NUMERICAL ANALYSES OF COLD-FORMED STAINLESS STEEL LIP-CHANNEL BEAMS (LCB) WITH NON-CIRCULAR WEB OPENINGS SUBJECTED TO SHEAR

In recent decades, the application of cold-formed stainless steel structural sections in the construction industry has become increasingly prevalent worldwide due to their favourable material characteristics, improved resistance to aggressive environment, notable corrosion and heat resistance, recycling options and aesthetic appeal. However, the shear behaviour and shear capacity of cold-formed stainless steel members with non-circular web openings have not yet been investigated adequately. Hence a numerical study was undertaken to investigate the shear behaviour and strength of cold-formed stainless steel Lipped Channel Beams (LCB) with non-circular web openings. Finite element models simulating simply supported boundary conditions and non-circular web openings were developed with mid-span loading. They were then validated with currently available shear test results and used in a detailed parametric study. In this research, both stocky and slender cross-sections were considered. The ultimate shear capacities from finite element analyses confirmed that currently available design equations are inadequate to determine the shear capacities of stainless steel LCBs with non-circular (i.e. square and rectangular) web openings. Improved design equations were developed for the accurate prediction of the shear capacity of stainless steel LCB sections with non-circular web openings and expected to be referred in the future when revisions of current cold-formed stainless steel design standards such as American standards (SEI/ASCE 8-02) and European standards (EN1993-1-4) are taken place. This paper presents the details of this numerical study of cold-formed stainless steel lipped channel beam with non-circular web openings, and the results.