Non-linear Analysis of Corrugated Plate Girders Under Patch Loading

This work aims to analyze the effects of patch loading and load eccentricities on flat and corrugated plate girders in the linear and non-linear elastic fields considering variations in slenderness, aspect ratio, loading length, loading width, corrugated angles, local and global fold ratios. To attain these objectives, thirty-five plate girders were modeled for both linear and non-linear buckling analysis, which consisted of ten flat and twenty-five corrugated plate girders. Theoretical values of patch loading resistance were computed using Eurocode and specifications by other authors. In addition, a finite element package Abaqus program was used to obtain numerical results by geometrical and material non-linear analysis using geometric imperfections. Model verification was executed by the comparison of the theoretical and finite element results and from past experimental results obtained by other authors. In corrugated members, patch loading resistance increases with increasing corrugated angles and decreases with increasing global fold ratio. Corrugated members show higher patch loading resistance than equivalent flat web members, which could result in a 15% material reduction per unit length along the longitudinal span in the use of corrugated plates girders over flat plate girders.