Design cross-section resistances of perforated columns under compression

Abstract

Nowadays, numerous experimentally, numerically and analytically based research have been performed to evaluate the structural responses and ultimate capacity of beams with web openings, but mostly under bending. However, in practice, the application of steel cellular elements dominantly loaded by axial pressure is very common. With the lack of appropriate design approaches, we rely on engineering judgement, which can result in uneconomic, time- consuming, or unsafe solutions. To ensure the safety of a structure it is necessary to assess its structural resilience. An overview of the existing experimental study on compressed I-section short columns with web openings, assessment of the impact of openings’ size and shape on cross-section deformation and resistance capacity under pure compression was performed. To accomplish an adequate and easy-to-use design method for hot rolled perforated columns, the design procedures stated in: (i) draft version of new European code prEN 1993-1-13, (ii) the Direct Strength Method (DSM) in American standard AISI S100-16 and (iii) the Continuous Strength Method (CSM) in prEN 1993-1-4 were evaluated based on experimental data, and the obtained outcomes are briefly presented in this paper. Although none of these design methods include all aspects of observed case – hot rolled perforated elements under compression (Eurocode has a strict limit of axial force, CSM and DSM primarily refer to cold-formed steel sections and do not recognize the existence of openings at all), they turned out to be quite accurate. The corresponding results were obtained by modifying those procedures, so they better reflect a case of interest. Thus, DSM method didn’t need any modifications, and CSM had the most.