Inelastic behaviour and design of slender I-sections in minor axis bending

Abstract Slender steel sections in bending are generally designed by taking the maximum moment as the yield moment. The assumption for the ultimate condition is thus the point at which first yield is reached in the section. Certain types of slender sections, however, have shown significant post-elastic behaviour in attainment of the ultimate moment. Experiments on I-sections in minor axis bending have shown this to be the case, where significant plastic stress distributions are attained in the tension flanges after the compression flanges have locally buckled. Current international steel specifications are unduly conservative when estimating the bending strength of these sections as the yield moment. This paper quantifies this conservatism and presents inelastic design methods whereby the post-elastic strength may be captured. Design equations are proposed for Australian, American and European hot-rolled and cold-formed steel specifications.