Ultimate Strength of Beams with U‐Shaped Holes in Top of Web

Abstract

The elastic‐plastic behavior and ultimate strength of test beams with U‐shaped holes in the top part of the web are experimentally investigated. Nine welded, built‐up, simply supported beams with three different ratios of web depth to height of the U‐shaped holes are tested under one concentrated load. The test results are compared with analytical results based on the finite element method, the beam theory, and the ultimate strength method, taking account of Vierendeel action. The predictions of the bending stresses, the shearing stresses, and the ultimate strength for such beams is obtained with comparatively good accuracy.