Stiffened aluminium panels subjected to axial compression

This paper presents axial compression tests on longitudinally stiffened aluminium panels in alloy AA6082 temper T6. A specially designed test facility is presented. The panels are built up with extruded aluminium profiles connected by longitudinal welds. Two panel types are considered, with open section (L-shaped) stiffeners and closed section stiffeners, respectively. The experimental programme comprises tests on single panels supported along all four edges and as a special case panels supported at two edges only. Tests on panels with lengths 1.0 m. and 2.0 m are reported. Two deformation modes were observed in the tests; regular flexural buckling of the entire panel towards either the stiffener side or the plating side, and, for the case of the panels with L-shaped stiffeners, collapse initiated by stiffener tripping. The panel resistance is compared with the design resistance obtained from the European standard for aluminium structures, Eurocode 9. For all panels the experimental capacity exceeded the design value. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.