• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1331-1351
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• 2015

Cold-formed built-up members are compression members that are common in multiple areas of steel construction, which include cold-formed steel joints and stud walls. These members are vulnerable to unique buckling behaviors; however, limited experimental research has been done in this area. Give this gap, experimental testing of 71 built-up members was conducted in this study. The variations of the test specimens include multiple lengths, intermediate welds, orientations, and thicknesses. The experimental testing was devised to observe the different buckling modes of the built-up C-channels and the effects of the geometrical properties; to check for applicability of multiple intermediate welding patterns; and to evaluate both the 2001 and 2007 editions of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) Specification for built-up members in pure compression. The AISI-2001 and AISI-2007 were found to give inconsistent results that at times were un-conservative or overly conservative in terms of axial strength. It was also found that orientation of the member has an important impact on the maximum failure load on the member.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.513-538
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• 2022

This paper reports on experiments addressing the buckling and collapse behavior of an innovative built-up cold-formed steel (CFS) columns. The built-up column consists of four individual CFS lipped channels, two of them placed back-to-back at the web using two self-drilling screw fasteners at specified spacing along the column length, while the other two channels were connected flange-to-flange using one self-drilling screw fastener at specified spacing along the column length. In total, 12 experimental tests are reported, covering a wide range of column lengths from stub to slender columns. The initial geometric imperfections and material properties were determined for all test specimens. The effect of screw spacing, load-versus axial shortening behaviour and buckling modes for different lengths and screw spacing were investigated. Nonlinear finite element (FE) models were also developed, which included material nonlinearities and initial geometric imperfections. The FE models were validated against the experimental results, both in terms of axial capacity and failure modes of built-up CFS columns. Furthermore, using the validated FE models, a parametric study was conducted which comprises 324 models to investigate the effect of screw fastener spacing, thicknesses and wide range of lengths on axial capacity of back-to-back and flange-to-flange built-up CFS channel sections. Using both the experimental and FE results, it is shown that design in accordance with the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and Australia/New Zealand (AS/NZS) standards is slightly conservative by 6% on average, while determining the axial capacity of back-to-back and flange-to-flange built-up CFS channel sections.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.207-220
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• 2013

In this study, the vulnerability of two existing asymmetric steel building frames to Progressive Collapse (PC) is assessed. The buildings have different frame systems, steel sections and number of stories (nine and six). An alternate path method (APM) with a linear static analysis (LS) is carried out according to General Services Administration (GSA) 2003 guidelines. The Demand Capacity Ratio (DCR) of each primary element (beams and columns) is given with its specific details for all frames. The results show that the nine-story building with a dual frame system (moment frame with bracing system) has a lower susceptibility and greater resistance to PC than the six-story building with a simple building frame system (gravity system with bracing system). Implementing built-up box-shaped sections for columns is a better choice than using built-up I-shaped sections because there is no weak axis for the box section.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.225-243
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• 2019

Cold-formed steel (CFS) sections when used as primary load carrying members often require additional strengthening for retrofitting purposes. In some cases, it is also necessary to reduce deflections in order to satisfy serviceability requirements. The introduction of angle sections, screwed to the webs so as to act as external stiffeners, has the potential to both increase flexural strength as well as reduce deflections. This paper presents the results of ten four-point bending tests, on built-up CFS sections, both open and closed, with different stiffening arrangements. In the laboratory tests, the stiffening arrangements increased the moment capacity and stiffness of the CFS beams by up to 85% and 100% respectively. The increase in moment capacity was more evident for the open sections, while that reduction in deflection was largest for the closed sections.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.74 no.3
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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.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.453-461
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• 2014

In this study, the stub columns of built-up H-section and square hollow section subjected to eccentrical loads are tested to evaluate the applicability of the structural members with 800MPa high-strength steel (HSA800) on current design specification. Analytical studies of FE model are conducted to validate the test results and then the verified FE models are used for extensive parametric studies for checking up the applicability of current design code. The parameters are width-to-thickness ratios and axial load ratios. From P-M correlations on parameter models, all stub columns with non-compact sections exceed the current design requirements about axial force and flexural strength ratios are sufficiently secured as the axial load ratios are decreased. The built-up hollow sections with slender section model do not satisfy the current design specification about axial force.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.171-188
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• 2020

The past research on cold-formed steel (CFS) flexural members have proved that rectangular hollow flanged sections perform better than conventional I-sections due to their higher torsional rigidity over the later ones. However, CFS members are vulnerable to local buckling, substantially due to their thin-walled features. The use of packing, such as firmly connected timber planks, to the flanges of conventional CFS lipped I-sections can drastically improve their flexural performance as well as structural efficiency. Whilst several CFS composites have been developed so far, only limited packing materials have been tried. This paper presents a series of tests carried out on different rectangular hollow compression flanged sections with innovative packing materials. Four-point flexural tests were carried out to assess the flexural capacity, failure modes and deformed shapes of the CFS composite beam specimens. The geometric imperfections were measured and reported. The North American Specifications and Indian Standard for cold-formed steel structures were used to compare the design strengths of the experimental specimen. The test results indicate clearly that CFS rectangular 'compression' flanged composite beams perform significantly better than the conventional rectangular hollow flanged CFS sections.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.747-759
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• 2021

Built-up Double-I (BD-I) columns have been commonly used for mid-rise steel-frame structures in Iran. These columns consist of two hot rolled IPE sections which are connected by two cover plates and fillet welds. Until 2017, BD-I columns were employed in intermediate moment resisting frames (MRF) using welded flange plate (WFP) connections. To evaluate the seismic behavior of the connections, four samples were made and tested based on cyclic loading according to AISC 341-16. It was concluded that typical samples cannot satisfy the seismic provisions related to intermediate MRFs. In contrast, the proposed connections retrofitted with two-part external diaphragms were able to satisfy not only the seismic requirements related to intermediate MRFs but also those related to special MRFs according to AISC. The numerical modeling of these samples was performed using ABAQUS finite element software. This study compared the hysteresis moment-rotation curves, plastic strains, and behavior modes in both experimental samples and numerical models.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.315-328
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• 2018

Built-up Double-I (BD-I) columns consist of two hot rolled IPE sections and two cover plates which are welded by fillet welds. In Iran, this type of column is commonly used in braced frames with simple connections and sometimes in low-rise Moment Resisting Frames (MRF) with Welded Flange Plate (WFP) beam-column detailing. To evaluate the seismic performance of WFP connection of I-beam to BD-I column, traditional and modified exterior MRF connections were tested subjected to cyclic prescribed loading of AISC. Test results indicate that the traditional connection does not achieve the intended behavior while the modified connection can moderately meet the requirements of MRF connection. The numerical models of the connections were developed in ABAQUS finite element software and validated with the test results. For this purpose, moment-rotation curves and failure modes of the tested connections were compared with the simulation results. Moreover to avoid improper failure modes, some improvements of the connections were evaluated through a numerical study.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.447-458
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• 2022

Cold-formed steel (CFS) sections are thin-walled, therefore, more susceptible to different types of geometric imperfections. Global type of geometric imperfections has a significant impact on the load-carrying capacity of flexural members. This paper reports an experimental study that discusses the influence of global imperfections on the flexural response of CFS built-up I-beams composed of two lipped channels, with simply supported ends, under four-point loading. Global imperfections of magnitude over eight times the maximum permissible ones were induced in the specimens, leading to their distress. Using various simple stiffening schemes, the capacity and stiffness of the distressed specimens were improvised. The performance comparisons were made based on the maximum loads resisted, flexural stiffnesses offered, and failure modes experienced by the specimens. As experimental data on such distressed specimens are currently lacking in the literature, the test results of the present study will provide the necessary data needed by future researchers to numerically extend this study further, which will help in the development of necessary design guidelines for the same. The stiffening schemes significantly improved the structural efficiency of distressed specimens in terms of strength and stiffness, by over 60%. As a result, an effective and time-saving solution to such realistic structural engineering problems is given.