Nonlinear Elastoplastic Behaviour of Intermittently Welded Stiffened Plates Under Inplane Compression

The objective of this study is to investigate the sensitivity of the ultimate strength and failure mechanism of stiffened plates constructed by different welding methods in common. A series of detailed numerical analyses of longitudinally stiffened steel plates subjected to inplane compressive load are performed using ADINA commercial finite element code. Complete equilibrium paths are traced up to collapse for nonlinear elastoplastic response of stiffened plates. Stiffened plates analysed are imperfect and their aspect ratio, plate slenderness and column slenderness are changed in a systematic manner. Different types of stiffener are chosen for stiffened plate models. Three different stiffener-to-plate welding procedures are considered: continuous, chain intermittent and staggered intermittent fillet welding.