MECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SOLE PLATE OF SEMI-RIGID LIGHT STEEL COLUMN FOOTINGS BASED ON WINKLER MODEL OF ELASTIC FOUNDATION BEAMS

To calculate the pressure distribution on the sole plate of semi-rigid light steel column footings, the analytical formulation of deflection of beams with free ends resting on elastic foundations under arbitrary concentrated loads and trapezoidal loads was derived. The derivation, using the software package Maple, was based on the Winkler model of elastic foundation beams with the associated initial parameter expressions of deformation and internal forces. The sole plate of semi-rigid square steel tube column footings was simplified as an elastic foundation beam supported by concrete foundations. A mechanical model of the sole plate under eccentric loading was proposed, and the analytical solution of pressure distribution on the sole plate was obtained. Results from the analytical solution were compared against numerical simulations with a satisfactory level of agreement. The calculated pressure distribution on the sole plate was noted to differ greatly from the commonly- recognised linear distribution, which overestimates the stiffness of semi-rigid column footings. The findings from this study are expected to provide guidelines to the design of semi-rigid light steel column footings.