Abstract
This investigation proposes an analytical approach for analyzing the impact of random defects on light steel frame materials. The addition of random defects for the overall and the component units was achieved by integrating Matlab R2022a and Ansys R19.0 finite element software. Nonlinear analysis was conducted to calculate ultimate load factors and nodal ultimate displacements of the materials under various random defects at each stage of construction. A two-factor analysis was employed to investigate the effects of random defects on the calculation results during different construction stages. The investigation reveals that the response of the light steel frame materials to initial defects is more pronounced during the construction stage. Moreover, the construction stage is the main factor that affects the ultimate load factor and nodal ultimate displacement, compared with random defects. The influence of different random defects on structural displacements varies significantly. The displacement development of the light steel frame materials under the influence of component unit defects tends to be more rapid than that of the overall defects. However, their buckling critical loads are essentially similar.