Nonlinear analysis and parametric study on steel beams with circular web openings

Resumo

Steel beam with circular web opening have been gaining more space in the Brazilian industry. They
bring countless benefits to the construction, in addition to reducing the cost, there is also a reduction in weight,
allowing the passage of service ducts, which integrate the installations with the floor system. The variability of
this system can make it difficult to carry out experimental tests that evaluate all possibilities, as they demand more
financial, human, and time resources. Thus, numerical analysis presents as an alternative for this evaluation,
seeking the best option for applying this system. Therefore, this paper aims to simulate numerically steel beams
with circular web opening, using the finite element method. The analysis includes material and geometric
nonlinearities, as well as the study of instability. Through experimental results performed by Morkhade and Gupta
(2015), the numerical model was calibrated to carry out a parametric study that evaluates the spacing of openings
(s), diameter of openings (d), height of beam web (h) and beam thickness (t). Calibration was performed by
comparing the load x mid-span deflection experimental curve with the numerical one, obtaining satisfactory
results. The parametric study concluded that, in general, the parameters significantly influenced in the structural
behavior of the beam, except the spacing of openings.