Experimental and finite element analysis research on I-beam under web crippling

To research web crippling property of I-beam under concentrated load, 48 I-beam with different boundary conditions, loading conditions, bearing lengths and section heights were tested. The experimental scheme, failure modes, concentrated load–general vertical deformation and equivalent strain distribution curves were presented in the paper. The effects of boundary condition, loading condition, bearing length and section height on web crippling ultimate capacity and ductility of I-beam were also studied. Results of these tests show that as bearing length increases, web crippling ultimate capacity of I-beam increase significantly. When bearing length was 50 and 100 mm, web crippling ultimate capacity of I-beam with web slenderness = 17.5 reached its peak; when the bearing length was 150 mm, web crippling ultimate capacity of I-beam with web slenderness = 22.5 reached its peak. The middle web entered plasticity and formed plastic hinge zone in the ultimate limit state. The web crippling ultimate capacity of I-beam with bearing length = 50 mm in interior one flange condition, interior two flanges condition, end one flange and end two flanges condition decreased progressively. Finite element analysis could simulate experimental failure mode and web crippling ultimate capacity. The simple calculation method of web crippling ultimate capacity put forward in the paper can accurately predict experimental value.