Recent research on thin-walled beam-columns

Abstract

A major research program on the interaction buckling behaviour of thin-walled beam-columns has been performed over several years at the University of Sydney. The program involved testing of slender cross-section square hollow sections (SHS) and thin-walled I-sections bent about both the major and minor principal axes. All sections tested experienced local buckling before overall buckling which involved flexural deformation for the SHS and I-sections bent about the minor principal axis, and flexural–torsional deformation for the I-sections bent about the major principal axis. The paper compares all of the test results with the design rules in the Australian Steel Structures Standard, AS4100:1998, Eurocode3, and the American Institute of Steel Construction Load and Resistance Factor Design Specification.