GBT Numerical Modelling of Trapezoidal Sheeting Profiles with a Significant Number of Periodic Units

Abstract Unstiffened trapezoidal sheets are customary profiles widely used in construction; they present several transverse repetitive units commonly subjected to equal loads. In this study they are analyzed by means of beam, shell and Generalized Beam Theory Finite Element models (beam, shell and GBT, respectively). The presented models suppose that the deformation of all the intermediate periodic units is equal, being therefore the model limited to just one; this assumption can be endorsed by cases with a relatively high number of modular units. In the shell model this is made by means of couplings. In GBT this condition is applied in the sectional analysis; the sectional analysis of conventional and natural shear modes is deeply discussed. The beam model can be considered a particular case of the GBT, thus the periodic boundary conditions are obtained from the sectional analysis. Two cases with vertical and inclined loads at the top flange of a representative profile are preliminarily presented; the resulting deformed shapes of GBT and shell are very close, whereas the beam model differs from them.