In the previous paper, we have discussed the importance of plastic buckling tests of steel plates. We, therefore, carried out some experiments and their results are open to be applicable to design rules in Plastic Design. The experimental work consists of two parts; One is compression tests on cruciform cross sections and the another, on plates placed in parallel. The former is the equivalent case of flange plates of wide flange sections under compression forces or bending moments, but the latter is the equivalent of web plates of wide flange shapes under uniform compression, flanges of box sections. These tests present us a large number of useful results for Plastic Design. In real steel structures, plastic hinges are formed one by one as the loads increase until a collapse mechanism is attained. This process requires, in general, the strain-hardening of the elements in the regions of the preceding plastic hinges. Furthermore, the elements of important members, such as highly compressed or alternatively loaded, are required to be prevented from local buckling. Then, according to test results, we propose the sufficient width to thickness ratios such that it is possible to satisfy the above-mentioned requirements. (case 1) The recommended with to thickness ratio, when required such that buckling will not occur prior to the onset of strain-hardening; b/h≤16 d/t≤16 where b is flange width of wide flange section h is flange thickness of wide flange section d is depth of wide flange section under uniform compression t is web thickness (case 2) The recommended width to thickness ratio, when required such that instability will not occur before average longitudinal strain increases up to the strain at the onset of strain-hardening; b/h≤20 d/t≤21
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