Analysis of cassette sections in compression

Abstract

Light gauge steel cassette sections offer an alternative form of load-bearing wall assembly for use in low-rise steel-framed construction. The cassette sections utilized in this concept possess wide and slender flanges, so that by including intermediate stiffeners in the wide flanges, a significant increase in the ultimate load capacity may be achieved. However, the introduction of intermediate stiffeners in the wide flange also increases the number of buckling modes and therefore complicates the behavior. This chapter examines the behavior of light gauge steel cassette sections in uniform compression and investigates their performance both with and without intermediate stiffeners. A detailed large deflection finite element analysis (FEA) has been verified using experimental test results. This analysis, including both material and geometric non-linearity, is then used to assess the post buckling behavior of these sections. Generalized Beam Theory (GBT), which allows the individual buckling modes to be considered separately and in predetermined combinations, used with the direct strength prediction method is also presented as an alternative approach to design.