International Journal of Steel Structures 16(3): 813-821 (2016)

DOI 10.1007/s13296-015-0120-2
ISSN 1598-2351 (Print)
ISSN 2093-6311 (Online)

www.springer.com/journal/13296

Deflection of Castellated Beams Subjected to Uniformly

Distributed Transverse Loading
Wei-bin Yuan1,2,*, Nan-ting Yu1, Zhao-shui Bao1, and Li-ping Wu3
1
College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, Zhejiang, China
2
Key Laboratory of Civil Engineering Structures & Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Technology of Zhejiang Province,
Hangzhou, 310014, Zhejiang, China
3
Hangzhou polytechnic, Hangzhou, 311402, Zhejiang, China

Abstract

This paper presents an analytical solution for determining the deflection of castellated/cellular beams with hexagonal/circular
web openings, subjected to a uniformly distributed transverse load. The solution is derived using the principle of minimum
potential energy. To validate the derived analytical solution, three-dimensional linear finite element analysis is performed using
four-node shell elements built-in ANSYS software. Good agreement between the finite element result and the present analytical
solution is demonstrated.

Keywords: castellated, cellular, beam, bending, shear, deflection, strain energy

1. Introduction Sweedan, 2011), distortional buckling analysis of castellated

Castellated and cellular beams are usually fabricated
from standard I-beams by using a cutting and welding
process. This process increases the overall depth of the
beam and thus the bending stiffness of the beam about the
major axis without adding additional materials. However,
the fabrication also creates openings in the web plate,
which could significantly reduce the shear resistance of
the web and thus affect the axial compression and transverse
bending ability of the beam. Extensive research has been
carried out on castellated/cellular beams/columns since
early of 1970s by using analytical, experimental and
numerical methods. The work involves the elasto-plastic
bending analysis of castellated and cellular beams
(Sherbourne et al., 1972; Oostrom et al., 1972; Srimani et
al., 1978; Liu et al., 2003; Gandomi et al., 2011; Soltani
et al., 2012; Erdal et al., 2013; Durif et al., 2013; Wang
et al., 2014a, 2014b), lateral-torsional buckling analysis of
castellated beams (Kerdal et al., 1982, 1984; Mohebkhah,
2004), web buckling analysis of castellated beams (Zaarour
et al., 1996; Redwood et al., 1998; Wang et al., 2014;
Received August 9, 2015; accepted June 13, 2016;
published online September 30, 2016
© KSSC and Springer 2016
*Corresponding author
Tel: +86-517-88320277, Fax: +86-571-88320460
E-mail: yuanwb@zjut.edu.cn
beams (Zirakian et al., 2006), axially compressed buckling
analysis of castellated beams (El-Sawy et al., 2009; Yuan
et al., 2014), local buckling analysis of castellated beams
(Abidin et al., 2013), interaction of different buckling
modes in castellated beams (Ellobody, 2011, 2012),
deflection analysis of castellated beams (Hosain et al.,
1974; Raftoyiannis et al., 2006), design of castellated and
cellular beams (Knowles, 1991; Mohebkhah et al., 2005;
Showkati et al., 2012), and shear effect of web openings
on the dynamic characteristics of castellated beams (Chen
et al., 2014; Gu, 2014).
The literature survey described above shows that,
despite the large number of publications on castellated
and cellular beams, there is little work found on the
analytical determination of the deflection of castellated
and cellular beams with shear effect when subjected to
transverse loading. The deflection calculation in the
current design exercise for castellated and cellular beams
is normally based on an equivalent I-beam but using a
reduced bending rigidity. This kind of practice may not be
safe because it does not take into account the shear effect
due to web openings. It is well known that for short or
deep section beams shear stress plays an important role in
the transverse deflection of the beams (Raftoyiannis et al.,
2006; Sapountzakis et al., 2008). Shear-induced deflection
in a beam can be assessed using the theory of Timoshenko
beams if the warping magnitude of the beam can be
appropriately determined (Timoshenko, 1921; Tonelli et
814 Wei-bin Yuan et al. / International Journal of Steel Structures, 16(3), 813-821, 2016

l –h ⁄ 2
w l –a l hw ⁄ 2
al., 2012; Gruttmann et al., 2001). However, there is a Eb Et-w Et
U1 = -------f ∫ ∫ ε dzdx + ------
2 ∫ ∫ 1x
2
1x ε2 dzdx + -------w ∫ ∫ε22x dzdx
difficulty when applying the Timoshenko beam theory to 2 2
o –( t f + h w ⁄ 2 ) o –hw ⁄ 2 o a
castellated or cellular beams due to the discontinuity of l t f + hw ⁄ 2
(1)
web posts in the beams. One may use finite element Eb
+ -------f ∫ ∫ε
2
2x dzdx
methods to calculate the deflection of castellated and 2
o hw ⁄ 2
cellular beams. However, the finite element analysis can
provide only the total deflection induced by both bending where U1 is the strain energy of the two tee-section
and shear loads. In this paper, an analytical approach is beams, x is the longitudinal coordinate of the beam, z is
developed to investigate the shear effect on the transverse the cross-sectional coordinate of the beam, E is the
deflection of castellated and cellular beams. By using the Young’s modulus, l is the beam length, ε1x and ε2x are the
principle of minimum potential energy, a closed-form axial strains of the material in the top and bottom tee-
solution for determining the transverse deflection of sections, respectively.
castellated and cellular beams is developed. To validate Let u1(x) and u2(x) be the axial displacements of the
the derived analytical solution, three-dimensional linear centroids of the top and bottom tee-sections, and w(x) be
finite element analysis is also performed using four-node the transverse displacement of the sections. The axial
shell elements built-in ANSYS software. Good agreement displacements of the two tee-sections are assumed to be
between the finite element result and the present analytical linearly distributed within each section (Fig. 2). Hence,
solution is demonstrated. the axial strains ε1x and ε2x can be expressed as follows
(Yuan et al., 2014; Chen et al., 2014; Gu, 2014)
2. Principle of Minimum Potential Energy 2
du dw
ε1x ( x, z ) = --------1 – ( z + e ) --------2- –( hw ⁄ 2 + tf ) ≤ z ≤ –a (2)
Consider the transverse bending of a castellated beam dx dx
with hexagonal web openings shown in Fig. 1, in which
2
the flange width and thickness are bf and tf, the web depth du dw
ε2x ( x, z ) = --------2 – ( z – e ) --------2- a ≤ z ≤ ( hw ⁄ 2 + tf ) (3)
and thickness are hw and tw, the half depth of hexagonal dx dx
openings is a, and the distance between centroids of the
top and bottom tee sections is 2e. In order to take into Note that the assumption of different linear distributions
account the effect of web shear, the castellated beam is of axial displacements in different components is commonly
decomposed into three parts; a top tee-section beam, a used in composite beams (Bardella et al., 2014; Sharma et
bottom tee-section beam, and a middle part of the web al., 1982). Substituting Eqs. (2) and (3) into Eq. (1), it yields
consisting of a series of parallel web posts. It is assumed
l l
that when the castellated beam is subjected to a transverse EAtee 2
du1⎞ ⎛ du 2⎞ 2 2 2

∫ ⎛ -------
∫
- + -------- dx + EItee ⎛ --------2-⎞ dx (4)
dw
load the top and bottom tee-section beams behave like a U1 = -----------
-
2 ⎝ dx ⎠ ⎝ dx ⎠ ⎝ dx ⎠
Bernoulli beam to take the bending load and the web
o o
posts behave like Timoshenko beams to take shear load.
Thus, the strain energy of the two tee-section beams due to where Atee and Itee are the cross-sectional area and
the axial and transverse displacements can be expressed as, moment of inertia of the tee-section beam defined as,

Figure 1. Notations and geometry of castellated beam with hexagonal web openings.