Shear strength of tubular flange plate girders with square web openings

• The effect of opening sizes on the shear behavior of tubular flange plate girders (HTFPGs) is examined.
• A 3-D finite element (FE) modelling using ABAQUS computer package has been employed.
• The results of HTFPGs with web openings are compared with equivalent flat flange plate girders (IPGs).
• The design strength of HTFPGs should consider the sum of the contributions of the web and the flanges.

In this paper, the influence of square opening sizes on the shear behavior of hollow tubular flange plate girders (HTFPGs) is investigated. A three-dimensional finite element (FE) modelling using the ABAQUS computer package has been employed to analyze HTFPGs containing central web openings at end panels. The results of the HTFPGs with web openings are analyzed and then compared with equivalent plate girders (IPGs) with such openings. The collapse behavior of such girders is examined considering the following parameters: the flange type; the flange size; the type of the web (solid web or web with opening); the web plate slenderness (hw/tw) and the relative opening depth to the web depth (do/hw). The results indicate that employing the HTFPGs with unreinforced central web opening without curved corners instead of the corresponding IPGs with the similar weight and the web opening size is a high performance solution to avoid the reduction in shear resistance due to the presence of web openings. An optimum web opening depth (do,op) for a HTFPG with a slender web is additionally recommended at which its shear strength becomes higher than the corresponding value of the similar weight IPG with solid web. It is furthermore found that the design strength of such girders should consider the sum of the contributions of both the web and the tubular flanges. However, new conclusions on the shear strength and behaviour of HTFPGs with web openings are presented.