Simulation Analysis On The Shear Behavior Of The Stressed Skin Diaphragm Spanning Sevaral Purlins

Profiled sheets are widely used as enclosing elements in the light-gauge steel structures. According to the former experimental research and theoretical analysis, the in-plane shear rigidity and strength of the diaphragm, which composes supporting frames and profiled sheets adequately interconnected to each other, are considerable to resist horizontal loads, which are called"stressed skin action". If this action is only taken as the reservation of the structural stiffness, it can not only result in both material and economic wastes, but also increasing the probability that the enclosing elements fail before the main structure collapses.The existing practical analysis methods are based on the trapizoidally-shaped profiled sheetings fastened on their valley and spanning few purlins. Whereas, the sections of profiled sheets, the forms of connection and the number of purlins that the diaphragm spans are all different in China at present. Based on the simulation analysis and compared with the experiment results, the paper hopes to find an analysis model in order to study the shear behavior of the new type diaphragm assemblies by the simulation analysis instead of tests. The following research work is developed in this paper:(1). The results for the existing tests method by using ANSYS software and simulation analysis of stressed skin diaphragm connected in wave crest spanning several purlins and few purlins have been calculated. The ultimate loads and shear rigidity curves were obtained, and compared them with the experiment results. It indicates that besides shear rigidities, simulation analysis could reveal the shear behavior of the stressed skin diaphragm which are crest connected with the main elements.(2). Based on the proposed model, the parameter analysis has been conducted by changing the parameters as follows: the arrangement interval of fasteners that interconnect sheeting and frame, from 300mm to 200mm to 400mm, and also the thickness of sheeting, from 0.6mm to 0.8mm, and the connection mode between sheeting and purlins, from wave crest connection to wave valley connection. The ultimate load and shear rigidity for different conditions are got respectively and then compare the simulation results mutually. The analysis indicates that the shear rigidity and ultimate load of stressed skin diaphragm could be increased by reducing the interval distance of the fasteners, increasing the thickness of the sheeting and adopting valley connection method. The shear force of fasteners presents linear distribution approximately, which provides the basis for simple analysis.