Development of an OIC-Type local buckling design approach for cold-formed unstiffened and groove-stiffened hollow sections

Abstract

This paper discusses the strength and stability of cold-formed welded hollow sections with and without stiffeners, as well as four different cross-section shapes, in terms of the “Overall Interaction Concept” (OIC). The studied types of cross-section are employed in various fields of the construction sector, and particularly in racking systems, where weight minimization is a specifically emphasized design objective. The scope of the study consists of an extensive experimental campaign, coupled with a comprehensive series of numerical tests. The results shown were developed in the framework of the European (RFCS) research project HOLLOSSTAB. The discussion of the results in terms of the OIC approach highlights its potential as a general method for the cross-sectional design for hollow sections of various shape, loaded in various combinations of compression and bending. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd.