Shear strength of unstiffened steel plate girders

Ultimate shear strengths of twenty unstiffened and long web panel I-shaped plate girder specimens from the literature and seven new specimens are compared to predictions from models recommended by Basler, Hoglund, and Lee and colleagues. Basler's method is shown to be accurate for members with stocky webs and very conservative for members with typical plate girder web slenderness ratios. Hoglund's methods are slightly conservative. The method by Lee and colleagues is accurate on average, but significantly over-predicts the strength of several specimens. A proposed method, based on Hoglund's 1997 research, produces slightly conservative predictions. Resistance factors are computed to facilitate potential inclusion in modern specifications. Basler's method and Hoglund's 1997 method, which is a basis of the Eurocode provisions, can be used with a resistance factor of 1.0. Hoglund's 1973 method and the proposed method can be used with a resistance factor of 0.9. The method by Lee and colleagues is less conservative; it can be used with a resistance factor of 0.75.