Experiments of edge-stiffened plates in uniform compression

There is a large body of literature on the experimental behaviour of steel plates under a variety of loading and edge support conditions. Typically the longitudinal plates edges were either laterally restrained (stiffened) or laterally unrestrained (unstiffened). There are no such plate experiments reported in the literature of plates with a longitudinal edge stiffened with an edge-stiffener (partially stiffened). This paper presents 30 plate tests of plates simply supported on three sides, with the remaining (longitudinal) edge stiffened with an edge-stiffener. The edge-stiffener was increased in size from zero (unstiffened plate) to a size sufficient to create a stiffened edge (stiffened plate). Edge-stiffeners of an intermediate size resulted in partially stiffened plates. The behaviour of partially stiffened plates is fully documented with the aid of a 3D photogrammetry system, and the adequate size of edge-stiffeners required in order to create a stiffened plate edge are discussed. Edge-stiffener types investigated are simple lips, simple inclined lips and complex lips. Design procedures for partially stiffened elements previously inferred from numerical studies are shown to accurately and reliably determine the plate strengths, and further validate the procedure for use as a general strength approach in current international cold-formed steel specifications. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.