Impact resistance and damage assessment of steel beams with different web openings

To investigate the impact resistance of steel beams with different web openings, falling-hammer impact trials and numerical models analyses were performed, focusing on the impact energy, inter-opening space, and opening diameter. The impact resistance of steel beams with different web openings was analyzed, and damage-assessment curves for web-opening steel beams (WOSBs) under impact loads were established. The results showed that web-hexagonal-opening steel beams (WHOSBs) yielded greater damage-related deformation than web-circular-opening steel beams (WCOSBs) for the same impact energy. The average maximum mid-span displacement of the WCOSBs under the falling-hammer was 86.49% that of the WHOSBs, whereas the average energy absorption rate was 6.07% higher. The WCOSBs were more resistant to impacts than the WHOSBs. The impact velocity and mass were the key damage-assessment parameters, and velocity–mass damage-assessment curves and determination equations were established according to on the WOSBs’ maximum mid-span displacement under hinge-supported restraints at both ends. Thus, this study will serve as a reference for assessing the damages of WOSBs subjected to impacts.