Experimental investigation of plastic collapse of aluminium extrusions in biaxial bending

In this work some results obtained with an experimental investigation of the bending collapse problems of thin-walled beams are reported. The test equipment, specifically made to execute biaxial bending tests, is briefly described. A series of tests was made on thin-walled aluminium structural components, with square and rectangular sections. The aim of these experimental tests is the analysis of the beam behaviour in the collapse phase (after global buckling), in plane and biaxial loading conditions. The behaviour was analyzed under two points of view: a global one, with the determination of the structural response and the comparison with the theoretical and numerical models, and a local one, through the study of the dynamic of the plastic hinge mechanism.