Elastic buckling of cold-formed channel sections in shear

The paper studies and provides solutions to the elastic buckling of whole channel sections including flanges and lips where the sections are loaded in pure shear parallel with the web. The elastic buckling analyses of thin-walled channel sections in pure shear have been implemented by means of the Spline Finite Strip Method (SFSM) to determine the elastic buckling loads (Vcr) of the sections. The shear buckling coefficients (kv) of the web for design of a section are back-calculated from the shear buckling loads. The main variables are the flange widths, member lengths and lip sizes. The boundary conditions at two end sections are simply supported. The results of the analyses plotted in the format of interaction charts are given as design guidelines for designers to predict the elastic buckling shear coefficient (kv) without using the Spline Finite Strip Method (SFSM) software. Typical buckling modes at different flange widths, member lengths and lip sizes are also included in this paper. The modes include local web and flange buckling, section distortional buckling and section twisting.

► Elastic buckling of whole channel sections in shear are studied.
► The Spline Finite Strip Method (SFSM) is used for the analyses.
► Graphs of elastic buckling coefficients are given for a range of sections.
► Buckling modes in shear include local, distortional and flexural-torsional.
► The buckling modes are drawn in 3D.