The Impact of Lateral Restraint on Structural Stability of Thin-Walled C-Cross Section Column Subjected to Axial Force

Abstract

The paper analyses the impact of lateral restraining by trapezoidal steel sheeting on the structural stability of thin-walled C-cross section columns subjected to axial forces. Firstly, mechanical properties of the column material (steel) and lateral stiffness of the rotational restraint are determined by testing standard specimens in a laboratory. Based on the obtained data, a stability analysis of unrestrained columns and of columns laterally restrained by trapezoidal steel sheeting has been carried out and critical forces have been determined analytically by using the theory of thin-walled beams, numerically by using the finite element method (FEM), and experimentally by testing the C-cross section columns in a laboratory. The analysis of critical forces and stability shows that the calculation according to the theory of thin-walled beams and the FEM calculation gives results similar to the results of the experimental tests. By comparing the results of the investigation into thin-walled C-cross section columns with and without lateral restraints a significant influence of lateral restraints on the stability of thin-walled C-cross sections subjected to axial forces has been proven: lateral restraint significantly affects final results of the level of the critical force, raising the possibility of optimizing the use of such structures in practice.