• Advances in Computational Design
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.207-220
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• 2016

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of stiffened element and edge stiffener in the behaviour and flexural strength of built-up cold-formed steel beams. An experimental and analytical analysis of CFS channel sections in four different geometries is conducted, including simple channel sections, a stiffened channel section with or without edge stiffeners. Nonlinear finite element models are developed using finite element analysis software package ANSYS. The FEA results are verified with the experimental results. Further, the finite element model is used for parametric studies by varying the depth, thickness, and the effect of stiffened element, edge stiffener and their interaction with compression flanges on stiffened built-up cold-formed steel beams with upright edge stiffeners. In addition, the flexural strength predicted by the finite element analysis is compared with the design flexural strength calculated by using the North American Iron and Steel Institute Specifications for cold-formed steel structures (AISI: S100-2007) and suitable suggestion is made.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.79-89
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• 2016

Cold formed steel shear panel is one of the main components to bearing lateral load in low and mid-rise cold formed steel structures. This paper uses finite element analysis to evaluate the stiffness, strength and failure mode at cold formed steel shear panels whit steel sheathing and nonlinear connections that are under monotonic loading. Two finite element models based on two experimental model whit different failure modes is constructed and verified. It includes analytical studies that investigate the effects of studs and steel sheathing thickness changes, fasteners spacing at panel edges, one or two sides steel sheathing and height-width ratio of wall on the lateral load capacity. Dominant failure modes include buckling of steel sheet, local buckling in boundary studs and sheet unzipping in the bottom half of the wall.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.285-302
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• 2006

This paper describes the design and behaviour of cold-formed stainless steel slender circular hollow section columns. The columns were compressed between fixed ends at different column lengths. The investigation focused on large diameter-to-plate thickness (D/t) ratio ranged from 100 to 200. An accurate finite element model has been developed. The initial local and overall geometric imperfections have been included in the finite element model. The material nonlinearity of the cold-formed stainless steel sections was incorporated in the model. The column strengths, load-shortening curves as well as failure modes were predicted using the finite element model. The nonlinear finite element model was verified against test results. An extensive parametric study was carried out to study the effects of cross-section geometries on the strength and behaviour of stainless steel slender circular hollow section columns with large D/t ratio. The column strengths predicted from the parametric study were compared with the design strengths calculated using the American Specification, Australian/New Zealand Standard and European Code for cold-formed stainless steel structures. It is shown that the design strengths obtained using the Australian/New Zealand and European specifications are generally unconservative for the cold-formed stainless steel slender circular hollow section columns, while the American Specification is generally quite conservative. Therefore, design equation was proposed in this study.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.321-337
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• 2007

The investigation on the behaviour of cold-formed stainless steel non-slender circular hollow section columns is presented in this paper. The normal strength austenitic stainless steel type 304 and the high strength duplex materials (austenitic-ferritic approximately equivalent to EN 1.4462 and UNS S31803) were considered in this study. The finite element method has been used to carry out the investigation. The columns were compressed between fixed ends at different column lengths. The geometric and material nonlinearities have been included in the finite element analysis. The column strengths and failure modes were predicted. An extensive parametric study was carried out to study the effects of normal and high strength materials on cold-formed stainless steel non-slender circular hollow section columns. The column strengths predicted from the finite element analysis were compared with the design strengths calculated using the American Specification, Australian/New Zealand Standard and European Code for cold-formed stainless steel structures. The numerical results showed that the design rules specified in the American, Australian/New Zealand and European specifications are generally unconservative for the cold-formed stainless steel non-slender circular hollow section columns of normal and high strength materials, except for the short columns and some of the high strength stainless steel columns. Therefore, different values of the imperfection factor and limiting slenderness in the European Code design rules were proposed for cold-formed stainless steel non-slender circular hollow section columns.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.727-734
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• 2017

This paper describes a quasi-static finite element analysis, which uses the explicit integration method, of the apex joint of a cold-formed steel portal frame. Such cold-formed steel joints are semi-rigid as a result of bolt-hole elongation. Furthermore, the channel-sections that are being connected have a reduced moment capacity as a result of a bimoment. In the finite element model described, the bolt-holes and bolt shanks are all physically modelled, with contact defined between them. The force-displacement curves obtained from the quasi-static analysis are shown to be similar to those of the experimental test results, both in terms of stiffness as well as failure load. It is demonstrated that quasi-static finite element analysis can be used to predict the behavior of cold-formed steel portal frame joints and overcome convergence issues experienced in static finite element analysis.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.895-905
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• 2022

Composite flooring systems consisting of cold-formed steel joists and reinforced concrete slabs offer an efficient, lightweight solution. However, utilisation of composite action to achieve enhanced strength and economical design has been limited. In this study, finite element modelling was utilised to create a three-dimensional model which was then validated against experimental results for a composite flooring system consisting of cold-formed steel joists, reinforced concrete slab and steel bolt shear connectors. This validated numerical model was then utilised to perform parametric studies on the performance of the structural system. The results from the parametric study demonstrate that increased thickness of the concrete slab and increased thickness of the cold formed steel beam resulted in higher moment capacity and stiffness of the composite flooring system. In addition, reducing the spacing of bolts and spacing of the cold formed steel beams both resulted in enhanced load capacity of the composite system. Increasing the concrete grade was also found to increase the moment capacity of the composite flooring system. Overall, the results show that an efficient, lightweight composite flooring system can be achieved and optimised by selecting suitable concrete slab thickness, cold formed beam thickness, bolt spacing, cold formed beam spacing and concrete grade.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.233-250
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• 2018

Back-to-back built-up cold-formed steel un-lipped channel sections are used in cold-formed steel structures; such as trusses, wall frames and portal frames. In such built-up columns, intermediate fasteners resist the buckling of individual channel-sections. No experimental tests or finite element analyses have been reported in the literature for back-to-back built-up cold-formed steel un-lipped channel sections and specially investigated the effect of screw spacing on axial strength of such columns. The issue is addressed in this paper. The results of 95 finite element analyses are presented covering stub to slender columns. The finite element model is validated against the experimental tests recently conducted by authors for back-to-back built-up cold-formed steel lipped channel sections. The verified finite element model is then used for the purposes of a parametric study to investigate the effect of screw spacing on axial strength of back-to-back built-up cold-formed steel un-lipped channel sections. Results are compared against the built-up lipped channel sections and it is shown that the axial strength of un-lipped built-up sections are 31% lesser on average than the built-up lipped channel sections. It was also found that the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and the Australian and New Zealand Standards were over-conservative by around 15% for built-up columns failed through overall buckling, however AISI and AS/NZS were un-conservative by around 8% for built-up columns mainly failed by local buckling.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.37-66
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• 2019

In cold-formed steel structures, such as trusses, wall frames and portal frames, the use of back-to-back built-up cold-formed stainless-steel lipped channels as compression members are becoming increasingly popular. The advantages of using stainless-steel as structural members are corrosion resistance and durability, compared with carbon steel. The AISI/ASCE Standard, SEI/ASCE-8-02 and AS/NZS do not include the design of stainless-steel built-up channels and very few experimental tests or finite element analyses have been reported in the literature for such back-to back cold-formed stainless-steel channels. Current guidance by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and the Australian and New Zealand (gAS/NZS) standards for built-up carbon steel sections only describe a modified slenderness approach, to consider the spacing of the intermediate fasteners. Thus, this paper presents a numerical investigation on the behavior of back-to-back cold-formed stainless-steel built-up lipped channels. Three different grades of stainless steel i.e., duplex EN1.4462, ferritic EN1.4003 and austenitic EN1.4404 have been considered. Effect of screw spacing on the axial strength of such built-up channels was investigated. As expected, most of the short and intermediate columns failed by either local-global or local-distortional buckling interactions, whereas the long columns, failed by global buckling. All three grades of stainless-steel stub columns failed by local buckling. A comprehensive parametric study was then carried out covering a wide range of slenderness and different cross-sectional geometries to assess the performance of the current design guidelines by AISI and AS/NZS. In total, 647 finite element models were analyzed. From the results of the parametric study, it was found that the AISI & AS/NZS are conservative by around 10 to 20% for cold-formed stainless-steel built-up lipped channels failed through overall buckling, irrespective of the stainless-steel grades. However, the AISI and AS/NZS can be un-conservative by around 6% for all three grades of stainless-steel built-up channels, which failed by local buckling.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.2 no.6
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• pp.411-428
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• 2002

Non-linear large-displacement elasto-plastic finite element analyses are used to propose design recommendations for the eaves bracket of a cold-formed steel portal frame. Owing to the thinness of the sheet steel used for the brackets, such a structural design problem is not trivial as the brackets need to be designed against failure through buckling; without availability of the finite element method, expensive laboratory testing would therefore be required. In this paper, the finite element method is firstly used to predict the plastic moment capacity of the eaves bracket. Parametric studies are then used to propose design recommendations for the eaves bracket against two potential buckling modes of failure: (1) buckling of the stiffened free-edge into one-half sine wave, (2) local plate buckling of the exposed triangular bracket area.The results of full-scale laboratory tests on selected geometries of eaves bracket demonstrate that the proposed design recommendations are conservative. The use of the finite element method in this way exploits modern computational techniques for an otherwise difficult structural design problem.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.629-659
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• 2016

In cold-formed stainless steel lipped channel-sections, web openings are becoming increasingly popular. Such openings, however, result in the sections becoming more susceptible to web crippling, especially under concentrated loads applied near the web opening. This paper presents the results of a finite element parametric study into the effect of circular web openings on the web crippling strength of cold-formed stainless steel lipped channel-sections for the interior-one-flange (IOF) loading condition. This involves a bearing load applied to the top flange of a length of member, away from the end supports. The cases of web openings located centred beneath the bearing load (i.e. beneath the bearing plate delivering the load) and offset to the bearing plate, are considered. Three grades of stainless steel are considered: duplex EN1.4462, austenitic EN1.4404 and ferretic EN1.4003. In total, 2218 finite element models were analyzed. From the results of the parametric study, strength reduction factors for load bearing capacity are determined, where these reduction factors are applied to the bearing capacity calculated for a web without openings, to take account the influence of the web openings. The strength reduction factors are first compared to equations recently proposed for cold-formed carbon steel lipped channel-sections. It is shown that for the case of the duplex grade, the strength reduction factor equations for cold-formed carbon steel are conservative but only by 2%. However, for the cases of the austentic and ferritic grades, the cold-formed carbon steel equations are around 9% conservative. New strength reduction factor equations are proposed for all three stainless steel grades.