Abstract:
A parametric study of unlipped cold-formed ferritic stainless steel sections with circular web openings subjected to web crippling under interior-two-flange (ITF) loading condition is undertaken, using quasi-static finite element analysis, to investigate the effects of web openings and cross-sections sizes. The circular web openings are located either centred or offset to the bearing plates. The strengths obtained from reduction factor equations are first compared to strengths calculated from equations recently proposed for cold-formed stainless steel lipped channel-sections. It is demonstrated that the strength reduction factor equations previously proposed for cold-formed stainless steel lipped channel-sections can be unconservative for cold-formed ferritic stainless steel unlipped channel-sections by up to 10%. Design recommendations in the form of web crippling strength reduction factor equations are proposed, which are conservative when compared to the both experimental and finite element results.
