Influence of splices on the buckling of columns

The paper presents a procedure for the analysis of stability and initial post-buckling behaviour of spliced columns in sway and non-sway steel frames. The main assumptions are linear elasticity and geometrically perfect columns that are loaded by a compressive force which retains its direction as the column deflects. An energy-based formulation that includes a polynomial Rayleigh–Ritz approximation into the potential energy function, in combination with the Lagrange’s method of undetermined multipliers, has been found very convenient for this type of problem. The system is thus described by a set of kinematically admissible generalized coordinates and a single loading parameter. First, the critical state is characterized by means of linear eigenvalue analysis. A parametric study is implemented to assess the critical load. The numerical results are used to develop a relatively simple yet reasonably accurate engineering method for predicting the critical behaviour of spliced columns in sway and non-sway steel frames. The energy formulation is then applied to the search of post-buckling branches of bifurcation points. The approach embraces path-following methods based on perturbation schemes built on a Newton type iterative procedure. This is illustrated in the application to post-bifurcation in columns with different splice mechanical characteristics. The findings suggest that the splice tangent stiffness has a major influence on the overall column behaviour. ► Modelling of a framed spliced column. ► Natural discretization procedure for Rayleigh–Ritz analysis. ► Analysis of buckling and initial post-buckling behaviour of spliced columns in sway and non-sway steel frames. ► Development of an engineering method for predicting the critical behaviour of spliced columns in sway and non-sway steel frames. ► Post-bifurcation analysis of columns with different splice mechanical characteristics.