Abstract
This paper describes a data-base approach to the ultimate compressive strength of unstiffened plates loaded in uniaxial compression. A total 793 individual test results of plates is surveyed and stored into the Numerical Data-Base for the Ultimate Strength of Steel Structures (NDSS). Statistical assessments are made for the plate test results to compare with the available strength formulas. And the effects of initial imperfections such as residual stress and initial out-of-flatness are discussed. Then strength formulas are proposed for two groups, “with residual stress” and “without residual stress”. to explain more accurately the test data.
