Flexural Behaviour of Cold-Formed Steel Built-Up Beams Using Sigma and Channel Sections

The flexural behaviour of cold-formed steel built-up beams using sigma and channel sections is carried using I sections and box sections. The built-up sections are designed with channels acting as flanges and sigma sections acting as webs. These sections are taking the forms combining both the I section and box sections. Four categories of built-up sections are modelled using Abaqus CAE software. According to the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), the coupon test is conducted to assess the mechanical properties of steel of grade IS 513. The sections are fabricated out of 2-mm-thick sheets and welded using tungsten inert gas (TIG). Based on the outcomes of the finite element analysis performed using Abaqus, four sections are designed and fabricated. The beams have experimented with under a four-point load test to study load versus deflection pattern and compared with the numerical results. In addition to it, the buckling mode of failure is observed and compared with the predicted mode of failure obtained from the Abaqus software. The results are validated and inferred to summarize the suitability of each beam based on their load-carrying capacities and strength-to-weight ratio.