Advances in the Behaviour of Steel Structures

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 17518

Special Issue Editor

School of Civil Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Interests: corrugated web; cold-formed steel structures; flexural-torsional buckling; steel structures; thin-walled structures; stability; inelastic lateral buckling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Steel structures are widely used in construction around the world, from simple portal frames to skyscrapers. Steel has many advantages, including its durability and high strength-to-weight ratio. The behaviour of steel structures is a complex phenomenon that has inspired a prodigious amount of research over the years. Steel structures are built in a multitude of shapes and sizes and are required to support many different types of loads. How steel structures respond to these loads has been the subject of much research since the 1800s.

This Special Issue seeks high-quality papers considering the behaviour of steel structures, their stability, mechanics, design and testing, reliability, non-linear analysis, thin-walled structures, cold-formed structures, hot-rolled and welded sections, plate and shell structures, beams with corrugated webs and stainless-steel structures. State of the Art papers are also welcome.

This Special Issue on advances in our understanding of the behaviour of steel structures will be a valuable addition to the existing research on this subject.

Dr. John Papangelis
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • steel structures
  • stability
  • mechanics
  • design
  • testing
  • reliability
  • non-linear analysis
  • thin-walled structures
  • cold-formed structures
  • hot-rolled and welded sections
  • plate and shell structures
  • beams with corrugated webs
  • stainless steel structures

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 5389 KiB  
Article
INSPECT-SPSW: INelastic Seismic Performance Evaluation Computational Tool for Steel Plate Shear Wall Modeling in OpenSees
by Mohammad AlHamaydeh, Ahmed Mansour Maky and Mohamed Elkafrawy
Buildings 2023, 13(4), 1078; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13041078 - 19 Apr 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1628
Abstract
Modeling Steel Plate Shear Wall (SPSW) behavior can be computationally demanding. This is especially true when high-fidelity modeling is carried out via shell or 3D solid elements. It has been shown that SPSW behavior can be captured with adequate accuracy through the strip [...] Read more.
Modeling Steel Plate Shear Wall (SPSW) behavior can be computationally demanding. This is especially true when high-fidelity modeling is carried out via shell or 3D solid elements. It has been shown that SPSW behavior can be captured with adequate accuracy through the strip method via nonlinear truss elements idealization. The widely accepted and reliable analysis platform, OpenSees, requires text-based input (.tcl) files created by a skilled programmer. Hence, a Pre/Post-processing User Interface (UI) software package (INSPECT-SPSW) is introduced herein. With basic input, the INSPECT-SPSW package allows the user to create the OpenSees (.tcl) input file, run different nonlinear analyses, and retrieve and visualize the output. In addition, the UI includes illustrated wrappers for several OpenSees commands for various material definitions, plasticity modeling options, modal analysis, and nonlinear analysis types. Validation and verification were conducted against published results of experimental and numerical cyclic loading specimens. The user-friendly interface successfully created accurate models that capture the SPSW nonlinear behavior, including the various possible failure mechanisms. e.g., beam or column plastic hinging, web plate yielding, etc. With demonstrated performance and intuitive UI, INSPECT-SPSW is expected to facilitate the broad adoption of the strip method for Performance-Based Earthquake Design (PBED) of SPSWs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Behaviour of Steel Structures)
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35 pages, 14623 KiB  
Article
Numerical Design of the Roof Structure of a Vehicle Charging Carport Based on the Dragonfly Wing Grid Pattern
by Xiaoqing Mei, Chajuan Liu, Xinxia Wang and Yangyang Wei
Buildings 2023, 13(4), 1071; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13041071 - 18 Apr 2023
Viewed by 1306
Abstract
The realization of the global “Double carbon” target is closely related to the energy-saving travel of human beings. Along with the increase in the number of new energy vehicles around the world, the number of new energy vehicle charging post carports has also [...] Read more.
The realization of the global “Double carbon” target is closely related to the energy-saving travel of human beings. Along with the increase in the number of new energy vehicles around the world, the number of new energy vehicle charging post carports has also increased. However, the collapse of the carport of the new energy vehicle charging post often occurs. The search for ways to optimize the carport structure construction and build a lighter and more stable charging post carport structure has become one of the hot spots in the new energy vehicle industry. Dragonfly wings have a comprehensive evolution in structure, form and function, and their stiffness, stability and resistance to deformation may be a potential solution to optimize the structure of the shed roof. Inspired by this, the study designs two new energy vehicle charging pile canopies based on the dragonfly wing mesh structure to enhance the loading capacity and structural stability of the canopies. The study firstly concludes that the dragonfly wing mesh can enhance the stiffness through experimental analysis, and simulates and models the structure based on the quadrilateral mesh wrinkling and hexagonal mesh arching in its mesh morphology, combined with the national design standard of the charging pile canopy. Studies on the numerical design experiment of the new energy vehicle charging station canopy model based on finite element software under different natural loads, the deflection of shed under the action of self-weight and the deflection, tensile stress and compressive stress under external load are analyzed, and the results show that: (1) The grid structure of the dragonfly wing bionic charging pile shed can optimize the stiffness of the car charging pile shed. (2) According to the wing structure, the test results of the shed roof structure under different working conditions are better than the national standard. (3) Compared with the vertical load, the transverse load of the arched membrane structure, which is represented by the charging pile shed of the new energy vehicle, is larger. (4) According to the stress point of the shed, the structure constraint of the shed can effectively reduce the pressure on the and share part of the load, which can enhance the stability of the shed. (5) In comparison with the displacement of common carport types, the bionic carport shows superior stability and durability. The new bionic carport structure proposed by the research, with stronger pressure bearing, smaller force deformation and lighter weight, is a kind of membrane structure for stable new energy vehicle charging pile carports, which will help further the optimization and promotion of the new energy vehicle industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Behaviour of Steel Structures)
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16 pages, 5877 KiB  
Article
Investigation of Stress Concentration Zones in FEM-Based Design of Welded Plated Structures
by Erzsébet Bärnkopf, Balázs Kövesdi and László Dunai
Buildings 2023, 13(4), 1057; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13041057 - 17 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1453
Abstract
The numerical model-based design is commonly applied to steel structures using advanced numerical models and analysis. These models often contain stress concentration zones, which can cause problems for designers within the evaluation process. There are two basic questions to answer in the design: [...] Read more.
The numerical model-based design is commonly applied to steel structures using advanced numerical models and analysis. These models often contain stress concentration zones, which can cause problems for designers within the evaluation process. There are two basic questions to answer in the design: (i) are these stress concentrations real physical stresses or numerical singularities and (ii) should these stresses be considered in the design process or can be neglected? The current paper shows a proposal to separate the real physical stresses from the numerical stress concentrations and an improved design method is introduced to consider or neglect them in the daily design. The proposed evaluation method is presented through a design example taken from the daily bridge design practice. The calculation method of the design check is presented first by using (i) linear analysis and (ii) geometrical and material non-linear analysis. Based on the comparison of these two calculation methods the evaluation process of the stress concentration zone is presented as an example. The paper introduces an evaluation method for the stress concentration zone, which can be applied to different structures similarly. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Behaviour of Steel Structures)
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22 pages, 12846 KiB  
Article
Subzero Material Properties of Advanced High-Strength Cold-Formed Steel Alloys
by Yu Xia and Hannah B. Blum
Buildings 2023, 13(2), 399; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13020399 - 01 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1583
Abstract
The overall temperature in high latitude regions has been rapidly increasing in recent years, creating a demand for infrastructure to support increasing human activities. Recent advances in material science have resulted in the development of advanced high-strength steels (AHSS), which are new grades [...] Read more.
The overall temperature in high latitude regions has been rapidly increasing in recent years, creating a demand for infrastructure to support increasing human activities. Recent advances in material science have resulted in the development of advanced high-strength steels (AHSS), which are new grades of cold-formed steel (CFS) with unprecedented strength. To design safe infrastructure, the material properties of AHSS under subzero temperatures must be quantified. An experimental investigation following the steady-state test protocol was carried out to quantify the subzero temperature effects on the material properties of AHSS and conventional CFS sheets with yield strengths ranging from 395 MPa to 1200 MPa. Two types of AHSS (dual phase and martensitic) and two types of conventional CFS (mild and high-strength low-alloy) were investigated at temperatures down to −60 C. The stress–strain relationship, elastic modulus, and key stresses and strains were reported from the experiments. The results show that AHSS’s material properties do not degrade but are mildly strengthened at subzero temperatures than at ambient, which indicates that AHSS is a suitable construction material for structural members in high-latitude regions. Furthermore, modeling on stress–strain relationships of AHSS and conventional CFS at subzero temperatures was developed, demonstrating excellent fits with the experiment data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Behaviour of Steel Structures)
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16 pages, 5125 KiB  
Article
Investigations into the Flexural-Torsional Buckling Behavior of Steel Open-Section Beam-Columns
by Anna M. Barszcz, Marian A. Gizejowski and John P. Papangelis
Buildings 2023, 13(2), 307; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13020307 - 19 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1489
Abstract
This paper is in the field of elastic flexural-torsional buckling of steel beam-columns of bisymmetric narrow-flange and wide-flange I-section shape. Investigations are focused on the derivation of the strain components and the energy equation, based on the displacement-field formulation in the deflected configuration. [...] Read more.
This paper is in the field of elastic flexural-torsional buckling of steel beam-columns of bisymmetric narrow-flange and wide-flange I-section shape. Investigations are focused on the derivation of the strain components and the energy equation, based on the displacement-field formulation in the deflected configuration. At the same time, a review of analytical solutions based on the classical and refined energy-equations are summarized, presented and discussed. The relationship between the maximum in-plane bending moment and the compressive force of beam-columns is the main objective of this research investigation. Simple boundary conditions of end-sections free to deflect and to warp are considered, together with an arbitrary loading-pattern. The principle of superposition and the moment amplification rule for considering the second-order effects are widely used. The main conclusions are drawn in relation to the flexural-torsional resistance-evaluation design of steel beam-columns in modern design codes for steelwork. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Behaviour of Steel Structures)
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24 pages, 18887 KiB  
Article
Parametric Study on Built-Up Cold-Formed Steel Beams with Web Openings Connected by Spot Welding
by Antonio Andrei Cristian and Viorel Ungureanu
Buildings 2023, 13(1), 237; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13010237 - 14 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1600
Abstract
This paper presents a numerical parametric study on cold-formed steel built-up beams subjected to bending. The cold-formed steel built-up elements are efficient structural elements that are easy to assemble during the construction process, ensuring material savings and potential for standardization, thus making them [...] Read more.
This paper presents a numerical parametric study on cold-formed steel built-up beams subjected to bending. The cold-formed steel built-up elements are efficient structural elements that are easy to assemble during the construction process, ensuring material savings and potential for standardization, thus making them more suitable for mass production. A new technological solution for built-up steel beams with webs made of corrugated steel sheets and flanges made of cold-formed steel profiles, assembled through two welding techniques, was proposed within the well-formed research project. This solution can be used as a component of single or low-rise multi-story frames, purlins, or secondary beams. The experimental program investigated seven full-scale beams, two of which have web openings. The web openings were introduced for the case when these members are used as secondary beams in floor systems. The paper investigates these types of beams with web openings using parametric numerical analyses. A numerical model validated against experimental tests was proposed to carry out a parametric study through nonlinear finite element analysis, considering initial imperfections and considering the strain-hardening characteristics of the steel components. The influence of different components was analyzed through the parametric study. Beams with three lengths were studied, i.e., (1) 6000 mm, (2) 7500 mm, and (3) 9000 mm. In total, 61 simulations were found. The article highlights the parameters that contribute significantly to the stiffness and capacity of the built-up cold-formed steel elements. The weakest component was concluded to be the thickness of the corrugated web, while the presence of the stiffened web opening reduced the bearing capacity by approximately 5–10%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Behaviour of Steel Structures)
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15 pages, 3826 KiB  
Article
Experimental Investigation of Light Steel Framing Walls under Horizontal Loading
by Dalila M. Lopes, António P. C. Duarte and Nuno Silvestre
Buildings 2023, 13(1), 193; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13010193 - 11 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1891
Abstract
The mechanical behavior of light steel framing (LSF) walls under horizontal (shear) loadings is reported and assessed in this paper. In total, an experimental program with twelve LSF walls (six under monotonic and six under cyclic loading) was conducted, and the main parameters [...] Read more.
The mechanical behavior of light steel framing (LSF) walls under horizontal (shear) loadings is reported and assessed in this paper. In total, an experimental program with twelve LSF walls (six under monotonic and six under cyclic loading) was conducted, and the main parameters investigated were (i) the thickness and (ii) the material used as the cladding (OSB, a plasterboard, and a steel sheet), (iii) the spacing between fasteners (150 or 75 mm), and (iv) the influence of using steel bracing elements. It is concluded that doubling the number of fasteners and increasing the thickness of OSB by 80% lead to increases in ultimate loads, respectively, of 33 and 13%. The ductility index of the walls with steel sheets was 50 to 75% lower than those of the remaining walls. The wall with the steel strap x-bracing system presented (i) the lowest initial rigidity (a diaphragm effect could not be triggered with these elements) and (ii) the highest damage extent at the end of testing (a damage parameter of 0.85, due to damage of the steel strap-to-steel structure connection). It is confirmed that the results obtained with testing of the walls under a monotonic load can be good predictors of their behavior under cyclic loading as, for instance, the ultimate loads of walls under both loading cases present an average difference of 4%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Behaviour of Steel Structures)
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23 pages, 11238 KiB  
Article
Experimental and Numerical Study of an Innovative Infill Web-Strips Steel Plate Shear Wall with Rigid Beam-to-Column Connections
by Wahab Abdul Ghafar, Zhong Tao, Yan Tao, Yingcheng He, Lei Wu and Zhiqi Zhang
Buildings 2022, 12(10), 1560; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12101560 - 28 Sep 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3677
Abstract
Steel plate shear walls (SPSWs) offer good energy dissipation capability when subjected to seismic forces as a robust lateral load resisting structure. This research investigated the cyclic behaviors of innovative infill web-strips (IWS-SPSW) and conventional unstiffened steel plate shear (USPSW) experimentally and numerically. [...] Read more.
Steel plate shear walls (SPSWs) offer good energy dissipation capability when subjected to seismic forces as a robust lateral load resisting structure. This research investigated the cyclic behaviors of innovative infill web-strips (IWS-SPSW) and conventional unstiffened steel plate shear (USPSW) experimentally and numerically. As a result, two specimens of a 1:3 scale three-story single-bay IWS-SPSW and USPSW were fabricated and tested under cyclic lateral loading. Rigid moment-resistant connections were used for the steel plate shear wall beam-column connection. The steel shear walls with infill web strips showed high ductility and less shear load-bearing than the USPSW. The hysteresis results showed that the IWS-SPSW had high energy dissipation with no severe beam-columns damages. On the other hand, the USPSW displayed severe post-buckling, infill panel cracks, and first-floor column damages. Moreover, the IWS-SPSW shear strength did not fall in the test specimen beyond 2.5% average story drift, where the structure exhibited great seismic behavior. FE models were created and validated with experimental data. It has been proven that the infill web-strips can affect an SPSW system’s high performance and overall energy dissipation. From a parametric study, the material features of the infill web-strips, such as steel strength and thickness, can enhance the system’s impact even more. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Behaviour of Steel Structures)
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29 pages, 10506 KiB  
Article
On the Seismic Evaluation of Steel Frames Laterally Braced with Perforated Steel Plate Shear Walls Considering Semi-Rigid Connections
by Arsalan Majlesi, Hamid Asadi-Ghoozhdi, Omid Bamshad, Reza Attarnejad, Amir R. Masoodi and Mehdi Ghassemieh
Buildings 2022, 12(9), 1427; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12091427 - 11 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1666
Abstract
Steel plate shear walls usually do not satisfy the strong-column weak-beam design criteria, leading to larger column sections. On the other hand, rigid frame structures are typically constructed in low-rise to mid-rise buildings built in locations prone to strong earthquakes due to their [...] Read more.
Steel plate shear walls usually do not satisfy the strong-column weak-beam design criteria, leading to larger column sections. On the other hand, rigid frame structures are typically constructed in low-rise to mid-rise buildings built in locations prone to strong earthquakes due to their high flexibility and cost-effective solutions. Overcoming these restrictions to the SPSW system, this paper is dedicated to employing a semi-rigid connection that dissipates energy well and reduces the forces applied to the structure. By using a semi-rigid connection in an adjacent span to the SPSW, the actual flexural capacity of the beam end decreases and, subsequently, improves the performance of the structure in terms of the of the strong-column weak-beam criteria. Thereupon, the impact of the semi-rigid connections on steel frames with SPSWs as a sideway resisting system can be assessed by implementing a numerical study. In this paper, a new methodology for modelling semi-rigid joints is used considering five connections with different moment capacities. Moreover, the influence of three different circular diameters on the behavior of the perforated SPSWs was investigated. To fulfil these purposes, nonlinear dynamic analysis was conducted to assess the reliability of 5-, 10-, and 15-story frames resisted with SPSWs and semi-rigid connections subjected to actual ground motion records. A total of 45 frames were modelled and the obtained results were compared with reference benchmarks. The outcomes of the studies show good agreement with design building code requirements. In addition, the reliable performance of the structure under seismic loads is evaluated. According to the results of the parametric study, the presumed allowable drift leads to obtaining the optimum moment capacity of connection for each model and illustrates the applicability of a new structural system consisting of SPSWs and semi-rigid connections simultaneously. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Behaviour of Steel Structures)
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