Title: A unified approach for assessment of second-order effects and sway buckling strength in steel portal frames

Authors: George E. Mageirou; Charis J. Gantes; Kaliroi P. Markou; Charis G. Bouras

Addresses: Department of Structural Engineering, Laboratory of Metal Structures, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 3 Zefxippou Steet, Gr-16345 Helioupolis, Athens, Greece ' Department of Structural Engineering, Laboratory of Metal Structures, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 3 Zefxippou Steet, Gr-16345 Helioupolis, Athens, Greece ' Department of Structural Engineering, Laboratory of Metal Structures, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 3 Zefxippou Steet, Gr-16345 Helioupolis, Athens, Greece ' Department of Structural Engineering, Laboratory of Metal Structures, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 3 Zefxippou Steet, Gr-16345 Helioupolis, Athens, Greece

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to propose a criterion for the importance of second-order effects, the choice of the appropriate analysis method and the buckling strength of steel portal frames. To that effect, a model of a column with rotational springs at the two end nodes as well as a translational spring at the top node is proposed. Using the above model analytical expressions for evaluation of the buckling strength of columns in multi-story sway, non-sway as well as partially-sway steel frames are derived. The importance of second-order effects is derived using the same model by proposing a set of graphs providing the ratio of second order moment to first order moment of the frame columns, depending on the boundary conditions. These graphs are used for the choice of a suitable analysis method. Comparisons to geometrically non-linear analysis results for several example frames are used for verification.

Keywords: steel frames; second order effects; analysis methods; design criteria; amplification factor; sway buckling strength; portal frames; modelling; rotational springs; translational springs; structural engineering.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTRUCTE.2013.056979

International Journal of Structural Engineering, 2013 Vol.4 No.4, pp.273 - 294

Published online: 28 Jun 2014 *

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