Some aspects of buckling behavior of channel section members under eccentric compression

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a numerical parametric study into the influence of relatively large load eccentricities with respect to minor and major axis upon buckling strength and buckling modes of thinwalled cold-formed steel lipped channel section columns subjected to eccentric compression. The study was performed using Finite Element Method (code Ansys) and Finite Strip Method (code CUFSM). Selected theoretical results were compared with experimental test results. Some conclusions concerning sensitivity of buckling strength and redundancy of load-carrying capacity in the post-buckling (either elastic-plastic or plastic) range to the magnitude of eccentricity, depending on the eccentricity position (minor/major axis) and column dimensions are derived.