Strength curves for web crippling design of cold-formed stainless steel hat sections

•Literature review, including web crippling research and design.•FE simulation of stainless steel hat sections subjected to web crippling.•Development of design expressions for the proposed design approach.•Statistical validation of the proposed design method.•Comparison of the proposed method with design standards.

The web crippling design guides are based on empirical adjustments of available test data. These equations differ from the basic concept underpinning most of the other instabilities, the so-called strength curves. This investigation presents a new design approach for web crippling design of stainless steel hat sections based on strength curves controlled by slenderness-based functions χ  (λ¯). The effects of web crippling on such cross-sections were studied numerically and the obtained results were used to derive the design expressions. Comparisons with tests and FE data, and with design guides show that the proposed design approach provides more accurate web crippling resistance.