Browsing by Author "Chandrasekar, D."

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Investigation of local buckling behavior of web perforated plain channel stub columns
(Elsevier Ltd, 2024) Francis, R.; Shabhari, A.; Chandrasekar, D.; Vijaya Vengadesh Kumar, J.
As a sustainable material, cold-formed steel (CFS) is increasingly popular in structural components of buildings and industrial storage racks. The plain channel sections having a flange stiffened web element and unstiffened flange elements are prominently used as compression members in CFS systems. These elements are likely to undergo local buckling under compressive loading. The openings or closely spaced perforations along the longitudinal direction of the web for serviceability requirements on buildings and beam level adjustment requirements on storage racks lead to additional complications to the local buckling. Although the Effective Width Method and Direct Strength Method rationally cover the buckling behavior of plain channel sections, the influence of height-to-width ratio with perforations is not effectively accounted for in the design. Limited research details are available in the literature for the web perforations of lipped channels or rack sections. However, these sections do not have unstiffened flanges, where the unstiffened flanges can be more vulnerable to local buckling, e.g., plain channels. The web perforations also make the web more vulnerable to local buckling. This article examines the local buckling behavior of plain channel sections with the influence of web perforations through systematic experimental and comprehensive numerical studies. The influencing parameters of the cross-section geometry are assessed through the principal component analysis (PCA) to understand its correlation with local buckling. The PCA results shed light on mandatory parameters for the elastic critical local buckling load calculation and/or nominal local buckling strength prediction of the plain channel section. © 2024
Local buckling behaviour of web perforated cold-formed steel lipped channel columns
(Elsevier Ltd, 2024) Shabhari, A.; Jeyapragasam, V.V.K.; Chandrasekar, D.
To connect beams and bracings with storage rack uprights, closely spaced perforations are provided along the web, flanges, and rear flanges of uprights. These perforations can significantly lower the ultimate capacity of such compression members with the possible influence of its natural buckling modes. This capacity reduction can depend on various parameters such as (a) geometrical shape, proportioning of cross-section, and stiffeners; (b) perforation shape, size, spacing, and location; (b) slenderness of member, cross-section, and elements of cross-section; and (d) material properties. A thorough understanding of the influence of the above-mentioned factors is necessary for the accurate strength prediction of perforated Cold-formed steel (CFS) compression members. Even though the current design standards are updated for the accurate strength prediction of unperforated CFS compression members, they do not collectively account for the influence of all the aforementioned factors on the load-carrying capacity of the perforated CFS members, particularly for the local buckling capacity. Though the Direct Strength Method (DSM) of design is the most accepted method for accurate strength prediction of CFS members even for complex cross-sectional shapes, recent research on the strength evaluation of perforated CFS members using DSM has emphasized the need for refinement in DSM. The Modified Direct Strength Method (MDSM), which accounts for the simultaneous buckling of flanges and web, includes the cross-section aspect ratio and cross-section slenderness to predict more accurately the local buckling design strength. However, it was developed only for unperforated specimens. Hence, a systematic experimental and numerical investigation was done to understand the influence of the perforation in the local buckling behavior of the lipped channel section. In total, 14 specimens, including 2 unperforated and 12 web perforated CFS lipped channel stub columns were physically tested with fixed support conditions. The Finite Element Analysis using ABAQUS software was used to conduct an extensive parametric numerical study. The results were used to compare the strength curves of DSM and MDSM and the modification in the design curves has been proposed by considering the erosion in strength due to the presence of perforation. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd
Local buckling strength enhancement due to non-slender flanges in web perforated plain channel columns
(Elsevier Ltd, 2025) Francis, R.; Shabhari, A.; Jeyapragasam, V.V.K.; Chandrasekar, D.
Cold-formed steel columns are the primary compression members in housing and industrial storage racks, with discrete holes or closely spaced web perforations. The element slenderness and web perforations influence the local buckling capacity. This study examines the local buckling capacity of slender web plain channel cross-sections with non-slender or slender flanges in the presence of web perforations. Fourteen plain channel stub column tests were conducted on two cross-section aspect ratios, two perforation shapes, with three perforation orientations. Further, a comprehensive parametric study was conducted using validated Finite Element models. The local buckling strength of unperforated and web-perforated cold-formed plain channel columns is evaluated using the Direct Strength Method (DSM) and Modified Direct Strength Method (MDSM). The increase in local buckling strength due to non-slender flanges becomes significant, depending on the aspect ratio and non-dimensional local buckling slenderness ratio of the plain channel cross-section. This research provides the scope to expand the applicability of DSM and MDSM design strength predictions from cold-formed steel design to general thin-walled steel sections, where the welded thin-walled steel sections can have different element thicknesses. As the element thickness plays a crucial role in element slenderness and inter-element interaction, the local buckling capacity prediction available for uniform cross-section thickness can be unduly conservative. This study highlights the significance of element slenderness and effective area reduction due to perforation shape and orientation in the local buckling strength of cold-formed plain channel sections. © 2025 Institution of Structural Engineers. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.