Highways Agency Reports

Abstract: Steel compression flanges for bridge girders recieve discrete lateral restraint from diaphragms and transverse frames. Relationships between the compressive force at first yield in an imperfect flange and the space, strength, and stiffness of these restraints have been found by fnite-element parametric stdies, ina form that provides a basis for improved design rules. Conditions have been determined for the safe use of the beam-on-elastic foundations analogy for finding elast critical forces.