A Numerical Study on the Nonlinear Behaviour of Built-Up Cold-Formed Steel Battened Columns

This paper reports the study on the behaviour and strength of built-up cold-formed steel battened columns. The pin ended built-up columns composed of two web-stiffened cold-formed steel lipped channel sections positioned face to face at differing spacing which have been connected by the batten plates. The nonlinear 3D-numerical modelling was developed using ABAQUS software. The numerical results were validated with the results reported in the literature. The parametric study was conducted by changing the overall slenderness ratio of the web-stiffened channel sections. The dimensions of two identical web-stiffened lipped channel cross-sections have been selected based on pre-qualified limitations of North American Specifications. The column design strength, load-axial shortening and their buckled shapes at failure were observed and reported in this paper. A theoretical investigation was conducted based on the AISI S100-2016 specification for cold-formed steel columns, and the ultimate load capacity was predicted. Thus, the results obtained from numerical study and the theoretical study are compared and the conclusion drawn from this study.