Large plastic deformation of beams of angle-section under symmetric bending

The large deflection flexural behaviour, particularly in plastic range, of beams of right-angle section under four-point symmetric bending is investigated thoroughly. Experiments were carried out for symmetric bending of aluminium alloy L-beams to observe the global load-deflection characteristics, as well as the distortion of cross-sections. The effect of supporting condition in the four-point bending on the global behaviour of the L-beams was also examined experimentally. By considering the geometrical change of beam and the plastic energy dissipations due to the global bending of beam and the angular distortion of cross-sections, a rigid, linear hardening model is proposed. The model is capable of predicting the cross-sectional distortion and the structural softening behaviour observed in the experiments with a reasonable accuracy. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.