Finite Element Analysis for castellated Steel Columns
with two different Expansion Ratio
Xiaowen Yuan 1 , Fen Liu2 , Zhitong Li1 ˈYuequn Xu1
1. . Shijiazhuang Institute of Railway Technology, Shijiazhuang, China
2 Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, China
1 .yxw1995@126.com
Abstract—Some models are established by ANSYS in this paper.
Finite-element analysis was used for these models, which include
circular hole castellated columns with expansion ratio being 1.4 or
1.5, solid-web steel members without expansion. And then, buckling
analysis for the models under axial compression is carried out. So the
bearing capacity for compressive members are obtained and
analyzed.
Keywords-finite element; circular hole; castellated columns;
expansion ratio; buckling analysis
I. INTRODUCTION
As the honeycomb component has the advantages of light
weight, reasonable cross section form, large bending rigidity,
high bearing capacity, beautiful and remarkable economic
benefit etc, it has been widely applied. [2] But for the present
the study on the honeycomb compression component in the
honeycomb component is inadequate, which seriously restrict
its popularization and application. Therefore, the research on
honeycomb column mechanical performance is very necessary.
By using ANSYS finite element analysis method, this paper
analyzes the bearing capacity of the circular hole castellated
steel columns having expansion ratio of 1.4 or 1.5 under axial
compression.
II. HONEYCOMB STEEL COLUMN MODEL
A. Honeycomb steel column model making
In the actual making of honeycomb steel column, the first
step is to draw a line calculated beforehand on hot-rolled H-
shaped steel web of the honeycomb steel column, and then cut
along the line that has been drawn.
Figure 1. The manufacture of castellated column
978-1-4577-1415-3/12/$26.00 ©2012 IEEE
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As in the figure below, two segmentation parts were
obtained after cutting: left part (including number 1, 3, 5, 7, 9,
11, 13, 15) and right part (including the number 2, 4, 6, 8, 10,
12, 14, 16). Take one part (such as the left part) upside-down
and then butt weld with the other component (such as the right
part) every other hole (side 2 on side 15, side 6 on side 11,
side 7 on side 10, side 3 on side 14), in the end, cut away
superfluous part of one part, the vacant part is filled by butt
welding a pentagonal plate. This is the making process of the
circular hole honeycomb column. The ratio of the cross
section height H of the honeycomb component and the cross
section height h of the original solid web is called expansion
ratio. (see Figure 1)
This paper intends to choose hot-rolled wide flange H-
shaped steel HW300 x 300 x 10 x 15 in makin circular hole
honeycomb steel columns with its expansion ratio of 1.4 or 1.5.
B. Section properties
In the analysis of circular hole honeycomb column, the
honeycomb column calculation section properties is: the
average cross-sectional area A0 ( A  An ) / 2 , the average cross-
sectional moment of inertia I 0 ( I  I n ) / 2 , the mean radius of
gyration i0 I 0 / A0 and the average slenderness ratio O0 l0 / i0 .
Where A and I denote respectively the cross-sectional area and
moment of inertia of honeycomb column solid web site, An
and In denote respectively the cross-sectional area and
moment of weakest point in inertia of honeycomb column
fasting site. [1]
C. Component symbol
To illustrate the problem conveniently, we use FZY1.4 to
represent the honeycomb steel column having circular hole in
the web with the expansion ratio of 1.4, we use FZY1.5 to
represent the honeycomb steel column having circular hole in
the web with the expansion ratio of 1.5, use GZS1.4 and
GZS1.5 to represent the corresponding original solid web steel
column without dilation.
D. Loading model
This section intends to analyze the hinge joint ends
component under the effect of the axis pressure, the effective
length l0 is the actual length of the component. The analysis is
simplified as one end fixed, the other end free, and then
calculates the slenderness ratio, the effective length l0 is 2
times longer than the length of the simplified component. In
analysis and calculation, establishment of honeycomb
component model is a practical honeycomb column equivalent
simplified model of one divides into two. Off start as lower
fixed end, the original end as in the upper free end applying
axial pressure. As a result of making honeycomb column after
raising around strong axis stiffness, this paper only
considering the bending moment acting on the web plane
stability analysis. In the analysis of Web plane stability
bearing capacity of column weak axis direction, the upper
level constraints. On the honeycomb column in the nonlinear
overall stability analysis is used as follows: initial bending is
v0 l / 500 ; assumed that the material is ideal elastoplastic body.
(see Figure 2 )
A. Eigenvalue Buckling Analysis
The characteristics of eigenvalue buckling analysis are fast
calculation speed; before nonlinear buckling analysis, it can be
used to figure out the buckling shape, predict the buckling
load upper limit. The analysis steps are as follows:
In this paper, the analysis target is honeycomb steel
column, material is steel, the unit using is four node shell
element SHELL181 [3], shell element only needs the
thickness of the input shell element, the honeycomb column
model is made of hot rolled wide flange H-shaped steel
HW300 x 300 x 10 x 15. In which the web element is 0.010m
thickness, flange is 0.015m thickness, stiffening rib element
0.015m thickness. Elastic modulus is E 2.06 u 105 MPa ,
Poisson's ratio is P 0.3 . Establish the key point first, namely
the control points of the honeycomb column model, and then
build the flange, web and surface for preventing the
occurrence of honeycomb column local buckling of stiffened
structure, perforate in the web surface. Set up the element
length, and then select the element attributes of the grid
surface to be divided, and then mesh the surface. ANSYS
mesh is shown in figure 3[4]. The analysis target of this paper
is the honeycomb steel column with one end fixed and the
other end free, the bottom consolidation end is displacement
constraint, implement horizontal restraint perpendicular to the
web surface on the web upper limb having free top end. In
analysis, in the upper exert an axial pressure.

Figure 2. Loading diagram of members

III. ANSYS ANALYSIS PROCESS

This section is intended to do finite element analsis on
circular hole honeycomb steel columns with expansion ratio of
1.4 (expanded section height is 420mm ) and 1.5(expanded
section height is 420mm ) having different component
length,and the corresponding original solid column, under
axial pressure (see Table 1). In the finite element analysis on
honeycomb column, to use eigen value buckling analysis and
nonlinear buckling analysis should be used.The nonlinear Figure 3. Meshing of AYSYS
analysis is more concerned with geometric nonlinear and
Set static solution option, open prestressed switch in order
material nonlinear.
to store the calculation result. Then find the solution.

TABLE I. THE NUMBER AND LENGTH OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS

Redesignate analysis type (Eigen Buckling) o Designate
eigenvalue extraction mode o Designate eigenvalue
GZS1.4- FZY1.4- L1.4(m) GZS1.5- FZY1.5- L1.5(m) extraction number o Designate load step option o Save
01 01 2.0 01 01 2.4 database backup o Solve. [5]
02 02 3.8 02 02 4.5
03 03 5.6 03 03 6.7 Observe the eigenvalue obtained by the buckling analysis,
04 04 7.4 04 04 8.8 multiply the eigenvalue with the applied initial load, the
11.0
buckling load can be obtained. The buckling shape of each
05 05 9.2 05 05
13.1
modal shape analyzed by buckling analysis can also be
06 06 11 06 06
observed.
07 07 12.8 07 07 15.3
08 08 14.6 08 08 17.4
B. Nonlinear Buckling Analysis
09 09 16.4 09 09 19.6
Nonlinear buckling analysis is a kind of static analysis
made under the circumstance of the switch effected by large
deformation, this method is done by using a gradually

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increasing load nonlinear static analysis technology to solve
the critical load making the structure becomes unstable.
Nonlinear buckling analysis is more accurate, can be used in
practical engineering.
With the large deformation of the structure accompany by
the nonlinear buckling, it may have been exceeded the elastic
deformation range, thus its elastoplastic should be considered.
A modified constitutive relation is shown in figure 4.
Figure 4. Stress-strain curves
By using arc length method for nonlinear buckling analysis,
the given load are generally applied higher than expected
buckling load. At the same time, do not specify a time value,
at this time, the largest time value is 1.0, the time value
corresponding by each substep is its load factor, that is, the
load corresponding by each substep is the product of its load
factor and the given load. Therefore, the stability bearing
capacity analysis of the components in this section, all the
numbered honeycomb column end are applied on an
appropriate larger given vertical load than the full section of
honeycomb column solid-web, all the numbered original solid
column are applied on an appropriate larger vertical given load
than the full section.
Figure 5. The first buckling mode of members
Through eigenvalue buckling analysis, the first buckling
mode diagram (see Figure 5) obtained is the strong axis
bending diagram winding by the component, the displacement
feature vector of each node in the first buckling mode
decreased according to a certain proportion coefficient will
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thus be analyzed (according to the initial bending defects
conversion), take the initial bending defect of honeycomb
column model v0 l / 500 . Then analyze the nonlinear buckling.
For comparison, in analysis, the corresponding solid column
load - displacement curve is drawn in the circular hole
honeycomb column load - displacement curve diagram. As
shown in Figure 6 is the load - displacement curve of NO.03
corresponding components with its expansion ratio of 1.4. As
shown in Figure 7 is the load - displacement curve of NO.04
corresponding components with its expansion ratio of 1.5.
Figure 6. Load -displacement curve of FZY1.4-03 and GZS1.4-03
Figure 7. Load -displacement curve of FZY1.5-04 and GZS1.5-04
IV. ANSYS ANALYSIS RESULT
This paper, by using the finite element method, through
nonlinear buckling analysis of each component, obtains the
load - displacement curve with the initial bending
imperfection in consideration. These curves consist of
ascending stage and descending stage. When the load in the
ascending stage, the compression component is stable, in order
to increase the component lateral deflection, the load must be
increased. While the load is in descending stage, the
compression component is unstable, because at this time the
load is reduced, but the component lateral deflection increased
rapidly, and can soon cause the compression component
failure. The vertex on curve is the equilibrium point from
stable to unstable, the corresponding load is the stability
ultimate load pcr of actual eccentric compression component.
According to the analysis of each numbered members limit
loads pcr (see table 2.)
TABLE II. TABLE 2. ULTIMATE BEARING CAPACITY OF MEMBERS˄N˅

circular circular
original original
hole hole
GZS1.4- solid GZS1.5- solid
honeycomb honeycomb
FZY1.4- web FZY1.5- web
steel steel
comlum comlum
column column
01 2609543 2365945 01 2569590 2282617
02 2348148 2240058 02 2201254 2135050
03 1914554 2076910 03 1601879 1943346
04 1395753 1854586 04 1071974 1674123
05 998960 1563938 05 738067 1358774
06 734412 1271073 06 532695 1069296 Figure 10. Comparison on stable baring capacity of different circular hole
07 558307 1021375 07 401104 843642 castellated columns
08 437249 824741 08 312801 674940
09 351010 674105 09 250084 549155
V. CONCLUSION
Comparison on the bearing capacity between the expanded
honeycomb steel column and the original solid web steel Through the analysis of the bearing chart and the bearing
column. The main comparison is on how does the stability curve of the expanded honeycomb steel column and the
bearing capacity change in the direction of the original solid original solid web steel column stability, as the stiffness of the
column expanded on the web surface under the axial expanded honeycomb column is increased, it is very effective
compression. When comparing expansion ratio of 1.4 and 1.5 in improving the stability bearing capacity of the component.
of the circular hole honeycomb columns and the original solid If the column length exceeds a certain value, the stability
column, the relative changes of the bearing capacity of each bearing capacity of the expanded steel column is higher than
component can be observed under the change of the column the original solid-web steel column, and the degree is
length (see figure 8, figure 9, figure 10). increased with the component height. And if the column
length exceeds a certain value, the stability bearing capacity of
the steel column with its expansion ratio of 1.4 is aslo higher
than the component with its expansion ratio of 1.5, and the
degree is increased with the component height.

References
[1] Yimin He, and Jianli Hao, “The strength calculation of Castellated
Beams and Castellated Beam-columns, ”Industrial Constructure, 1994
(8)㧘P6-8. (In Chinese)
[2] Lifu Wang, Youfa Yang, and Cheng Shi, “Load Characteristics Analysis
of Castellated Beam Based on ANSYS, ” Journal of Chongqing Jianzhu
Figure 8. Comparison on stable baring capacity of members with expansion University, 2004, 26(2)㧘P72-76. (In Chinese)
ratio to be 1.4 [3] Xiaoxia Xu, Wei Xiao, and Xinyu Wang, “Finite element analysis on
stable limiting bearing capacity of honeycomb bending
component”,Shanxi Architecture, 2006, 32(2)㧘P73-75. (In Chinese)
[4] China WaterPower Press ˖ ANSYS 9.0 Classic basic tutorial and
example explanation[M]㧘2006.01(In Chinese).
[5] Xiaohong Shang ˈ Feng Qiu ˈ and Haifeng Zhao ˈ ANSYS structure
finite element analysis method and application examples of senior[M] ˈ
China WaterPower Press ˈ2008.05(In Chinese).

Figure 9. Comparison on stable baring capacity of members with expansion

ratio to be 1.5

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