MODIFICATIONS TO THE GLOBAL AND INTERACTIVE SHEAR BUCKLING ANALYSIS METHODS OF TRAPEZOIDAL CORRUGATED STEEL WEBS FOR BRIDGES

The value of the global shear buckling coefficient kg and the formula for the interactive shear buckling stress of corrugated steel webs (CSWs) are still the subject of debate.In this study, firstly, the analytical formulas for the global and interactive shear buckling stresses of CSWs are deduced by the Galerkin method.Simplified formulas for the global shear buckling coefficient kg for a four-edge simple support, for a four-edge fixed support, for two edges constrained by flanges fixed and the other two edges simply supported, and an interactive shear buckling coefficient table are given.Secondly, an elastic finite element analysis is carried out to verify the analytical formulas and to study the influence of geometric parameters on the shear buckling stress of CSWs.Finally, a design formula for the shear strength of CSWs which adopts the formulas for the global and interactive shear buckling stresses proposed in this paper is assessed.From a comparison between the shear strength calculated by this design formula, calculated by four previous design formulas and measured in a series of published test results, it is found that the considered design formula provides good predictions for the shear strength of CSWs and can be recommended.