Buckling behaviour of thin-walled cold formed steel platforms subjected to bending

Abstract

The paper studies the behaviour of thin walled cold formed steel beams in bending, through nonlinear finite element analysis. These types of beams are usually used as platforms in scaffold configurations. The research aims to determine the total carrying capacity of the steel platforms under static loads, as a function of the various factors which contribute to the strength of such beams. This is accomplished via a parametric study dealing with the depth of the embossments and the density of the clinching points that hold together the folded parts of the steel sheet that composes the cross section of the cold formed steel beam. Also the paper investigates the sensitivity of the beam in the presence of initial geometric imperfections. © Civil-Comp Press, 2008.