A Simple Method for the Design of Aluminium Structures

Abstract:

Deflections at the serviceability limit state are often decisive in the design of aluminium structures due to the low elastic modulus. Where design is based on deflections, it may not be necessary to calculate the resistance exactly and simple conservative methods are sufficient. The proposed method may be used to generate a quick, approximate and safe solution, perhaps for the purpose of initial member sizing, with the opportunity to refine the calculation for final design. Another reason for the simple method is enhancing ease of use of Eurocode 9.The principal of the proposed method is to eliminate calculation of effective cross-sections by reducing the elastic resistance with the reduction factor for the most slender part of the cross-section or the factor for HAZ softening whichever is less. This means that you don’t need to define the cross-section class. The disadvantage is that you don’t utilize the plastic reserve for class 1 and 2 cross-sections, nor the redistribution of stresses in the post-buckling range of class 4 cross-sections or sections with HAZ. The procedure is similar to the method with permissible stresses familiar to most engineers.