Numerical Investigations on Axial Compressive Behavior of Opening Cold-Formed Thin-Wall C-Steel Combined Double-Limb Column

Abstract

To investigate the axial compressive behavior of an opening cold-formed thin-wall C-steel combined double-limb column, C-steel combined I-section columns were modeled in this paper, and the models were validated by experiments on axial-compressed combined columns. Parametric analyses were carried out on the combined columns. The effects of slenderness ratio, height to thickness ratio, width to thickness ratio, bolt spacing, and opening in the web on the ultimate compressive bearing capacity of the combined columns were investigated. It was observed that the slenderness ratio had the most significant effects on the combined column. Furthermore, the formulas predicting the compressive bearing capacity in the Chinese and AISI standards were compared, and the accuracy of the formulas was studied. Afterward, the formulas with higher accuracy and applicability for the ultimate compressive bearing capacity for the C-steel combined I-section column were proposed. The compression stability factor and reduction factor were fitted in this paper. The proposed formulas and factors can predict the ultimate compressive bearing capacity of the C-steel combined I-section column.