Benchmark Example No.

34

Elastic Critical Plate Buckling Stress

SOFiSTiK | 2020
 VERiFiCATiON
DCE-EN34 Elastic Critical Plate Buckling Stress

VERiFiCATiON Manual, Service Pack 2020-4 Build 54

Copyright © 2020 by SOFiSTiK AG, Oberschleissheim, Germany.

SOFiSTiK AG

HQ Oberschleissheim Office Nuremberg

Bruckmannring 38 Flataustraße 14
85764 Oberschleissheim 90411 Nuremberg
Germany Germany

T +49 (0)89 315878-0 T +49 (0)911 39901-0

F +49 (0)89 315878-23 F +49(0)911 397904
info@sofistik.com
www.sofistik.com

This manual is protected by copyright laws. No part of it may be translated, copied or reproduced, in any form or by
any means, without written permission from SOFiSTiK AG. SOFiSTiK reserves the right to modify or to release
new editions of this manual.

The manual and the program have been thoroughly checked for errors. However, SOFiSTiK does not claim that
either one is completely error free. Errors and omissions are corrected as soon as they are detected.

The user of the program is solely responsible for the applications. We strongly encourage the user to test the
correctness of all calculations at least by random sampling.

Front Cover
Project: Queensferry Crossing | Photo: Bastian Kratzke
Elastic Critical Plate Buckling Stress

Overview

Design Code Family(s): EN

Design Code(s): EN 1993-1-1
Module(s): ASE
Input file(s): eccs plate buckling.dat

1 Problem Description
The problem consists of a stiffened steel plate. Its dimensions and boundary conditions are given in
Figure 2.

The main goal of this benchmark is to verify and compare the SOFiSTiK results with the ECCS reference
example Beg et al. [1, Example 2.4-3].

In SOFiSTiK a FEM model will be used to compare the results with:

• Klöppel diagrams (Klöppel and Scheer, 1960)

• EBPlate (2007)

• FEM software (ABAQUS)

• EN 1993-1-5 rules

hs
σc

b1

ts

b b2 = b1

b3 = b1

a = 1800 mm, b = 1800 mm, b1 = 600 mm, hs = 100 mm, ts = 10 mm.
S 355, ƒy = 355 N/ mm2 , ϵ = 0.81

Figure 1: The layout of stiffened plate

SOFiSTiK 2020 | Benchmark No. 34 3

 Elastic Critical Plate Buckling Stress

Figure 2: SOFiSTiK FEM Model - Steel plate with 2 horizontal stiffeners

2 Reference Solution
This example is concerned with calculation of the elastic critical plate buckling stress. The content of
this problem is covered by following parts of EN 1993-1-1 [2] and EN 1993-1-5 [3]:

• Materials (EN 1993-1-1 [2], Section 3)

• Calculating the critical plate buckling stress (EN 1993-1-5 [3], Annex A.2)

3 Model and Results

The calculation steps with loading conditions are presented below and the results are given in Table 2.

To calculate the critical plate buckling stress the loading, σc = 1.0 N/ mm2 is used. The critical elastic
stress will be calculated by multiplying the minimum eigenvalue with the unity stress σc = 1.0.

σcr,p = αcr · σc

Table 1: Model Properties

Material Properties Geometric Properties Loading

S 355  = 1800 mm σc = −1 N/ mm2

ƒy = 355 N/ mm2 b = 1800 mm

ϵ = 0.81 b1 = 600 mm

hs = 100 mm

ts = 10 mm

t = 12 mm

4 Benchmark No. 34 | SOFiSTiK 2020

Elastic Critical Plate Buckling Stress

1.0923
1.0798
1.0731
1.02 1.02 1.02 1.03

93
1.0664

0.9
1.0598
1.0531
1.0465
1.0398
1.0331
1.0265
1.0198 4
1.0131 1.0
1.01 1.01 1.01 1.01
1.0065 1.07 1.01 1.07
0.9998 1.01
0.9931 1.08 1.08
0.9865
0.9798
0.9731
0.9665 0.991
1.06
0.9598 1.06 0.991
0.9465
0.9398
0.9331
0.9265 1.08 1.08
0.9198 1.01
0.9131 1.08 1.09
0.9065 1.01
04
1.

0.8998
0.8932
0.8865
0.8798
0.8732
0.8665
0.8598 1.01
0.8532
0.8465 1.03 0.993 1.03
0.8398
0.8332
0.8265
0.8257

Figure 3: SOFiSTiK FEM Model - Stress distribution along the plate for σc = 1.0 N/ mm2

Table 2: Results

Units SOF. Klöppel EBPlate ABAQUS EN 1993-1-5

N
 
σcr 275.775 274.170 268.721 2682 290
mm2

Table 3: SOFiSTiK Buckling Eigenvalues

No. Loadcase Relative Error Buckling Factor

1. 2001 1.52E-21 275.775

2. 2002 2.82E-14 324.371
3. 2003 8.33E-10 350.924
4. 2004 4.00E-10 361.897
5. 2005 4.10E-11 374.741

1 EBPlate, V2.01
2 The results were overtaken from the ECCs reference example Beg et al. [1, Example 2.4-3]

SOFiSTiK 2020 | Benchmark No. 34 5

 Elastic Critical Plate Buckling Stress

4 Design Process
Design with respect to EN 1993-1-5:2006 [3]: 3

4.1 Klöppel
σcr,p is given with the following equation:

σcr,p = kσ,p · σE

Where:
π2 · E · t2
σE =
12 · (1 − ν 2 ) · b2

π 2 · 210000 · 122
σE = = 8.436 N/ mm2
12 · (1 − 0.32 ) · 18002
kσ,p is the elastic critical plate buckling coefficient according to Klöppel.

The parameters needed for the evaluation of kσ,p are:

 1800
α= = = 1.0
b 1800
As bs · t 100 · 10
δ= = = = 0.05
b·t b·t 1800 · 12
(s + As · e2 ) · 12 · (1 − ν 2 )
γ=
b · t3
ts
 
b3s · + bs · ts · e2 · 12 · (1 − ν 2 )
12
γ=
b · t3
10
 
1003 + 100 · 10 · 502 · 12 · 1 − 0.32


·
12
γ= = 11.70
1800 · 123
Note that parameter α and δ above are not the same as in EN 1993-1-
5, Annex A.1, where the procedure for plates stiffened with more than
two stiffeners is given.

The plate buckling coefficient is obtained from the diagram (according

to Klöppel) in Figure 4.

kσ = 32.5

Finally, the critical buckling stress is equal to:

σcr,p = kσ · σE = 32.5 · 8.436 = 274.17 N/ mm2

4.2 EBPlate
The usual procedure (calculation of buckling modes) for the calculation
of critical stresses is presented by using EBPlate.
3 The sections mentioned in the margins refer to EN 1993-1-5:2006 [3] unless other-

wise specified.

6 Benchmark No. 34 | SOFiSTiK 2020

Elastic Critical Plate Buckling Stress

36
σ1 100
γ, δ b/ 3
30 15
γ, δ b/ 3 80
b/ 3
10 ψ · σ1 = σ1  =  · b 60
50
20 6 40 30
kσ 25 20
4 15
10
10 2 6
24
1 1
0 0
0
0.7 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 3.8
α

Figure 4: Klöppel Diagram

plate:  = 1800 mm, b = 1800 mm, t = 12 mm

stiffener: h = bs = 100 mm, t = ts = 10 mm

stiffener position: b1 = 600 mm

Results (1st and 2nd buckling mode)

Figure 5: EBPlate - Buckling mode 1, σcr,p = 268.72 N/ mm2

SOFiSTiK 2020 | Benchmark No. 34 7

 Elastic Critical Plate Buckling Stress

Figure 6: EBPlate - Buckling mode 2, σcr,p = 316.508 N/ mm2

4.3 EN 1993-1-5, Annex A.2

The critical plate buckling stress is calculated according to EN 1993-1-5,
Annex A.2. The plate can be treated as an equivalent orthotropic plate
if it is stiffened with at least three stiffeners. The plate-like behaviour is
modelled by the buckling of each stiffener as a column on continuous
elastic support provided by plate, while the other stiffeners acts as rigid
support. Buckling of both stiffeners simultaneously is accounted for by
considering a single lumped stiffener, which substitutes both stiffeners
in such a way that its cross-sectional area and its second moment of
area are the sum of the individual stiffeners. It is positioned at the loca-
tion of the resultant of the respective forces in the individual stiffeners.

b1 b2

As,1
s,1
b
b2 b3

As,2
s,2
b

Amped,1
mped,2
bmped,1 bmped,2
bmped

8 Benchmark No. 34 | SOFiSTiK 2020

Elastic Critical Plate Buckling Stress

Stiffeners I and II

b1 / 2 ts b2 / 2

e2

e1
bs

Figure 7

e1 = 49.20 mm, e2 = 6.80 mm, b1 = 595 mm, b2 = 590 mm

b1 = b2 = 600 mm, b = b1 + b2 = 600 + 600 = 1200 mm

!
b1 + b2
As,1 = + ts · t + bs · ts
2

595 + 590
 
As,1 = + 10 · 12 + 100 · 10 = 8230 mm2
2
€ Š
b3s · ts (b1 + b2 ) · 0.5 + ts,1 · t 3
s,1 = + + bs · ts · e21 +
€ 12 Š 12
(b1 + b2 ) · 0.5 + ts,1 · t · e22

1003 · 10 ((595 + 590) · 0.5 + 10) · 12

s,1 = + +100·10·49.22 +
12 12
((595 + 590) · 0.5 + 10) · 12 · 6.802

s,1 = 3.68 · 106 mm4

v
2 2
4  s,1 · b 1 · b 2
u
c = 4.33 ·
t
t3 · b
v
6 2 2
4 3.68 · 10 · 600 · 600
u
c = 4.33 ·
t
123 · 1200

c = 2998 mm

As  ≤ c ( = 1800 mm), the column buckles in a 1-wave mode and

the buckling stress is obtained as follows:

SOFiSTiK 2020 | Benchmark No. 34 9

 Elastic Critical Plate Buckling Stress

π 2 · E · s,1
σcr,s =
As,1 · 2
E · t 3 · b · 2
+
4 · π 2 · (1 − ν 2 ) · As,1 · b21 · b22

π 2 · 210000 · 3.68 · 106

σcr,s =
8230 · 18002
210000 · 123 · 1200 · 18002
+
4 · π 2 · (1 − 0.32 ) · 8230 · 6002 · 6002

σcr,s = 322 N/ mm2

In case of a stress gradient over the plate width, the critical plate buck-
ling stress should be properly interpolated from the position of the stiff-
ener to the most stressed edge of the plate. In this case no stress gra-
dient over the depth of the plate is present. Therefore, the critical plate
buckling stress is equal to the critical stress calculated for the buckling
of the stiffener on the elastic support:

σcr,p = σcr,p
 = σcr,s = 322 N/ mm2

Lumped stiffener
bmped,1 = bmped,2 = 900 mm, bmped = 1800 mm

Amped = As + A

s
= 8230 + 8230 = 16460 mm4

mped = s
 +   = 3.675 · 106 + 3.675 · 106 = 7.35 · 106 mm4
s
v
mped · b2mped,1 · b2mped,2
u
u
4
c = 4.33 ·
t
t 3 · bmped
v
6 2 2
4 7.35 · 10 · 900 · 900
u
c = 4.33 ·
t
123 · 1800

c = 4832 mm

As  < c ( = 1800 mm), the column buckles in a 1-wave mode and

the buckling stress is obtained with equation:

π 2 · E · mped
σcr,mped =
Amped · 2
E · t 3 · bmped · 2
+
4 · π 2 · (1 − ν 2 ) · Amped · b2mped,1 · b2mped,2

10 Benchmark No. 34 | SOFiSTiK 2020

Elastic Critical Plate Buckling Stress

π 2 · 210000 · 7.35 · 106

σcr,mped =
16460 · 18002
210000 · 123 · 1800 · 18002
+
4 · π 2 · (1 − 0.32 ) · 16460 · 9002 · 9002

Finally we have:

σcr,mped = 290 N/ mm2

mped
” —
σcr,p = mn σcr,p
 , σcr,p

σcr,p = mn [322, 290] = 290 N/ mm2

4.4 ABAQUS
The results from ABAQUS have be overtaken from the ECCS reference
example Beg et al. [1, Example 2.4-3], see Table 2 for more details.

SOFiSTiK 2020 | Benchmark No. 34 11

 Elastic Critical Plate Buckling Stress

5 Conclusion
The critical plate buckling stress was calculated by using:

• SOFiSTiK

• Klöppel diagrams

• EBPlate

• ABAQUS

• EN 1993-1-5 rules

All results are compared and summarised in Table 2.

The methods used in the calculation give very similar results. The advantage of SOFiSTiK compared to
Eurocode formulas and other tools (that are not using FEM) is that the stiffeners can be added customly.
The cases with variable height of plates can be analysed as well (haunches). In conclusion, it has been
shown that the SOFISTiK results are reproduced with excellent accuracy.

(a) 1st buckling mode: σcr,p = 275.775 N/ mm2 (b) 2nd buckling mode: σcr,p = 324.22 N/ mm2

Figure 8: SOFiSTiK - Buckling modes

6 Literature
[1] D. Beg et al. Design of plated structures. Ernst & Sohn and ECCS, 2010.
[2] EN 1993-1-1: Eurocode 3: Design of concrete structures, Part 1-1: General rules and rules for
buildings. CEN. 2005.
[3] EN 1993-1-5: Eurocode 3: Design of steel structures, Part 1-5: Plated structural elements. CEN.
2006.

12 Benchmark No. 34 | SOFiSTiK 2020