Abstract

This paper presents creep buckling finite element modeling of steel beam-type structure. For beams under sustained loads the loss of stability may occur during a period of exploitation of structure even for loads lower than critical buckling load. For that reason stability is characterized by critical buckling time instead the critical buckling load. The simulation is performed using four nodded Kirchoff- Love theory based shell finite elements. For a space frame, as the test example, critical buckling times are calculated for different levels of applied load, temperature conditions and steel chemical composition.