Ultimate resistance and rotation capacity of low yielding high hardening aluminium alloy beams under non-uniform bending

The aim of this work is the study of the ultimate response of aluminium alloy beams subjected to non-uniform bending. The analysis of H and I-sections made of temper T4 and temper T5 is presented. A comprehensive parametric analysis has been carried out by a FEM model developed with ABAQUS computer program. The parameters investigated are the flange slenderness, the flange-to-web slenderness ratio and the non-dimensional shear length accounting for the moment gradient. They represent the main geometrical parameters governing the ultimate resistance and the rotation capacity of H-shaped or I-shaped aluminium beams. The results of the numerical simulations are used to calibrate empirical formulations for predicting the ultimate bending resistance and the rotation capacity of low yielding high hardening aluminium beams made of H or I-sections, depending on their geometrical and mechanical properties.