AN INVESTIGATION ON THE POST-LOCAL-BUCKLING ANALYSIS OF I-SECTION STRUTS USING FINITE STRIP METHOD

Two finite strip methods are developed for predicting the geometrically non-linear response of I-sections with simply supported ends when subjected to uniform end shortening in their plane. Although the formulations of both finite strip methods are based on the concept of the principle of minimum potential energy, the first finite strip method utilizes a semi-energy finite strip, whereas in the second finite strip method (which is designated by the name full-energy finite strip method) all the displacements are postulated by the appropriate shape functions. Both finite strip methods are then applied to analyze the post-local-buckling behavior of some representative I-section struts.