Abstract
Applying optimisation techniques to the design of cold-formed steel (CFS) sections can lead to more economical and efficient design solutions. However, a crucial factor in such an optimisation is to arrive at a solution which is practical and fits within the constraints of the fabrication and construction industries. Targeting this objective, a comprehensive investigation was conducted on the practical optimisation of CFS beams using a Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO) method. Six different CFS channel section prototypes were selected and then optimised with respect to their flexural strength, determined according to the effective width based provisions of Eurocode 3 (EC3) part 1–3. Comparing the capacities of the optimised sections to those of the original channel sections with the same amount of structural material, significant improvements were obtained. The accuracy of the optimisation procedure was assessed using experimentally validated nonlinear Finite Element (FE) analyses accounting for the effect of imperfections. The results indicated that, using the same amount of material, the optimum sections offered up to 25% and 75% more flexural strength for laterally braced and unbraced CFS beams, respectively, while they also satisfied predefined manufacturing and design constraints. Therefore, the proposed optimisation methodology has the potential to prove useful in practical design applications.
Highlights
Cold-formed steel (CFS) structural elements and systems are widely used in the construction industry, for instance in trusses, modular building panels, stud walls, purlins, side rails, cladding and even as the primary load-bearing structure in low- to mid-rise buildings
It is based on the observation that local buckling causes a loss of compressive stiffness in the centre of a plate supported along both longitudinal edges, or along the free edge of a plate supported along one longitudinal edge as a result of non-linear effects
This paper presents a practical method to obtain more economical CFS channel sections for use as laterally braced or unbraced beams by optimising the dimensions of the cross-section and allowing for the addition of double-fold lips, inclined lips and triangular web stiffeners
Summary
Cold-formed steel (CFS) structural elements and systems are widely used in the construction industry, for instance in trusses, modular building panels, stud walls, purlins, side rails, cladding and even as the primary load-bearing structure in low- to mid-rise buildings. Compared to their hot-rolled counterparts, CFS members are often found to be more economical and efficient, due to inherent advantages such as light weight, ease and speed of erection and a greater flexibility in manufacturing cross-sectional profiles and sizes. One can either aim to determine an optimal cross-sectional shape without any initial restrictions on its form (shape optimisation), or optimise the relative dimensions of a cross-section with a predefined shape (size optimisation)
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