Design of aluminium Sigma sections for web crippling behaviour under Interior Two Flange (ITF) load case

Abstract

Aluminium sections have been emerged in the industry due to the advantages such as light weight, resistance to corrosion, recyclability, and flexibility. While the construction industry is moving towards to modular construction trend, aluminium sections are considered as a vital key to achieve the desirable outputs of modular industry. Modular industry needs high performing structural elements as well as light weight elements to reduce the overall weight of the modules which directly affects the transport cost, flexibility of the modular connections, construction duration, capacity of the equipment or machineries and required numbers of construction workers for assemble. Hence, the requirement of light weight elements is evident, and the aluminium sections have been considered to replace the conventional sections. However, the structural performance of aluminium sections has to be analysed to check the appropriateness of utilization though it is reasonable. Hence, aluminium sigma sections were selected in this study to check their performance in the web crippling scenario under Interior‐Two‐Flange (ITF) loading case. Sigma sections were opted based on the merits including high torsional rigidity and resistance towards local and distortional buckling. Appropriate numerical approach was selected, and the procedure was validated with experimental results. Accordingly, comprehensive numerical investigation was carried out by including different parameters such as depth, thickness, yield, and ultimate strength and bearing length. Subsequently, the results were compared with all critical parameters and the results were provided. Suggestions and recommendations were stated to utilise the aluminium sigma sections in the industry.