levels of the load.
167
Six types of connections were tested according to ECCS publication No. 124 [43] in order to determine their behaviour, at a
loading velocity of 1 mm/min, i.e.:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
250
200
CWB - 3
Fig. 23
Fig. 22(b)
140
150
100
Force [kN]
Force [kN]
160
Fig. 20
Fig. 19(b)
Fig. 19(a)
50
CWB - 4
180
200
10
20
30
120
100
80
Fig. 22(a)
BSP + DCW
60
40
collapse
collapse
20
40
50
60
70
20
Displacement [mm]
40
60
80
100
120
140
Displacement [mm]
160
168
Fig. 25. (a) Distortion of the web corrugation; (b) buckling of shear panel.
250
CWB - 5
200
Force [kN]
the number of tests done for each typology, while Fig. 9 presents
the location of these types of connections.
Fig. 10 presents the forcedisplacement curves for the six types
of tested connections presented above, with corresponding mean
values, to be used for relevant models in numerical simulations.
Very good ductility can be observed in all the cases that being one
of the causes for the signicant redundancy of tested beams.
Fig. 11 presents one of the T3-3.7 tested connections in four
different stages.
Fig. 26
150
Fig. 25(b)
Fig. 25(a)
100
50
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Displacement [mm]
Fig. 27. Loaddisplacement curve for CWB-5 beam.
250
Force [kN]
200
150
CWB - 1
CWB - 2
100
CWB - 3
50
CWB - 4
CWB - 5
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
169
180
Displacement [mm]
Fig. 28. Loaddisplacement curves for the tested specimens.
screws (see Fig. 19b), in the regions where the shear force is
signicant, but the number of screws is optimised.
The behaviour is ductile, with an initial stiffness of K0-Exp
7184.9 N/mm and the maximum load is reached at Fmax
209.5 kN. The collapse appears for a displacement of 62 mm.
Fig. 20 presents the deformed shape of the beam at collapse,
while Fig. 21 shows the recorded loaddisplacement curve.
Beam CWB-4 is the standard solution, i.e. CWB-1, but eliminating shear panels and doubling of corrugated webs in the zones
with high shear forces, i.e. ends of the beam (see Fig. 4). In case of
this beam, the rst deformation, which corresponds to the distortion of the corrugated web near supports, appears for a displacement of 21 mm, as shown in Fig. 22a. At 74 mm displacement
shear failure of the fasteners was recorded followed by 10%
reduction of the beam capacity (see Fig. 22b).
The behaviour is ductile, with an initial stiffness of K0-Exp
3985 N/mm and the maximum load is reached at Fmax 181.9 kN.
The collapse appears for a displacement of 164 mm. Fig. 23
presents the deformed shape of the beam at collapse, while
Fig. 24 shows the recorded loaddisplacement curve.
The last beam is CWB-5, and represents the optimized solution
by adapting both the ange-to-web connections (i.e. CWB-3) and,
supplementary, seam fasteners to ensure the continuity of corrugated web, according to the distribution of shear stresses (see
Fig. 5). The rst deformation corresponds to the distortion of the
web corrugation in the region with the reduced number of screws
for a displacement of 21 mm (see Fig. 25a), while at 35 mm
buckling of shear panels appears (Fig. 25b).
The behaviour is ductile, with an initial stiffness of K0-Exp
5516.2 N/mm and the maximum load is reached at Fmax 214.6 kN.
The collapse appears for a displacement of 88 mm. Fig. 26 presents
the deformed shape of the beam at collapse, while Fig. 27 shows
the recorded loaddisplacement curve.
Finally, Fig. 28 shows comparatively, for all the ve tested
specimens, the loaddisplacement curves and the ultimate (ULS)
and serviceability limit state (SLS) levels.
5. Conclusions
A large experimental program carried out at the CEMSIG
Research Centre (http://cemsig.ct.upt.ro) of the Politehnica University of Timisoara on ve beams with corrugated webs with
different arrangements for self-drilling screws and shear panels
was presented.
Very good agreement can be found between beams CWB-1 and
CWB-3, both in terms of initial stiffness and ultimate force. A
slightly increase in stiffness can be observed in case of CWB-2
170
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