EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF HIGH STRENGTH COLD-FORMED SUPACEE ® SECTIONS IN SHEAR

The paper will describe tests of SupaCee ® Sections in Shear. These high strength (450 MPa) C- profile steel sections contain additional return lips and web stiffeners which enhance the bending and shear capacity of the sections.They are used widely in Australia as purlins in roof and wall systems. Design methods for these sections are normally specified in the Australian/New Zealand Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1) or the North American Specification for Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members (2). Both the Effective Width Method (EWM) and the Direct Strength Method (DSM) can be used for the design of C-sections although rules for the DSM in shear are not provided in either standard/specification. The paper summarises shear tests on SupaCee ® sections performed at the University of Sydney and compares the results with the EWM rules. The paper also demonstrates tension field action in the sections tested leading to post-buckling strength which is included in newly proposed DSM rules for Shear.