Web Crippling Behaviour of Cold-Formed High Strength Steel Unlipped Channel Beams

Cold-formed sections (CFS) fabricated using high strength steel have recently been utilised in construction due to their numerous advantages, such as higher load-to-weight ratio, flexibility of shape, and availability in relatively long spans. High strength CFS channel sections can be used as purlins and joists in structural systems; thus, they are vulnerable to different buckling instabilities, including web crippling. Predicting their web crippling capacity using the current design guidelines may be insufficient due to their empirical nature. This study, therefore, aims to investigate the web crippling capacity of high strength unlipped CFS sections under End-Two-Flange (ETF) loading conditions. Numerical simulations were carried out using nonlinear finite element (FE) analysis. The developed models were first validated against available experimental data and then used as a base for conducting an extensive parametric study. The ultimate web crippling capacity obtained from the parametric study was used to assess the accuracy of the available design equations in the standards and those proposed in the relevant studies. The assessment revealed that the existing design equations are not suitable for predicting the ultimate web crippling capacity for high strength CFS channel sections under the ETF loading condition. Thus, a modified design equation was proposed, following the same technique of current design standards, and a new Direct Strength Method (DSM) approach was developed

Web crippling behaviour and design of aluminium lipped channel sections under two flange loading conditions

Aluminium alloys have recently drawn significant attention in structural applications due to its outstanding mechanical characteristics. Thin-walled members fabricated by aluminium alloys can be more competitive in construction industries than the conventional cold-formed steel sections, particularly in areas with high humidity and severe environmental conditions. Nevertheless, they are more vulnerable to various types of instability due to their relatively low elastic modulus compared to steel. Applying high concentrated load transversely on thin-walled members can cause critical damage to the web of the cross section called web crippling. Although a large number of studies has been performed to investigate the web crippling mechanisms on different types of sections, the existing studies are primarily of the empirical nature and thus merits further investigations. To fill the research gap, this study was thus performed based on our previously conducted experimental work to further comprehend the web crippling phenomenon of the roll-formed aluminium lipped channel (ALC) sections under the loading conditions of end-two-flange (ETF) and interior-two-flange (ITF). This was done through numerical investigations followed by a parametric study which are reported herein in details. A wide range of roll-formed ALC sections covering web slenderness ratios ranged from 28 to 130, inside bent radii ranging between 2 mm and 8 mm, bearing lengths ranged from 50 mm to 150 mm, and three sheeting aluminium alloy grades (5052-H32, 5052-H36 and 5052-H38) were considered in the parametric study. The acquired web crippling database was then used to assess the consistency and accuracy of the current design rules used in practice. It was found that the web crippling capacity determined by the current international specifications are unsafe and unreliable, whereas the predictions of the recently proposed equations agree very well. Furthermore, a Direct Strength Method (DSM)-based capacity prediction approach was proposed and then validated against the web crippling database acquired here as well as the experimental and numerical data for cold-formed steel lipped channel sections used in the literature

Web crippling investigation of perforated aluminium lipped channels under interior-two-flange loading condition

Roll-formed aluminium members fabricated using 5052-H36 aluminium alloy grade have been recently employed as structural members in construction. Their web crippling performance has not been fully investigated, particularly when holes are perforated in the web element. Therefore, this study is performed to study the effect of web perforations on the web crippling strength of aluminium lipped channels (ALC's) under the Interior-Two-Flange (ITF) loading condition. Laboratory tests were performed on ALC's with circular holes located at the mid-depth of the web. Finite element (FE) models were then developed and validated against the experiments. A parametric study was conducted to explore the effect of several influential parameters, including opening diameter, section depth, inside bent radius, bearing length, and aluminium grade, on the web crippling capacity. Based on the acquired data, a detailed assessment of the available design guidelines was undertaken, and reduction factor equations were proposed for the ITF loading condition. The proposed reduction factor can accurately predict the reduction in the web crippling capacity for ALC's under the ITF loading condition with fastened and unfastened flange restraint scenarios.</p

Experimental study of aluminium lipped channel sections subjected to web crippling under two flange load cases

The application of aluminium alloy members in building construction has considerably increased in recent years due to their appealing advantages such as corrosion resistance and high strength-to-weight ratio. However, the elastic modulus of aluminium is only one-third of that of steel, making aluminium members being susceptible to various buckling modes including web crippling. To date, only a limited amount of research study has been conducted to investigate the web crippling failure phenomenon in aluminium structural members, and no research has been carried out on the web crippling behaviour of roll-formed aluminium lipped channel sections. Hence, an experimental study was conducted to assess the web crippling behaviour and capacities of unfastened aluminium lipped channel sections under two flange load cases (End-Two-Flange (ETF) and Interior-Two-Flange (ITF)). Forty tests were performed with different bearing lengths, web heights and thicknesses. The results obtained from this study were then compared with the nominal web crippling strengths predicted using the design rules provided by the Australian, European and American Standards. The comparison showed that the current design equations are potentially unsafe and unreliable to estimate the capacity for aluminium lipped channel sections under both ETF and ITF load cases. Hence, suitable modifications were proposed to the available design equations based on the experimental results to accurately predict the web crippling capacities of aluminium lipped channel sections. Generally, it is shown that the web crippling results acquired from the modified equations agreed well with the test results