Castellated Beam Web Buckling in Shear

Abstract

Tests of four castellated beams are described, in which the buckling of the web-post between openings was the focus of interest. Evidence of web-post buckling was observed in all test beams, although one also underwent lateral displacements. Elastic finite-element analysis was used to predict the buckling loads. The test results showed that the buckling loads were not sensitive to moment-to-shear ratio, and the maximum test loads exceeded the finite-element predictions by margins varying between 4 and 14%. A finite-element parameter study was conducted, and general results that can be used for a range of hole geometries are presented.