Ultimate and post-ultimate behaviour of thin-walled cold-formed steel open-section members under eccentric compression. Part II: Experimental study

Abstract

Part II of the paper presents the results of the experimental program into the post-failure behaviour of thin-walled cold-formed steel lipped channel members subjected to eccentric compression about the minor axis. The tested samples are subjected to compression with a wide range of positive and negative eccentricities. Thus, the evolution of plastic mechanisms and the use of them to characterize the ultimate strength is examined, both by experimental tests and by FE simulations. Comparative diagrams of equilibrium paths obtained experimentally and from FE simulations together with post-ultimate curves obtained via yield line analysis are shown based on developed mechanisms models. Some conclusions are drawn regarding the applicability of the plastic mechanisms developed to determine the load-carrying capacity of the members under investigation. Finally, further research perspectives are presented.