A Numerical Study on Inelastic lateral Torsional Buckling Strength of Doubly Stepped and Singly Symmetric I-Beam Subjected to Uniform Moment

The cross-sections of continuous multi-span beams are sometimes suddenly increased or stepped at the interior supports of continuous beams to resist high negative moments. This paper investigates inelastic lateral-torsional buckling of monosymmetric stepped I-beams subjected to pure bending. A three-dimensional finite-element program ABAQUS and a regression program were used to analytically develop new design equation. The flange thickness ratio, flange width ratio and stepped length ratio were considered as parameters of this study. The combined effects of residual stresses and geometric imperfection on inelastic lateral-torsional buckling of beams are considered. The proposed solution can be easily used to calculation for inelastic lateral torsional buckling strengths of monosymmetric beams with doubly stepped cross sections and to develop new design equations for inelastic lateral-torsional buckling resistances of stepped beams. Key Words : Beam design, Doubly stepped beam, Inelastic buckling, Monosymmetric beam