Shear buckling resistance models for plate girders – Review and improvements

The paper reviews the shear buckling resistance models for plate girders and proposes an improved model based on the EN 1993–1-5 formulation for evaluating the failure load of a plate girder loaded in shear. The code-based shear resistance models proposed by Basler, Rockey et al. and Höglund are discussed. The Höglund model is further expanded, and the location of the plastic hinges in the flanges is modified, taking into account the relative sizes of the web, flanges, and transverse and longitudinal stiffeners, to produce a consistent tension field model of the plate girder shear post-buckling behaviour. A database was created from the experimental tests on thin steel plate girders loaded in shear that were conducted over time. The proposed model's results are validated by comparison with the shear resistances reported for this database's 261 tests. Statistical analysis shows that the proposed modifications are as accurate as the EN1993–1-5 formulation with the extra advantage of preventing several unsafe results for steel plate girders with high flange-to-web ratios.