Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 275-285 (2026)
HYSTERETIC BEHAVIOR OF H-SECTION ALUMINUM ALLOY MEMBERS UNDER AXIAL LOADING: EXPERIMENTAL AND NUMERICAL STUDY
Xiao-Nong Guo 1, Yin Zou 1 and Xing-Ye Wang 2, *
1 College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
2 Railway Engineering Research Institute, China Academy of Railway Sciences Corporation Limited, Beijing 100081, China
*(Corresponding author: E-mail:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
Received: 30 April 2025; Revised: 17 September 2025; Accepted: 20 September 2025
DOI:10.18057/IJASC.2026.22.3.3
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ABSTRACT
This study investigates the hysteretic behavior of aluminum alloy members in gusset joint latticed shells. Due to the low elastic modulus of aluminum alloys and the weak-axis buckling susceptibility of H-shaped members, their hysteretic behavior is complex. However, studies remain limited, particularly on their axial compression and tension behavior under varying buckling modes. The research combines experimental and numerical approaches. Hysteretic loading tests were conducted on 11 aluminum alloy members under axial loading. A refined finite element (FE) model was developed to simulate the process, followed by a pin-ended member model for parametric analysis considering slenderness ratio, cross-sectional parameters, initial geometric imperfection, and tensile/compressive displacement amplitudes. A multi-scale latticed shell model was then constructed to evaluate the effectiveness of segmented beam elements in capturing hysteresis. Results show that compression buckling significantly reduces bearing capacity, though tensile loading mitigates residual deformation. Higher slenderness ratios and greater initial imperfections worsen post-buckling degradation and alter hysteresis curves. The multi-scale analysis confirms the accuracy of the four-segment B32OS beam element in modeling hysteresis. This study addresses a gap in hysteretic behavior research of aluminum alloy members and provides essential data and modeling guidance for the seismic design of aluminum alloy latticed shells.
KEYWORDS
Aluminum alloy members, Cyclic loading, Hysteretic behavior, Finite element simulation, Numerical Simulation, Beam elements
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