Analysis of Steel I-beams with Rectangular Web Openings: Experimental and Finite Element Investigation

Steel I-shaped beams with web openings of shapes like hexagonal, circular and rectangular at regular intervals have been used since last 60–70 years. Therefore aim of this paper is to examine the behaviour of steel I-beams with rectangular web openings by performinganexperimental and parametric study. A parametric study based on finite element analysis consists of effect of fillet radius, aspect ratio of rectangular openings, stiffeners position around the openings and effect of positions of openings on load carrying capacities of steel beam with rectangular web openings was carried out by using a commercial finite element software ANSYS v.12. An overall study of such type of beam was carried out and results shows that rectangular openings having fillet radius either 2 times thickness of web or 25 mm (whichever is minimum), aspect ratio of 1.6 and reinforcement either in the form of horizontal or vertical stiffeners around the web openings found to be very effective. The fillet radius and stiffeners also affect the stress distribution around the corner regions of openings. Load carrying capacities of perforated beams are almost equal to plain-webbed beams, when openings are placed within middle two-third(neutral zone) of the span.