ABSTRACT

The des ign m e t h o d k n o w n as stressed s k i n des ign was p r o p o s e d f o r steel s tructures d u r i n g the 1970s a n d is w i t h i n the f i e l d of a c t i v i t y of ECCS. The p r i n c i p l e consisted of cons ider ing the capacity of c laddings m a d e of l i g h t - g a u g e steel panels to c o n t r i b u t e to the b e h a v i o u r o f the s t ructure as a w h o l e , ac t ing as a d i a p h r a g m , i.e. w i t h a 'skin-effect 7 .