Corrugated web plate girders (CWPGs) have become an increasingly popular structural member in Canada in recent years. This is because of their economic efficiency over standard wide flange members. Although the flexural performance of such has been increasingly studied in recent years there is still advancements that can be made in their design. No research has been completed in Canada on the subject of lateral torsional buckling (LTB) strength and very minimal research has been published on sinusoidal CWPGs. In order to examine the LTB strength of a CWPG with a sinusoidally shaped web, nine specimens were loaded and failed in simply supported arrangement that favours lateral torsional buckling. Specimens were chosen to observe the difference in strength due to web thickness, web depth and variation in identical beams. All of the specimens recorded strengths that exceeded the theoretical design strengths confirming that the current design procedure is conservative. A trend of ultimate capacity increasing was observed with the increase of web thickness. The depth of the web had no significant effect on the torsional strength besides what is gained from the increased flange distance. An equivalent web thickness equation was formulated based on the results for the purpose of calculating LTB strength. To test the proposed equation a numerical analysis was run on a wider range of beams and compared with the testing results. It was determined the physical testing results can be effectively captured by the proposed equation among more than just the tested beams. Two additional analyses were prepared to lay the foundation for further investigation of the proposed equation. The first was a Monte Carlo simulation to test the risk of using the proposed equation which requires additional data. Secondly, a preliminary finite element analysis (FEA) model was developed and presented for future use to expand this research. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc) / Corrugated web plate girders (CWPG) have grown in popularity due to their economic efficiency. No research has been presented in Canada and very minimal research has been published on the lateral torsional strength of CWPGs with sinusoidally corrugated webs. This research studied the lateral torsional buckling (LTB) strength of CWPGs through the experimental testing of physical members and a new equation for the calculation of the LTB strength is proposed. This equation and design process was then numerically tested to determine its viability as a design process.

Работа посвящена изучению работы сварных двутавров с гофрированной стенкой в качестве элементов многоэтажных рамных каркасов различного назначения. Проанализированы существующие практические решения таких конструкций, обобщены теоретические подходы и методики расчета изгибаемых и внецентренно-сжатых элементов с гофрированной стенкой. Приведен пример численного расчета многоэтажного рамного каркаса, состоящего из ригелей и колонн с гофрированными стенками. Разработаны узлы крепления элементов каркаса друг к другу и к смежным конструкциям. В рамках исследования установлено, что применение сварных двутавров с гофрированной стенкой позволяет снизить металлоемкость реализации решения как для ригелей, так и для колонн многоэтажных рам зданий без снижения требуемой несущей способности и эксплуатационной надежности конструкции. / Present work is devoted to the study of the operation of welded I-sections with a corrugated web as elements of multi-storey frame structures for various purposes. The existing practical solutions for such structures are analyzed, theoretical approaches and methods for calculating of bending and eccentrically compressed elements with a corrugated web are generalized. An example of a numerical calculation of a multi-storey frame structure consisting of girders and columns with corrugated webs is given. The joints for fastening the frame elements to each other and to adjacent structures have been developed. Within the framework of the study, it was found that the use of welded I-sections with a corrugated webs makes it possible to reduce the metal consumption of the solution as for girders and as columns of multi-storey building frames without reducing the required bearing capacity and operational reliability of the structure.