Numerical analysis of the stability of a column laterally restrained by a flexible brace

The paper analyses the behavior of a structure which includes a classically restrained steel column under an axial load and a single flexible brace attached at an arbitrary point along the column to restrict its lateral deformation. The column is assumed to have an initial imperfection limited according to the current code requirements. Focusing on lateral deformations only, the paper studies the maximum load the system can resist before failure, as well as a brace force arisen at this load. Due to the complexity of the problem when it is extended from the elastic region to the plastic domain, a numerical solution is utilized. In the current work, a student version of Abaqus™ provides results of finite-element analysis implemented for a variety of ASTM A992 steel W-Shaped columns. The results confirm that the failure load and brace force highly depend on brace location and its stiffness. It is also shown that the current code provision of a brace load is not always conservative for braces shifted from the center of the column