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Volume 13 | Issue 8 | Year 2026 | Article Id. IJCE-V13I8P110 | DOI : https://doi.org/10.14445/23488352/IJCE-V13I8P110

Effect of Instability Factors under Compressive Loads for Metal Structures: Residual Stresses and Geometric Imperfections

Manuela Yannela Huaman Melgarejo, Luis Fernando Upiachihuay Rosales, Marx Anthony Chahuayo Fernandez, Giancarlo Fernando Meza Terbullino

Received Revised Accepted Published
26 Apr 2026 25 Jun 2026 24 Jul 2026 31 Aug 2026

Citation :

Manuela Yannela Huaman Melgarejo, Luis Fernando Upiachihuay Rosales, Marx Anthony Chahuayo Fernandez, Giancarlo Fernando Meza Terbullino, "Effect of Instability Factors under Compressive Loads for Metal Structures: Residual Stresses and Geometric Imperfections," International Journal of Civil Engineering, vol. 13, no. 8, pp. 172-182, 2026. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23488352/IJCE-V13I8P110

Abstract

The consideration of geometric imperfections and residual stresses are inevitable in the compression design of metallic structures that are prone to buckle; nonetheless, the sensibility of these parameters to compression stresses lead to their collapse that trigger the loss of human lives and to the cost increase of the construction sector without a previous analysis. Thus, the evaluation of the influence of geometric imperfections in residual stresses in elements subjected to compressions tresses for different degrees of slenderness was proposed. With the aim to attain this, a procedure focused on the stated frameworks of the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), the Building Technical Code SE-A (CTE) and the sensitivity analysis for the critical load in the Finite Element model. The results showed that the AISC values for torsional and flexural buckling are often higher than the CTE guide. Also, for thin objects, the effect of imperfections in shape and remaining stresses can make the material weaker. Finally, it has been decided that these instability effects need to be considered in slender elements according to the CTE guide. This means that the reduced slenderness (λ0) should be taken into account if the AISC code is used to evaluate buckling loads.

Keywords

Buckling, Critical load, Instability, Rolled profile.

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