Effect of Shape Factor on the Flexural-Torsional-Distortional Behaviour of Thin- Walled Box Girder Structures
C.A. Chidolue1, C.H. Aginam2
1C.A. Chidolue, Department of Civil Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
2C.H. Aginam. Department of Civil Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
Manuscript received on May 17, 2012. | Revised Manuscript received on June 14, 2012. | Manuscript published on June 30, 2012. | PP: 469-479 | Volume-1 Issue-5, June 2012. | Retrieval Number: E0482061512/2012©BEIESP
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Abstract: The governing differential equations of equilibrium for flexural-torsional-distortional analysis of thin walled box girder structures with various shapes were derived in this work using V. Z. Vlasov’s theory. The obtained equations were used to evaluate the cross sectional deformations of some box girder structures having rectangular (doubly symmetric) and trapezoidal (mono symmetric) shapes. Evaluation of Vlasov’s coefficients for the obtained differential equations of equilibrium formed a major part of this work. This was accomplished by examining the strain modes interaction diagrams for the various cross sections and by using Morh’s integral chart for displacement computations. Cross sectional deformations of the box girder structures were obtained by integration of the differential equations of equilibrium using method of trigonometric series with accelerated convergence. For irregular (asymmetric) box girder shapes, complex differential equations of equilibrium were obtained as a result of the interaction between all the strain modes of flexure, torsion and distortion. Application of these set of equations for the analysis of irregular shaped box girder structures is presented in another work.
Keywords: Box structure, distortion, flexure, shape factor, thin-walled, torsion.