ABSTRACT
A parametric study was carried out by means of nonlinear finite element modelling in ABAQUS on 146207 perforated and non-perforated cold-formed steel columns. These simulations included five crosssection types (i.e. C, stiffened C, Z, rack, and hat sections) which were predisposed to three major buckling modes (i.e. local (L), distortional (D) and global (G)) and all the possible interactions between them (i.e. LD, LG, DG, and LDG). The geometry of the columns covered practical ranges of L, D, and G slendernesses between 0.5 and 3.0. Three basic finite element models were used in the parametric study for columns predisposed to L, D, and G modes, respectively. Corner restraining systems were provided for the columns predisposed to L and D failures in order to induce the desired failure modes. Besides, both ends of all the columns were supported on rigid plates, and a compressive displacement was applied to the section centroid through a rigid plate. Shell elements S9R5 were used to mesh the columns.
