Numerical Analysis on Bending Strength and Ductility of Compact Section I-Girders with HSB800 Steels
New high performance steel HSB800 have been developed in South Korea, the yield strength of which is equal to 690MPa. High strength steels typically show a lower ductility and a larger yield ratio than conventional steels. Since the inelastic design procedure of current AASHTO specifications is not permitted to the flanges and webs of nominal yield stress exceeding 485 MPa, this study is intended to present an assessment result of the compactness requirements for I-section girders by performing 3D nonlinear finite element analyses. On the hypothetical specimens designed to be compact-section girders, the numerical analysis was performed using the finite element code ABAQUS. From the analysis results, it is found that the compact section limits speculated in the 2007 AASHTO LRFD could be applicable to the design of HSB800 steel I-girders to reach the plastic moment. However, the inelastic design procedure does not surely confirm a sufficient flexural ductility. More extensive studies of HSB800 I-girders are still in need.