Homogenised model of a common perforated steel beam with four types of openings under uniformly distributed lateral loading

• Published in: Thin-walled structures 2023-11, Vol.192, p.111107, Article 111107
• Main Authors: Dong, Zhi-Cheng, Xu, Ming-hui, Shen, Bo, Xie, Qing-qing, Cao, Tian-tian, Ma, Ke-jian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Common perforated beam; Equivalent displacement of unit cell; Homogenised analysis; Linear elasticity; Shear deformation; Small deformation
• ISSN: 0263-8231; 1879-3223
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tws.2023.111107

Perforated beams generally exhibit larger shear deformation than solid web beams, and their openings complicate structural design modelling in industrial and civil construction. To address these issues, this study introduces a theoretical homogenised method. This method considers four types of openings in a common perforated beam and its shear deformation equivalence to a solid web beam. For the first time, a reduction coefficient of the bending stiffness is obtained using this method, which equates a common perforated beam to a solid web beam. Through regression analysis, this coefficient is simplified into a formula, which streamlines design modelling of structures using common perforated beams. •A novel method calculates large shear deformations in perforated beams.•This approach delivers high accuracy for shear deformation in perforated beams.•A new coefficient equates the stiffness of perforated beams to that of solid web beams.•A formula simplifies the design of perforated beams in construction.