Localized Plastic Buckling of a Heavy Beam on a Contacting Surface

Abstract

The paper considers the uplifting of a long elastoplastic heavy beam on a rigid flat foundation caused by an axial load. The problem is studied through a large deflection formulation. The beam is considered to possess a localized initial geometric imperfection. It is found that the load-deflection response is characterized by a limit load. Plastic effects can precipitate the limit load and cause a more localized type of deformation with higher curvatures. The problem is presented as a model for the “beam mode buckling” of pipelines due to earthquake-caused axial loads.