Performance of Lateral Torsional Buckling in Simple Steel T-beams with Openings

When subjected to bending forces, T-shaped beams are highly susceptible to failure due to lateral torsional buckling. However, limited prior research has been conducted on the lateral torsional buckling behavior of T-shaped beams, particularly those with stem holes. The objective of this study is to numerically investigate the behavior of T-shaped beams with openings under uniformly distributed and mid-span concentrated loads. Additionally, this study aims to evaluate the influence of stem thickness, flange thickness, opening size, and the moment gradient component. To accomplish this objective, a finite element program was employed to develop 3D finite element models for 108 T-beams. This analysis accounts for both geometric imperfections of the beam and material nonlinearity. Subsequently, a comprehensive parametric analysis was conducted to examine various factors affecting the moment gradient factor of the T-beams under consideration. The results reveal that the investigated parameters significantly impact the behavior of T-shaped beams. Furthermore, it was observed that the presence of openings negatively affects the instant magnification factor utilized in the lateral torsional buckling computation.