Numerical Buckling Analysis of Thin-Walled Channel-Section Composite Profiles Weakened by Cut-Outs

Thin-walled elements, thanks to their good properties are more often used in structural applications, particularly in aircraft or building industry. This kind structures are often perforated especially for weight reduction and to ease servicing and maintenance operations, e.g. in aircraft wing ribs. What is more, this type of elements, due to its dimension, is susceptible on buckling phenomena, and this susceptible increases with the perforation. This work present the results of numerical analysis of the composite beam subjected to a compressive load. Paper focus on the buckling behaviour of profile with specific types of cut-outs. Three parameters like: holes shape, spacing ratio S/Do and the opening ratio D/Do were selected to check their influence on the critical load and buckling behaviour of the channel profiles. Numerical analysis were performed by using Abaqus software. Obtained results helped to identify the best combination of the three parameters for getting the highest critical buckling load, from among to tested holes configurations. The performed analysis show that opening ratio and hole shape had the biggest influ-ence on the value of critical load. Moreover, the combination of parameters which gives the highest value of criti-cal force is the circular hole shape with opening ratio D/D0 = 2 and with spacing ratio S/Do = 1.67.