Experimental study on compressive strengths of thick-walled cold-formed sections

This paper describes an experimental study on the compressive strengths of cold-formed thick-walled steel sections. A total of 18 stub columns with plate thickness ranging from 8 to 12 mm were tested to determine the section capacities of the cold-formed thick-walled steel columns. Material properties were obtained from flat and corner tensile coupon tests. Effects of cold forming on material properties were investigated. The stub column test strengths were compared with the design compressive strengths specified by the Australian/New Zealand and Chinese standards for cold-formed steel structures. It has been shown that the design strengths predicted by these two standards using material properties obtained from the flat coupon tests are quite conservative, while the design strengths based on the average design yield stress of the full section are less conservative.