Tests of Unstiffened Plate Elements Under Combined Compression and Bending

摘要

Details of a dual-actuator rig developed for testing rectangular plates simply supported on three sides, with the remaining (longitudinal) edge free, under combined uniaxial compression and in-plane bending are presented. Particular attention is given to ensuring a constant strain eccentricity to the loaded ends, as opposed to a constant load eccentricity, in order to determine the postbuckling behavior and ultimate load and moment capacities of unstiffened thin-walled elements. Strain gradients varying from pure compression to pure bending are facilitated.