Local and Post‐Buckling Behavior of Tubular Beam‐Columns

Abstract

A simple analytical model is proposed to describe the effects of local buckling of circular cross section on the maximum strength and behavior of tubular beam‐columns. The behavior is presented in the form of load‐deflection and load‐shortening relationships. These relationships are developed on the basis of an assumed deflection method coupled with the moment‐thrust‐curvature relationship including the softening branch of the relationship due to the local cross‐sectional distortion. The analytically obtained maximum strength interaction curves of beam‐columns show a reasonably good agreement with the available experimental results. The trend of the analytical load‐deflection and load‐shortening curves is very similar to that of the available experimental results. It is found that the effects of the local buckling on the behavior and strength of tubular beam‐columns become more severe with an increase in diameter‐to‐thickness ratio, and with a decrease in slenderness ratio.