Development of the 2005 Edition of the Australian/New Zealand Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Structures AS/NZS 4600

Abstract

The paper describes the new developments in the Australian/New Zealand standard AS/NZS 4600. The developments are based mainly on research in Australia and the USA. They include new rules for high strength steel, the new Direct Strength Method of design as an alternative to the Effective Width Method and many other detailed changes including design of unstiffened compression elements under stress gradient. The standard is based mainly on the North American Specification published in 2001 with a 2004 Supplement but with special rules for high strength steels as produced in Australia including rules for distortional buckling and welding of high strength steel.