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Special Issue "Structural Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Structures"

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A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 21485

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Keerthan Poologanathan

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Interests: steel structures; thin-walled structures; optimisation of steel sections; innovative steel products and systems; fire safety of buildings; aluminium structures; lightweight concrete; enhanced plasterboard; modular building systems; advanced numerical modelling; fibre composites for retrofitting and rehabilitation of structures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Gatheeshgar Perampalam

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Computing, Engineering, and Digital Technologies, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK
Interests: innovative structural members; optimisation; steel structures (cold-formed carbon steel and stainless steel); aluminium structures; advanced numerical modelling; modular buildings; fire safety of buildings; composite structures (steel–concrete and steel–timber); 3D-printed structures; sustainability; climate change

Dr. Shanmuganathan Gunalan

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Guest Editor

School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, Australia
Interests: aluminium structures; facade engineering; structures in fire; cold-formed steel structures

Dr. Marco Corradi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Engineering and Technology, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK
Interests: retrofitting buildings; sustainable construction materials; new advanced materials for upgrading of existing masonry and wood historic constructions; structural analysis and retrofitting of historic constructions; mechanics of structures and experimental analysis of existing structures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cold-formed steel members are widely employed as primary and secondary load-bearing elements in buildings. The inherent advantages of light weight, substantial load carrying capacity for a limited thickness, flexibility in cross-sectional profiles, high quality, recyclability, and dimensional stability are the primary reasons for their increased use. Sophisticated manufacturing technologies, advancements in finite element simulation tools, and the establishment of simplified design rules (for example, the Direct Strength Method and Continuous Strength Method) have further uplifted the application of cold-formed steel members in buildings.

The main aim of this Special Issue is to rapidly disseminate the latest novel investigations on cold-formed steel that will have a positive impact on the structural design and analysis of steel infrastructure. Topics of interest include:

Optimisation of cold-formed steel members;
Innovative cold-formed structural steel products;
Structural response of cold-formed steel members (bending, shear, web crippling, compression, and combined actions);
Advanced numerical modelling;
Seismic performance of cold-formed steel structures;
Cold-formed steel structures under impact loading;
Fire and energy performance of cold-formed steel framed panels;
Novel connections and fastening systems for members/frames;
Innovative solutions for cold-formed steel design;
Sustainability and life-cycle assessment of cold-formed steel structures.

Any other topic closely associated with cold-formed steel structures will also be considered for publication.

Dr. Keerthan Poologanthan
Dr. Gatheeshgar Perampalam
Dr. Shanmuganathan Gunalan
Dr. Marco Corradi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

cold-formed steel structures
experimental study
advanced numerical modelling optimisation
extreme loadings
design innovation
connections

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 187 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Structural Performance of Cold-Formed Steel (CFS) Structures

Keerthan Poologanathan

Gatheeshgar Perampalam

Shanmuganathan Gunalan

and

Marco Corradi

Buildings 2023, 13(7), 1689; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13071689 - 30 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 789

Abstract

Cold-formed steel (CFS) has emerged as a prominent choice for structural components and sections in the construction industry [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Structures)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

16 pages, 4206 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Structural Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Face-to-Face Built-Up Channel Sections under Axial Compression at High Temperatures through Finite Element Modelling

and

Buildings 2023, 13(2), 305; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13020305 - 19 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1327

Abstract

This paper studies the structural performance of cold-formed steel (CFS) face-to-face (FTF) built-up channel sections subjected to axial compression at high temperatures. The material properties of G250 and G450 CFS channel sections at room and high temperatures were acquired from the literature, and the range of temperatures was from 20 to 700 °C. The influences of the section thickness, member length, screw number, and high temperature on the structural performance of such channel sections were examined via a comprehensive parametric analysis involving 576 validated finite element models. As the temperature increased from 20 to 700 °C, the mean axial capacity of the CFS-FTF built-up unlipped and lipped channel sections decreased by 88.9% and 90.2%, respectively. Based on the results of the parametric study, new design equations for the axial capacity of CFS-FTF built-up channel sections at high temperatures were proposed. The mean ratio of the EWM strengths calculated using the American standard (AISI 2016) and Australian/New Zealand standard (AS/NZS 2018) to the FE strengths was 0.77, while the mean ratio of the proposed design strengths to the FE strengths was 1.01. Finally, a reliability analysis was conducted, and it was found that the proposed equations could come close in predicting the axial capacity of CFS-FTF built-up channel sections at high temperatures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Structures)

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19 pages, 6265 KiB

Open AccessArticle

End-One-Flange Web Crippling Behavior of Cold-Formed High-Strength Steel Channels with Web Holes at Elevated Temperatures

Zhiyuan Fang

Krishanu Roy

Dinesh Lakshmanan Chandramohan

Amirmohammad Yousefi

Yazeed Al-Radhi

and

James B. P. Lim

Buildings 2023, 13(2), 266; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13020266 - 17 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1166

Abstract

This paper investigates the web crippling strength of cold-formed high-strength steel (CHS) channels with centered web holes subjected to end-one-flange (EOF) loading at elevated temperatures, considering both flanges fastened and unfastened to load plates conditions. The stress-strain curve and material properties for CHS (S690QL steel grade) channels were adopted from the literature, where the temperatures ranged from 20 to 800 °C. The material characteristics were incorporated into finite element (FE) models using ABAQUS. The developed FE model was then validated against the published test results to evaluate the effects of various parameters including web hole diameter, bearing length, cross-section sizes, and flange fastening conditions of such channels at elevated temperatures, and a comprehensive parametric investigation including a total of 1710 validated finite element models was performed. From the parametric study results, it was found that the web crippling strength reduction factor is sensitive to the changes of the hole size and the bearing length, with the parameters of hole size having the largest effect on the web crippling reduction factor; however, the web crippling strength reduction factor remains stable when the temperature is changed from 20 to 800 °C. According to the FEA results, new reliable web crippling strength reduction factor equations for such CHS channels were proposed. In the comparison of proposed design strengths to the numerical failure load, the proposed design equations are suitable to predict the web crippling strength for CHS channels subject to EOF loading at ambient and elevated temperatures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Structures)

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21 pages, 5799 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Structural and Spatial Minimal Requirement Efficacy of Emergency Shelters for Different Emergencies

Valentina Beatini

Heshachanaa Rajanayagam

and

Keerthan Poologanathan

Buildings 2023, 13(1), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13010032 - 23 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1910

Abstract

Natural and human-induced disasters have become more frequent in recent years, and this has increased the need for effective, high-quality, quick, easy-to-assemble, and affordable emergency housing solutions. The purpose of this study is to create a knowledge base for researchers and developers working in the structural and structural-related fields to favour the development of relevant and most appropriate assistance for emergency housing that could meet the anticipated future rising demands. The focus of the research is emergency shelters for the Global South, an area of research sparsely addressed within the structural-related field. The emergency sheltering process has so many variabilities in its duration and unfolding that many agencies suggest relying on the resilience of those in need. This can have dramatic human repercussions and eventually further burden natural resources. To reach its goal, the paper shifts the attention to information from field actors and global agencies and employs a multiple case studies approach, conducted through a grounded theory methodology. The process has allowed identification of a list of structural-related issues faced by users, acting as codes in the grounded theory methodology, the associated challenges for authorities in addressing them, acting as categories, and some ideal solutions, derived from the theoretical coding. The research concludes that the challenges of the sheltering process shall be read through sustainability housing indicators and that the constraints of the former may be stimuli to the application of innovative and more inclusive procedures within the latter. The study fosters a new theoretical approach in post-disaster housing, which encourages more interdisciplinary collaborations and empirical investigations that will potentially enhance post-disaster housing sustainability and facilitate the development of emergency shelter construction schemes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Structures)

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20 pages, 6565 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Flexural Behaviour of Built-Up Beams Made of Optimised Sections

Elilarasi Kanthasamy

Janaid Hussain

Kajaharan Thirunavukkarasu

Keerthan Poologanathan

Krishanu Roy

G. Beulah Gnana Ananthi

and

Thadshajini Suntharalingam

Buildings 2022, 12(11), 1868; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12111868 - 03 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1556

Abstract

The modular construction industry often seeks cost-effective, high-performing, and longer-span members in buildings to ensure efficiency and quality. Accordingly, the idea of built-up sections was brought into gain numerous benefits including higher structural capacity, improved torsional rigidity, and increased stiffness. While limited research studies have been carried out to study the structural performances of built-up sections, few innovative section profiles have been developed in the industry considering the structural benefits, including improved stiffness. Hence, the application of newly developed built-up sections could enhance the employment of built-up sections in the industry. On that note, this research is focused on the flexural behaviour of optimised section profiles named the LCB-benchmark (Lipped Channel Beam), the optimised-LCB, folded-flange and the super-sigma sections. In addition, different materials, namely cold-formed carbon steel (CFS), cold-formed (CF) aluminium and CF stainless steel, were considered for built-up sections, in order to provide recommendations based on their flexural performances. Numerical analysis was carried out on single sections as well as on built-up sections to the developed parametric plan after the successful validation of experimental studies. The results were compared for single and built-up sections. Finally, based on the comparisons, the folded-flange built-up section is recommended for all three materials as it displayed the highest bending capacity, and the capacity enhancement compared to the corresponding single section was a minimum of 131%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Structures)

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21 pages, 7685 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Global Slenderness and Sliding Pallets on Seismic Design of Steel Storage Racks: A Sensitivity Analysis

and

Buildings 2022, 12(11), 1826; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12111826 - 31 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1093

Abstract

In this research, the influence of global slenderness and sliding pallets factor on the seismic design of steel storage racks are assessed. Variations in span length, the height of storage levels, live load, and percentage of live load considered in the seismic mass are studied for different levels of seismic zone and soil type. The models were designed according to the Chilean Code NCh2369. Subsequently, a global sensitivity analysis was developed to analyze the influence of each studied parameter in the seismic design response in terms of fundamental period, drift, and base shear from a response spectral analysis approach. A total of 12000 simulations were performed. Two-hundred additional models were performed to evaluate the variation of seismic mass in the structural response. Results indicate a significant influence of live loads and seismic mass on steel racks designed for soft soils and unbrace conditions. The stiffness also modifies the performance of the racks, mainly in models using braces in the down-aisle direction and cross-aisle direction. In these cases, the seismic mass factor does not have a strong influence on structural response in comparison to the global slenderness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Structures)

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22 pages, 4140 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Web Crippling Behaviour of Cold-Formed Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel, and Aluminium Lipped Channel Sections with Web Openings

Hasini Weerasinghe

Chaminda Konthesingha

Anura Nanayakkara

Keerthan Poologanathan

Gatheeshgar Perampalam

and

Elilarasi Kanthasamy

Buildings 2022, 12(11), 1820; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12111820 - 31 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1339

Abstract

This paper reviews the research advancements and design practices related to the structural web crippling response of lipped Cold-Formed (CF) carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminium channels with web perforations. The web crippling response differs among each material based on the non-linear stress-strain characteristics and degree of strain hardening. Therefore, the reduction in the web crippling strength of web-perforated CF channel sections made of different materials may not be equivalent. The research activities surrounding the web crippling response of CF channels with and without web openings were reviewed initially. Despite the limited design provisions given in the international specifications for the web crippling design of lipped CF channels with web openings, web crippling studies conducted across the world have developed suitable design equations in the form of reduction factors. Past research studies have substantially captured the web crippling response of carbon steel channels with web openings while that of stainless steel and aluminium are limited, as identified in this paper. Lastly, numerical models were developed for simulating the web crippling behaviour of lipped CF carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminium channels with web opening and validated with past experimental data, with a view for developing unified design guidelines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Structures)

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19 pages, 6149 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Investigation on Fire Performance of LSF and Steel Modular Floor Panels

Dilini Perera

Irindu R Upasiri

Keerthan Poologanathan

Kate O’Grady

Brabha Nagaratnam

Elilarasi Kanthasamy

and

Heshachanaa Rajanayagam

Buildings 2022, 12(10), 1721; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12101721 - 18 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1327

Abstract

The steel Modular Building Systems (MBSs) that have been influenced by the Light-gauge Steel Frame (LSF) techniques have become a prominent culture in the industry. However, the detrimental behaviour of steel structural components at high temperatures has elevated the risk of fatal accidents in the event of a fire. Although several research investigations have addressed the fire performance of steel modular wall systems, the behaviour of modular floor systems has not been adequately addressed in the state of the art. Hence, to promote the fire safety and optimum design techniques in the modular construction industry by addressing the aforementioned research gap, this study investigated 48 conventional LSF and MBS floors for their structural and insulation Fire Resistance Levels using Finite Element Modelling (FEM) and Heat Transfer Analyses (HTA) techniques. Initially, full-scale experimental fire tests were modelled using FEM methods, and the validity of the techniques was verified prior to the analyses of parametric floor systems. Furthermore, the structural behaviour of the channel section joists in the elevated temperatures was studied, and hence a correlation was established to determine the critical steel temperature at the structural fire failure with respect to the applied Load Ratio (LR). An additional 12.5 mm thick plasterboard sheathing on single plasterboard sheathed floors resulted a 30 min improvement in structural and insulation FRLs. In addition, the modular floor systems demonstrated enhanced structural and insulation Fire Resistance Levels (FRLs) against the corresponding conventional LSF floor designs due to double LSF skin build-up. The incorporation of rockwool insulation and the increase in the insulation volume implied increased structural and fire performances. However, insulation material in the modular designs was more effective. The fire-rated conventional and modular LSF floor systems are expected to be practised in the construction industry to achieve required fire resistances with optimum material usage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Structures)

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17 pages, 11917 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Investigation of Novel Angle Bracket Connection in Cold-Formed Steel Structures

Lazar Lukačević

Paulina Krolo

and

Antonio Bakran

Buildings 2022, 12(8), 1115; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12081115 - 28 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1483

Abstract

In this study, an innovative fabricated angle bracket connection for joining cold-formed steel structures is presented and investigated. The innovation lies in the especially designed and manufactured angle bracket and in the method of connecting the angle bracket for the C-profile using clinch pressing. This novel angle bracket can be used to connect cold-formed steel elements such as beam trusses at the ends of the chords or for anchoring the column base. Five specimens were fabricated and experimentally tested under monotonic tensile loading until failure. A specific tool was developed to properly hold C-profiles. Three displacement measurement procedures were performed, and the appropriate method was used to analyse the test results. The main failure mechanism of the angle bracket connection determined by the tests was pull-through of the M12 bolt, whose resistance is compared with the calculated values according to the AISI S100-16 and EN 1993-1-3 standards. There was no bearing failure in the innovative connection between the C-profile and the angle bracket, which indicates an increase in the bearing capacity of the connection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Structures)

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20 pages, 7377 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Investigations of the Behavior of Stiffened Perforated Cold-Formed Steel Sections Subjected to Axial Compression

and

Buildings 2022, 12(6), 812; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12060812 - 12 Jun 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1299

Abstract

Cold-formed steel sections are becoming popular for different steel structures, because they have a high resistance against different straining actions, with a minimal weight compared with hard steel sections. Recently, perforated cold-formed steel (PCFS) sections have been used in many applications, such as perforated upright storage racks. Experimental research into the behavior of steel storage rack uprights subjected to axial compression is presented in this paper. First, tensile tests determined the material qualities of the cold-formed steel uprights. Then, seventeen perforated specimens were examined under axial compression, with five different cross-sections, three different web heights and thicknesses, and varying lengths. The study’s goals were to find out how perforations affect the performance and failure mode of steel storage rack uprights, to discuss the interaction of distortional and global buckling, and to verify the accuracy of using the direct strength method (DSM) for predicting the ultimate strength before failure in buckling interactions for perforated uprights. It was found that the failure modes of perforated specimens with stiffeners generally cannot be well predicted using the direct strength method. However, when the modifications proposed by Xianzhong Zhao et al. are used, the accuracy is acceptable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Structures)

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29 pages, 6895 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Web Crippling Behaviour of Cold-Formed High Strength Steel Unlipped Channel Beams

Elilarasi Kanthasamy

Husam Alsanat

Keerthan Poologanathan

Perampalam Gatheeshgar

Marco Corradi

Kajaharan Thirunavukkarasu

and

Madhushan Dissanayake

Buildings 2022, 12(3), 291; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12030291 - 02 Mar 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3418

Abstract

Cold-formed sections (CFS) fabricated using high strength steel have recently been utilised in construction due to their numerous advantages, such as higher load-to-weight ratio, flexibility of shape, and availability in relatively long spans. High strength CFS channel sections can be used as purlins and joists in structural systems; thus, they are vulnerable to different buckling instabilities, including web crippling. Predicting their web crippling capacity using the current design guidelines may be insufficient due to their empirical nature. This study, therefore, aims to investigate the web crippling capacity of high strength unlipped CFS sections under End-Two-Flange (ETF) loading conditions. Numerical simulations were carried out using nonlinear finite element (FE) analysis. The developed models were first validated against available experimental data and then used as a base for conducting an extensive parametric study. The ultimate web crippling capacity obtained from the parametric study was used to assess the accuracy of the available design equations in the standards and those proposed in the relevant studies. The assessment revealed that the existing design equations are not suitable for predicting the ultimate web crippling capacity for high strength CFS channel sections under the ETF loading condition. Thus, a modified design equation was proposed, following the same technique of current design standards, and a new Direct Strength Method (DSM) approach was developed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Structures)

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Review

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33 pages, 4248 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Influence of Web Holes on the Behaviour of Cold-Formed Steel Members: A Review

and

Buildings 2022, 12(8), 1091; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12081091 - 26 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2197

Abstract

The use of cold-formed steel (CFS) members in structural engineering has been on the increase recently due to a wide range of benefits. The placement of electrical and/or plumbing installations within the floor or wall thickness requires that members are being manufactured with holes along the web, inevitably affecting their resistance. This article aims at providing a useful and comprehensive overview of the existing literature regarding CFS members with web holes. Experimental and numerical research on CFS members with web holes subjected to pure compression, bending, web crippling and shear is outlined and discussed. Although research on these types of members date back to the early 1970s, the greatest progress in the research field of CFS members with web holes was achieved during the past 15 years; hence, mostly the research conducted during this period was addressed. Additionally, design proposals are summarised for each of the aforementioned stress states. A brief description of the main concepts of design presented in four principal design codes, as well as numerical solution methods for predicting global, local, and distortional buckling modes, is also presented, aiming to collect the accessible up-to-date knowledge of CFS members with holes and identify areas that were modestly covered by previous research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Structures)

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