Bending strength of hot-rolled elliptical hollow sections

The recent emergence of hot-rolled elliptical hollow sections (EHS) within the construction industry has attracted considerable interest from structural engineers and architects. Comprehensive structural design rules are now required to facilitate their wider application. This paper focuses on the bending strength of hot-rolled elliptical hollow sections; the results of detailed experimental and numerical studies are presented and structural design rules for EHS in bending about the major and minor axes are proposed. A total of 18 in-plane bending tests in three-point and four-point configurations have been performed. All tested specimens had an aspect ratio of two. Full moment–rotation and moment–curvature histories were derived, including into the post-ultimate range. The experimental results were replicated by means of non-linear numerical modelling. Following careful validation of the models, parametric studies were performed to assess the structural response of EHS over a wider range of aspect ratios (between one (CHS) and three) and cross-section slendernesses. For design, cross-section slenderness parameters have been proposed and a set of classification limits in harmony with those given in Eurocode 3 for circular hollow sections (CHS) has been derived. A new Class 3 limit has also been proposed for both EHS and CHS. An interim effective section modulus formula for Class 4 (slender) elliptical hollow sections based on BS 5950-1 has also been developed. Further investigation into effective section modulus formulations is currently underway.