Evaluation of Shear Buckling Resistance for Numerical Model‐Based Design of Slender Plated Structures

Abstract

FEM‐based design is getting widely used in the daily design practice of steel structures. This study investigates the influence of imperfections on the shear buckling resistance of structural members by using direct resistance check. A geometrically and materially nonlinear analysis with imperfections (GMNIA) is employed using a commonly utilized combination of geometric imperfection and residual stress. The numerical model is verified against a representative database of experimental tests to demonstrate its ability to accurately predict shear buckling capacity. To enable practical application, equivalent imperfections are assessed against the Eurocode buckling curve (EN 1993‐1‐5) and against the imperfection‐residual stress combination. A statistical evaluation is then conducted to determine the model factor (γFE) associated with each equivalent imperfection. Based on the current findings, recommendations are provided for structural designers on the selection of appropriate imperfection magnitudes that comply with the safety requirements of Eurocode.