Lateral buckling strengths of cold-formed rectangular hollow sections

Abstract

Code rules for designing steel beams against lateral buckling which are based on data for hot-rolled I-sections are unnecessarily conservative when used for cold formed rectangular hollow section beams. Cold-formed rectangular hollow section beams have different stress-strain curves, residual stresses, and crookedness and twist. The effects of residual stress on the inelastic buckling of I-section beams are not nearly as pronounced for hollow sections with two webs, while the strengthening effects of pre-buckling deflections are greater for hollow sections. Simplistic code rules for top flange loading are very conservative when applied to hollow sections. This paper reviews elastic lateral buckling behaviour and the strength rules used to design steel beams. It develops realistic models for cold-formed rectangular hollow beams which are analysed to predict the effects of moment distribution, load height and yield stress on their strengths. The results of the analyses are used to develop improved design rules which remove much of the conservatism of present design rules.