Effect of residual stresses on flexural buckling behaviour of T‐section columns

Abstract

This paper presents a numerical investigation into the effect of residual stresses on the structural response of T‐section columns under axial compression and assesses the accuracy of the column buckling curves specified in EN 1993‐1‐1. A nonlinear finite element model incorporating the effect of initial geometric imperfections and residual stresses is developed and validated against available experimental data from the literature. Parametric studies were then conducted to determine the buckling response of T‐section columns over a wide range of cross‐sectional geometries, steel grades, and buckling lengths. Two residual stress distributions were considered, including one residual stress distributions specified in EN 1993‐1‐14 as well as one residual stress distribution proposed in existing literature. The results revealed that the residual stress distribution significantly affects the overall buckling response and that currently codified buckling curve b seems to be more suitable to predict the buckling resistance of sections with a residual stress distribution not creating out‐of‐balance moments and is therefore thought to be more representative of welded T‐sections.