Identification of the buckling capacity of axially loaded cellular columns

The finite element method (FEM) is employed to determine the elastic buckling load of axially loaded I-shaped columns with circular web perforations. The paper focuses on overall buckling of cellular column about their major axis. Extensive numerical analyses are carried out to evaluate the reduction in buckling capacity of cellular columns due to shear and flexural deformations. Obtained results are used to identify a dimensionless reduction factor, β and the associated equivalent section properties that can be used to evaluate the critical buckling load of cellular columns. In addition to covering a wide spectrum of geometric dimensions, the study accounts for the influence of various end conditions on the buckling capacity. A simplified procedure is provided to evaluate the buckling capacity of columns with idealized end conditions and framed columns as well. Design charts are developed to enable practitioners to readily estimate the buckling load of these types of cellular columns more accurately.