• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.421-435
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• 2008

This paper presents an investigation on the ultimate behavior of a transmission tower using nonlinear analyses inconsideration of residual stress and initial imperfection. Main members, such as main post, horizontal member and diagonal member of the transmission tower were modeled using beam element. Moreover, submembers of the transmission tower were modeled using truss element. ABAQUS (2004) program was used to perform finite element analyses. Initial condition options of the ABAQUS program considering initial stress and imperfection were used in this study. Before performing the analysis of the total transmission tower, simple angle section models using beam or plate/shell element w ere investigated to verify the appropriateness of ABAQUS analysis models and options. According to the verification results, the beam element was used for nonlinear analyses of the transmission tower. From nonlinear analyses results, buckling failure was in the main member of the leg part because of ${P-{\triangle}}$ effect at that point. Also, this paper includes significant results to define real structural failure modes and quantitative values. This study should be used in the development of a reasonable and economic design method for transmission towers.