[en] Steel angle members bolted through one leg at their extremities are commonly met
in lattice towers, where they are mainly used as bracings. Despite their practical
relevance, their design relies on empirical expressions due to the incomplete understanding
of their structural behaviour. This paper investigates the influence of the
end joints on the buckling resistance of such members. A numerical model, validated
against experimental results is employed for a parametric study to evaluate the
impact on the ultimate buckling load of key parameters, including the size of the
profile, the slenderness of the member and the number of the bolts at the end
connections. The results highlight the significant influence of the number of the
bolts, of the joint plasticity and the amplitude of imperfections on the buckling resistance.
Comparisons with the predictions of the European normative standards for
lattice towers, i.e. EN1993-3-1 and EN 50341-1 as well as the new version prEN
1993-3, reveal considerable discrepancies, with the normative predictions being
both conservative and unsafe. The outcomes of the study highlight areas where
existing standards may be insufficient and provide a basis for improving design
recommendations to enhance safety and optimise material use.
Disciplines :
Civil engineering
Author, co-author :
Antonodimitraki, Sofia ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Urban and Environmental Engineering ; Institute of Steel Structures, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Thanopoulos, Pavlos; Institute of Steel Structures, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Ioannis Vayas, |; Institute of Steel Structures, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
