From the measured loads and the corresponding displacements the lateral

stiffnesses are calculated according to the proposal of EN 199313

(2005).
The displacement of the web was measured at two locations at h/6 height
from the lower flange of the purlin and 120 mm from the midspan of the
purlin in both directions (u5 and u6)
The maximum difference in distribution of the displacements along the
purlin was about 4 mm in the case of the upper flange deflection and it
was within 1 mm for the web
The maximum difference in distribution of the displacements along the
purlin was about 4 mm in the case of the upper flange deflection and it
was within 1 mm for the web.
During the test of specimens the maximum load F is considered when the
displacement reaches the 10% of the purlin height (h/10) laterally (the
measured displacements are aimed to be as close as possible to the
recommended limit).

..
The clips and bridges give a conditional lateral support to the upper flange
of the purlin which affects the distortional and lateral torsional buckling
modes.
and the wooden supports are fixed to the main supporting system, as
shown in Fig. 3.5. The wooden lateral supports have the function to
prevent the local lateral deformation of panels at the edges through the
loading procedure.
The maximum load was considered to be when h/10 displacement was reached in case of
upper flange loaded (FT). When the lower flange was loaded (FB) the maximum load was
considered to be when the maximum sliding capacity was reached. The applied load and the
corresponding displacements were measured with 10 Hz frequency during the tests.
when applying the maximum load to the specimens with Z250 purlin applying bridge
system and with the upper flange unrestrained small deflections were recorded under small
lateral load, then local buckling failure took place very fast due to the effect of the increasing
eccentricity of the gravity load, therefore the lateral forcelateral displacement relationships
could not be determined and the stiffnesses could not be calculated.
..
The increasing of the load was stopped when signs of the ultimate behaviours were reached
(great plastic deformations, signs of instability, relatively high lateral deformations, local
buckling and distortion of purlin crosssection).
Failure mode: upper flange distortional buckling near to the midspan of the purlin (Fig.
4.26).
The loading was proceeded with the PDL loading in the first interval of the roof until the
signs of failure were noticed at 0.89 kN/m2 PDL (the total ultimate load is qequ = 1.91 kN/m2).
web buckling at the middle support and high tension at the midspan of the purlin (Fig. 4.29).
At 1 kN/m2 UDL load the ends of the purlins at the overlapping suffered distortional
deformations.

 plastic hinge with signs of buckling of the upper flange and its stiffener lip (Fig. 4.35).
From these values it is seen that the stresses at two neighbouring portions (the lip of the
upper flange and the free end of the upper flange) show signs of bending action on the plate
of the upper flange and it indicates the distortional buckling mode.
These extreme compression stresses emphasize the overall buckling of the upper part of the
purlin, due to the experienced web buckling phenomenon.

(a) Local buckling mode

(b) Distortional buckling mode

(c)Lateral torsional buckling mode