Design of Cold-Formed Thin-Walled Steel Fixed-Ended Channels with Complex Edge Stiffeners under Axial Compressive Load by Direct Strength Method

The stability bearing capacity of axially compressive loaded fixed-ended channels with complex edge stiffeners were analyzed by direct strength method in this paper. A total of 292 examples with different parameters were selected to be studied by nonlinear finite element analysis. As the members with fix-ends, the failure modes include local and flexural-torsional interactive buckling, distortional and flexural-torsional interactive buckling. The revised direct strength method was put forward. After revise, the formula is in good agreement with experimental results. It is shown that direct strength method is valid for predicting the stability capacity of axially loaded fixed-ended channel columns with complex edge stiffeners. We suggest using the DSM3 to calculate the cold-formed thin-walled steel fixed-ended channels with complex edge stiffeners under axial compressive load.