Probabilistic distributions of plate buckling strength for normal and bridge high-performance steels

The probabilistic distributions of buckling strengths for compressive plates of normal and bridge high-performance steels were obtained through numerical analyses in order to develop a nominal design strength and a corresponding safety factor. In the numerical analyses, Monte Carlo simulation was used in combination with the response surface method to reduce the effort associated with the finite element analyses. For each value of the slenderness parameter R, a response surface of the normalized local bucking strength was determined based on the results of 114 finite element analyses using different residual stresses and initial defections. The response surface is approximated as a simple algebraic function of the residual stress and the initial deflection. Monte Carlo simulation is then carried out in order to evaluate the probabilistic distribution of the local bucking strength. The mean values obtained in the present study approach those of a mean curve proposed based on experiments. The standard deviation of the present study was approximately half that obtained based on experimental results in the range of 0.6 < R < 1.2.