• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제74권3호
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• pp.381-394
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• 2020

The structural performance of cold-formed steel (CFS) built-up battened columns were numerically investigated in this paper. The built-up column sections were formed by connecting two-lipped channels back-to-back, with a regular spacing of battens plates, and have been investigated in the current study. Finite element models were validated with the test results reported by the authors in the companion paper. Using the validated models, the parametric study was extended, covering a wider range of overall slenderness to assess the accuracy of the current design rules in predicting the design strengths of the CFS built-up battened columns. The parameters viz., overall slenderness, different geometries, plate slenderness (b/t ratio) and yield stress were considered for this study. In total, a total of 228 finite element models were analyzed and the results obtained were compared with current design strength predicted by Effective Width Method of AISI Specifications (AISI S100:2016) and European specifications (EN1993-1-3:2006). The parametric study results indicated that the current design rules are limited in predicting the accuracy of the design strengths of CFS built-up battened columns. Therefore, a design equation was proposed for the AISI and EC3 specifications to predict the reliable design strength of the CFS Built-up battened columns and was also verified by the reliability analysis.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.377-391
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• 2020

A concrete filled steel tube (CFT) column with stiffeners has preferable behavior subjected to axial loading condition due to delay local buckling of the steel wall than traditional CFT columns without stiffeners. Welding lines in welded built-up steel box columns is expected to behave as longitudinal stiffeners. This study has presented a numerical investigation into the behavior of built-up concrete filled steel tube columns under axial pressure. At first stage, a finite element model (FE) has been built to simulate the behavior of built-up CFT columns. Comparing the results of FE and test has shown that numerical model passes the desired conditions and could accurately predict the axial performance of CFT column. Also, by the raise of steel tube thickness, the load bearing capacity of columns has been increased due to higher confinement effect. Also, the raise of concrete strength with greater cross section is led to a higher load bearing capacity compared to the steel tube thickness increment. In CFT columns with greater cross section, concrete strength has a higher influence on load bearing capacity which is noticeable in columns with more welding lines.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.443-460
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• 2008

The aim of this paper is to propose a design procedure for predicting the buckling strength of built-up, cold-formed steel columns based on the two well known methods; the effective width method and the Direct Strength Method. Several design approaches, based on different elastic buckling solutions, were considered in this investigation. Traditional hand methods, without interaction effects between the different modes, and a new numerical spline finite strip method were used to predict the buckling stresses. All of the proposed methods were compared with experimental data on plain and lipped, built-up columns. Results have shown that the effective width approaches are more accurate than the Direct Strength Method. However, both methods can be investigated using more experimental data to assess a practical design method for built-up columns.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제70권4호
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• pp.499-511
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• 2019

In this study, the axial compressive behavior of novel quadruple C-channel built-up cold-formed steel columns with different slenderness ratio was investigated, using the experimental and numerical analysis. The axial compressive capacity and failure modes of the columns were obtained and analyzed. The finite element models considering the geometry, material and contact nonlinearity were developed to simulate and analyze the structural behavior of the columns further. There was a great correlation between the numerical analyses and test results, which indicated that the finite element model was reasonable and accurate. Then influence of, slenderness ratio, flange width-to-thickness ratio and screw spacing on the mechanical behavior of the columns were studied, respectively. The tests and numerical results show that due to small slenderness ratio, the failure modes of the specimens are generally local buckling and distortional buckling. The axial compressive strength and stiffness of the quadruple C-channel built-up cold-formed steel columns decrease with the increase of maximum slenderness ratio. When the screw spacing is ranging from 150mm to 450mm, the axial compressive strength and stiffness of the quadruple C-channel built-up cold-formed steel columns change little. The axial compressive capacity of quadruple C-channel built-up cold-formed steel columns increases with the decrease of flange width-thickness ratio. A modified effective length factor is proposed to quantify the axial compressive capacity of the quadruple C-channel built-up cold-formed steel columns with U-shaped track in the ends.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.233-250
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• 2018

Back-to-back built-up cold-formed steel un-lipped channel sections are used in cold-formed steel structures; such as trusses, wall frames and portal frames. In such built-up columns, intermediate fasteners resist the buckling of individual channel-sections. No experimental tests or finite element analyses have been reported in the literature for back-to-back built-up cold-formed steel un-lipped channel sections and specially investigated the effect of screw spacing on axial strength of such columns. The issue is addressed in this paper. The results of 95 finite element analyses are presented covering stub to slender columns. The finite element model is validated against the experimental tests recently conducted by authors for back-to-back built-up cold-formed steel lipped channel sections. The verified finite element model is then used for the purposes of a parametric study to investigate the effect of screw spacing on axial strength of back-to-back built-up cold-formed steel un-lipped channel sections. Results are compared against the built-up lipped channel sections and it is shown that the axial strength of un-lipped built-up sections are 31% lesser on average than the built-up lipped channel sections. It was also found that the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and the Australian and New Zealand Standards were over-conservative by around 15% for built-up columns failed through overall buckling, however AISI and AS/NZS were un-conservative by around 8% for built-up columns mainly failed by local buckling.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.441-457
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• 2007

A new numerical model based on the spline finite strip method is presented here for the analysis of buckling of built-up columns with and without end stay plates. The channels are modelled with spline finite strips while the connecting elements are represented by a 3D beam finite element, for which the stiffness matrix is modified in order to ensure complete compatibility with the strips. This numerical model has the advantage to give all possible failure modes of built-up columns for different boundary conditions. The end stay plates are also taken into account in this method. To validate the model a comparative study was carried out. First, a general procedure was chosen and adopted. For each numerical analysis, the lowest buckling loads and modes were calculated. The basic or "pure" buckling modes were identified and their critical loads were compared with solutions obtained using analytical methods and/or other numerical methods. The results showed that the proposed numerical model can be used in practice to study the elastic buckling of built-up columns. This model is considered accurate and efficient for the local buckling of short columns and global buckling for slender columns.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.295-308
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• 2012

This paper experimentally investigated the buckling capacity of built-up steel columns mainly, Cruciform Columns (CC) and Side-to-Side (SS) columns fabricated from two Universal Beam (UB) sections. A series of nine experimental tests comprised of three UB sections, three CC sections and three SS sections with different lengths were tested to failure to measure the ultimate axial capacity of each column section. The lengths used for each category of columns were 1.8, 2.0, and 2.2 m with slenderness ratios ranging from 39-105. The measured buckling loads of the tested specimens were compared with the predicted ultimate axial capacity using Eurocode 3, AISC LRFD, and BS 5959-1. It was observed that the failure modes of the specimens included flexural buckling, local buckling and flexural-torsional buckling. The results showed that the ultimate axial capacity of the tested cruciform and side-by-side columns were higher than the code predicted design values by up to 20%, with AISC LRFD design values being the least conservative and the Eurocode 3 design values being the most conservative. This study has concluded that cruciform column and side-to-side welded flange columns using universal beam sections are efficient built-up sections that have larger ultimate axial load capacity, larger stiffness with saving in the weight of steel used compared to its equivalent universal beam counterpart.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.347-359
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• 2020

The objective of this study is to experimentally scrutinize the axial performance of built-up concrete filled steel tube (CFT) columns composed of steel plates. In this case, the main parameters cross section types, compressive strength of filled concrete, and the effect of welding lines. Welded built-up steel box columns are fabricated by connecting two pieces of cold-formed U-shaped or four pieces of L-shaped thin steel plates with continuous penetration groove welding line located at mid-depth of stub column section. Furthermore, traditional square steel box sections with no welding lines are investigated for the comparison of axial behavior between the generic and build-up cross sections. Accordingly, 20 stub columns with thickness and height of 2 and 300 mm have been manufactured. As a result, welding lines in built-up specimens act as stiffeners because have higher strength and thickness in comparison to the plates. Subsequently, by increasing the welding lines, the load bearing capacity of stub columns has been increased in comparison to the traditional series. Furthermore, for specimens with the same confinement steel tubes and concrete core, increment of B/t ratio has reduced the ductility and axial strength.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제38권6호
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• pp.617-635
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• 2021

This paper numerically investigated the behavior of built-up square concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns under combined preload and axial compression. The finite element (FE) models of target columns were verified in terms of failure mode, axial load-deformation curve and ultimate strength. A full-range analysis on the axial load-deformation response as well as the interaction behavior was conducted to reveal the composite mechanism. The parametric study was performed to investigate the influences of material strengths and geometric sizes. Subsequently, influence of construction preload on the full-range behavior and confinement effect was investigated. Numerical results indicate that the axial load-deformation curve can be divided into four working stages where the contact pressure of curling rib arc gradually disappears as the steel tube buckles; increasing width-to-thickness (B/t) ratio can enhance the strength enhancement index (e.g., an increment of 1.88% from B/t=40 to B/t=100), though ultimate strength and ductility are decreased; stiffener length and lip inclination angle display a slight influence on strength enhancement index and ductility; construction preload can degrade the plastic deformation capacity and postpone the origin appearance of contact pressure, thus making a decrease of 14.81%~27.23% in ductility. Finally, a revised equation for determining strain εscy corresponding to ultimate strength was proposed to evaluate the plastic deformation capacity of built-up square CFST columns.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제31권6호
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• pp.601-615
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• 2019

In cold-formed steel (CFS) structures, such as trusses, wall frames and columns, the use of back-to-back built-up CFS angle sections are becoming increasingly popular. In such an arrangement, intermediate fasteners are required at discrete points along the length, preventing the angle-sections from buckling independently. Limited research is available in the literature on the axial strength of back-to-back built-up CFS angle sections. The issue is addressed herein. This paper presents the results of 16 experimental tests, conducted on back-to-back built-up CFS screw fastened angle sections under axial compression. A nonlinear finite element model is then described, which includes material non-linearity, geometric imperfections and explicit modelling of the intermediate fasteners. The finite element model was validated against the experimental test results. The validated finite element model was then used for the purpose of a parametric study comprising 66 models. The effect of fastener spacing on axial strength was investigated. Four different cross-sections and two different thicknesses were analyzed in the parametric study, varying the slenderness ratio of the built-up columns from 20 to 120. Axial strengths obtained from the experimental tests and finite element analysis were used to assess the performance of the current design guidelines as per the Direct Strength Method (DSM); obtained comparison showed that the DSM is over-conservative by 13% on average. This paper has therefore proposed improved design rules for the DSM and verified their accuracy against the finite element and test results of back-to-back built-up CFS angle sections under axial compression.