Abstract
A numerical approach is helpful for acquiring a better understanding of the behaviours of structures such as stressed skin panel (SSP) systems. In this perspective, a Finite Element Model (FEM) is a powerful and efficient tool that can assist in parametric studies and contribute towards saving costly laboratory experiments. Between 2002 and 2007, a major research project was conducted at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) to investigate and quantify the structural behaviours of timber SSP structures. This project involved the testing of full-scale specimens and the development of numerical procedures capable of simulating/approximating the behaviours of SSP systems. This paper presents a FEM that was developed in ANSYS software. It was calibrated in such a way that it incorporates the 'imperfections' of the real structure. This calibration permitted to enhance the simulative performance of the FEM but was to some extent detrimental to its range of applicability - variability of the SSP construction parameters. Albeit the calibration constraints, the FEM can perform satisfactory and valuable simulations of the behaviours of SSP systems - good agreements between the FEM results and experimental data were achieved. FEM is capable of considering many loading configurations and changing boundary conditions. It can also simulate different structure states, such as, SSP structures in the undamaged and damaged - discontinuities in the sheathing - conditions