Post-Buckling Analysis of Thin-Walled Channel Sections Undergoing Local andDistortional Buckling

摘要

A theoretical method for predicting the post-buckling behavior of thin-walledsections is applied to study the influence of the interaction between local and distortional buckling modes for test channel columns described in an earlier report. The theoretical predictions are based on a nonlinear elastic spline finite strip method for thin-walled sections which has recently been developed. The nonlinear elastic spline finite strip method takes account of geometric imperfections, residual stresses and non-simple boundary conditions at the ends of the section under study. The method can handle sections buckling simultaneously in local and distortional buckles at different half-wavelengths. The investigation includes convergence studies with different convergence criteria, strip subdivision and longitudinal subsections so as to determine reliable convergence criteria and the required discretizations for use in the nonlinear elastic spline finite strip method.