Finite Element Analysis on Hysteretic Behavior of Aluminium Columns under Cyclic Loading

Abstract

The mechanical properties of axial compression aluminium members under cyclic loading were studied and compared with those of steel columns. In order to proceed to theoretical study on hysteretic behavior of aluminium columns, a method by finite element analysis was proposed. The method was based on FEA software, ANSYS. The analysis methods considered the effects of material nonlinearity, geometrical nonlinearity and initial imperfection. On this basis, hysteretic curves, reversal skeleton curves and stiffness degradation curves of 6061-T6 aluminium columns, 6061-T4 aluminium columns and Q235 steel columns under axial cyclic loading were obtained and compared. Results show that the hysteretic behavior of the aluminium columns is similar with the low carbon steel columns and is significantly influenced by constitutive relationship.