Webs of rolled and built.up beams and girders can be subjected to edge compressive patch loads parallel to the plane of the web. For practical and/or economic reasons transverse stiffeners are to be minimized or avoided, except at critical sections. It is, therefore, necessary to check the unstiffened web under this load to insure that no localized failure will occur. It is commonly assumed that the edge loads are applied at the middle plane of the web; an assumption which can be very difficult to achieve in practice. Thus eccentricities are unavoidable and must be considered. This research will study the effect of the eccentricity on the behavior of the web. Experimental and analytical studies will result in an understanding of the web behavior under this type of loading. The Structural Stability Research Council will provide $2000.00 to initiate this research project.
