Sectorial Properties of Thin-Walled Open Sections

Abstract

Thin-walled sections are widely used in aircraft and ship structures and are becoming very attractive to structural engineers. The economy achieved through the reduced weight/strength ratio makes thin-walled sections very desirable.

In structural mechanics of thin-sections, shear, torsion, stability and warping problems become rather significant. The solution of the torsion equation requires the knowledge of the warping constant J(ω). In structures subjected to torsional buckling, the position of the shear centre and the warping constant J(ω) must be determined before any solution could he obtained. The calculation of the shear and flexural warping stresses of thin-walled members are also based on the position of the shear centre and the warping constant J(ω).