Stimulated by the study of web shear buckling of flat plates, the team has developed the concept of low-frequency sinusoidal (LFS) plates, which have the advantage of exceptional shear strength, reduced (or elimination) of transverse stiffeners, and economy in comparison to both flat and corrugated plates. The LFS frequencies are “much lower than those used in commercial corrugated products and previous research, resulting in lower forming stresses, prospective fabrication using conventional semi-automatic welding techniques, and potentially improved fatigue behavior. Experimentally validated finite element models are used to evaluate sinusoidal frequency, amplitude, initial geometric imperfection, plate depth, and plate slenderness. Elastic shear buckling load, ultimate shear load, and shear yielding are used to evaluate effects of the parameters. Significant increases in shear strength and material efficiency can be achieved using an LFS approach. A standardized low-curvature LFS shape with 1.2 m wavelength is applicable to a wide range of plate depths and thicknesses without the need for specialized equipment to form the plate or weld the web-to-flange interface. LFS plates combine durability, material efficiency and ease of fabrication in a strategy that can benefit the industry.” [1]
[1] Wang, P.Y., Garlock, M.E.M., Zoli, T., Quiel, S. (2021). “Low-frequency sinusoids for enhanced shear buckling performance of thin plates”, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, Vol 177, February. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2020.106475