Numerical and experimental analysis of perforated rack members under compression

This paper presents a numerical and experimental study of uprights with rack-type perforated section in cold-formed profiles, subjected to axial compression. 18 tests were performed on uprights with fixed-ends under uniform compression load to obtain the ultimate load applied, along with the measurement of the displacements. A numerical model with material and geometric nonlinearities was calibrated with the experimental tests. Next, a parametric analysis with 64 different numerical models was performed, determining the ultimate loads of the models. These results, when compared to the DSM predictions, showed that the equations of DSM are unreliable to predict the strength of this type of perforated uprights. Therefore, based on the model results, modifications were proposed to the parameters of the DSM distortional mode curve, so that it can predict the strength of the models studied.