In-Plane Failure Mechanism and Strength of Pin-Ended Steel I-Section Circular Arches with Sinusoidal Corrugated Web

This paper investigates the global in-plane failure and local web shear failure mechanism and strength of steel I-section circular arches with a sinusoidal corrugated web. In reference to a flat web that can resist both the shear and axial forces, the sinusoidal corrugated web can resist the shear force only. As a result, the sinusoidal corrugated web may fail in an elastic-plastic shear buckling mode. This study considers pin-ended circular steel arches with a sinusoidal corrugated web under a uniform radial load or a uniform vertical load to elucidate numerically their different failure modes. It is found that local web failure occurs suddenly without warning, and all aspects pertaining to the local web shear failure are investigated thoroughly with an equation for the ultimate shear-carrying capacity of nonuniformly sinusoidal corrugated webs being proposed. It is also found that the effects of the shear deformations of corrugated web on global in-plane buckling and the strength of steel arches are significant. A strength design equation for arches under nominal uniform axial compression and an interaction equation for arches under a uniform vertical load are developed. Strength design procedures for steel arches with a sinusoidal corrugated web against global failure and web shear failure are proposed. All of the equations proposed for global in-plane buckling, local web shear buckling, global in-plane strength, and web shear strength agree with finite-element results. (C) 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.