Abstract:
A steel I-beam with different types of web openings makes in different structures, where in
the different technical utilities such as ventilation ducts, electric cables; water carrying pipes
and others can be incorporated. But the provision of web openings in I-steel beams
introduces typical failure mode. Among that flexure and lateral torsional buckling are a
typical failure that occurs in steel I-beam.
The main objective of this research was to investigate the behavior of flexure and lateral
torsional buckling of steel I-beam with web opening and its ultimate load carrying capacity
and buckling moment resistance using nonlinear finite element analysis, Both geometric and
material nonlinearities are included in the finite element model
The research focused on the effect of shape of opening, total depth to opening depth (D/Do)
ratio and spacing to opening depth (S/Do) ratio on the flexural and lateral torsional
behavior of steel castellated beam with web opening. Total 62 samples of steel I beam with
web opening studied using non-linear finite element analysis with ABAQUS Software
package under concentrated load at mid-span of the beam. The FE models are validated with
existing experimental data from literature for flexural behavior and numerical calculation by
using EBCS-3 code for lateral torsional buckling to examine the accuracy of the simulations.
Values from FE model agree with the test and numerical calculation results.
In conclusion, the analysis result showed that, Shape of opening has a significant effect on
the ultimate load capacity and buckling moment resistance value. Ultimate load-carrying
capacity of Castellated beam with diamond, circular, hexagon opening become bigger
28.5%, 22%,7.8% compared with the beam without web opening (original beam), but reduct
26.82 % compared square opening with original beam, and also Buckling moments
resistance value with diamond, circular, hexagon opening become bigger 17.6%,14.2%,8.2%
compared with the beam without web opening (original beam), but reduct 16.3% compared
square opening with original beam. D/DO and S/DO has a significant effect on flexural
behavior and D/Do ratio has slightly effect on the buckling moment resistance value, but
S/Do ratio has a significant effect on buckling moment resistance value. Beam with depth of
opening 0.7 times its overall depth with S/Do=1.4 is the optimize section which has high
ultimate load carrying capacity for circular, hexagon and square opening and also beam
with depth of opening 0.78 times its overall depth with S/Do=1.4 is the optimize section
which has high ultimate load carrying capacity for diamond opening
