STATIC STRENGTH OF LONGITUDINALLY STIFFENED PLATE GIRDERS

THE GENERAL OBJECTIVE OF THIS REPORT IS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF LONGITUDINAL STIFFENERS ON THE STATIC BEHAVIOR OF PLATE GIRDERS BASED ON OBSERVATIONS OF TEST GIRDERS, AND TO DEVELOP METHODS OF ESTIMATING THE STATIC STRENGTH OF LONGITUDINALLY STIFFENED PLATE GIRDERS. BENDING TESTS ON LONGITUDINALLY STIFFENED PLATE GIRDERS INDICATE THAT BY CONTROLLING LATERAL WEB DEFLECTIONS, A LONGITUDINAL STIFFENER CAN MAINTAIN A LINEAR STRESS DISTRIBUTION UNTIL THE ULTIMATE MOMENT IS REACHED, THUS ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR A REDUCTION IN ULTIMATE BENDING STRESS. STIFFENER POSITIONING AND PROPORTIONING REQUIREMENTS ARE FORMULATED TO ENSURE THAT THE BENDING STRESS DISTRIBUTION REMAINS LINEAR. FOR TEST GIRDERS WITH STIFFENERS WHICH FULFILL THESE REQUIREMENTS, THE OBSERVED ULTIMATE LOADS AGREE VERY CLOSELY WITH THOSE PREDICTED BY THE THEORY. SHEAR TESTS ON LONGITUDINALLY STIFFENED PLATE GIRDERS REVEAL THAT A LONGITUDINAL STIFFENER CAN CONTROL LATERAL WEB DEFLECTIONS TO THE EXTENT THAT SEPARATE TENSION FIELDS CAN BE DEVELOPED IN THE SUBPANELS FORMED BY THE STIFFENER. ACCORDINGLY, A SHEAR STRENGTH THEORY IS FORMULATED BY ASSUMING THAT THE SHEAR STRENGTHS OF THE SUBPANELS CAN BE DEVELOPED INDEPENDENTLY OF ADJACENT SUBPANELS AND THAT THE ULTIMATE SHEAR FORCE OF THE STIFFENED PANEL IS THE SUM OF THE ULTIMATE SHEAR FORCES OF THE SUBPANELS. USING THIS THEORY, THE SHEAR STRENGTH IS COMPUTED FOR A NUMBER OF PANEL SIZES AND STIFFENER POSITIONS. COMPARISON OF THESE PREDICTIONS WITH TEST RESULTS INDICATES THAT THE THEORY PROVIDES A RELIABLE, THOUGH SOMEWHAT CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE OF THE SHEAR STRENGTH OF LONGITUDINALLY STIFFENED PLATE GIRDERS. /AUTHOR/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Hpr-1/3/, STATE 361
• Corporate Authors:

  Lehigh University

  Bethlehem, PA  United States  18015

  Pennsylvania Department of Highways

  400 North Street
  Harrisburg, PA  United States  17120-0095
• Authors:
  • Cooper, P B
• Publication Date: 1966-6

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bend tests; Breaking loads; Control; Deflection; Deformation curve; Plate girders; Shear tests; Statics; Stiffeners (Plates); Strength of materials; Webbing
• Uncontrolled Terms: Longitudinal
• Old TRIS Terms: Static conditions; Stiffeners
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00207801
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Bureau of Public Roads /US
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 1 1994 12:00AM