STABILITY AND DUCTILITY OF STEEL ELEMENTS

This paper presents a method for the simulation of the behaviour of st eel structural elements both before and after the attainment of the ul timate load. It is based on a strain-oriented formulation of the gover ning relations usually applied to stability problems. Accordingly, the response of elements subjected to specific strain conditions is deter mined Several types of elements, including single plate panels, transv ersely loaded beams, axially loaned columns and compressed stiffened p lates with imperfections, are investigated The analytical results are compared with experimental ones. Various modes of failure with differe nt characteristics in the post-critical region are detected The elemen ts examined show that if bending and plate buckling prevail, the failu re mode is ductile, while in the case of global buckling and lateral t orsional buckling, a nonductile failure is expected. The method may se rve for both stability and ductility evaluations of steel elements, wh ich are needed if the design format includes a direct comparison betwe en ductility supply and ductility demand for structural elements. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.