ARTICLE IN PRESS

Thin-Walled Structures 45 (2007) 916–920

www.elsevier.com/locate/tws

Analysis of the post-buckling behavior of a purlin built

from thin-walled cold-formed C profile
E. Pieciorak, M. Piekarczyk
Section of Reliability and Design of Metal Structures, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24, 31-155 Cracow, Poland
Available online 31 October 2007

Abstract

The paper presents an example of the design of a simply supported C purlin according to the European and Polish standards that
create possibility of acquirement material savings by taking into consideration the post-buckling state of the section. The results obtained
according to the standard way are compared with the numerical results by means of program [MARC MSC.MARC vK7.3 User Manual.
Theory, MARC Analysis Reasearch Corp., 1998, USA].
r 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Purlin; Cold-formed c profile; Effective cross-section

1. Design assumptions necessary to protect the purlin against buckling, the

Thin-walled purlins are an example of steel elements in
the design of which the post-buckling state of their walls
may be taken into account, which brings economical
profits.
A C purlin Pr-1 of the shop pavilion roof shown in Fig. 1,
which is simply supported on the frames in the axes 4 and 5,
is analyzed. A numerical example of the design of Z purlins
of this shop pavilion was presented in the work [2].
The C purlin is dimensioned according to the rules of
Eurocode 3 ENV 1993-1-1 [3] and PN-B-03207:2002 [4,5]
that create possibility to obtain some material savings by
taking into consideration the post-buckling state of the
section. The results obtained accordingly to the standard
way are compared with the numerical calculations per-
formed by means of program MARC [1].
The differences in designing the roof purlin according to
the rules of [3] and [4,5] are not meaningful, so that is
why only calculations according to the rules [3] and the
differences in comparison to the rules after [4,5] are presented.
It is assumed that the connectors between the purlins and
the sheeting from corrugated sheet (TR50/260) carry forces
Corresponding author. Tel.: +48 500453599.
E-mail address: wigman@poczta.fm (E. Pieciorak).
bending stiffness of the continuous bracing from the
corrugated sheet is sufficient to restrain the upper flange
of the purlin against lateral buckling and furthermore that
the load component perpendicular to the plane of the web
is carried by the sheeting plate, while the purlin is bent only
in the plane of the web. A lateral restraint according to [3]
and [4,5] for a purlin should be modeled as it is outlined
in Fig. 2.
1.1. Loads of the purlin
The purlin is made from steel with the yield stress
fy ¼ 350 MPa. The purlin was loaded with the gravity load
(design value) qdg ¼ 3.11 kN/m (qkg ¼ 2.147 kN/m–unfac-
tored value) and the wind uplift load (design value)
qdw ¼ 0.492 kN/m.
Maximal bending moment due to gravity load Mmax ¼
10.88 kNm and due to the wind uplift load Mmax ¼
1.72 kNm.
The purlin should carry and transfer the longitudinal
force resulting from the side restraint of the spandrel beams
of the frames in the axes 1–5 towards the truss bracing.
This force has been determined on the ground of the static
calculations for the building and taken in the further design
as the compressive force N ¼ 4.28 kN.

0263-8231/$ - see front matter r 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.tws.2007.08.036
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
E. Pieciorak, M. Piekarczyk / Thin-Walled Structures 45 (2007) 916–920 917

1 2 3 4 5

Pr-1 1-1

°
1

8x1900
15200
1
Pr-1

2950 4595 4595 5290

17430 5290

Fig. 1. Projection of roof covering of a shop pavilion and static scheme of the purlin.

D where l̄p is the relative slenderness ratio of a plate, r

reduction factor of effective width for a wall, ks local
buckling factor for a wall under normal stresses.

2.1.2. The effective area of the edge stiffener of compressed

flange (see Fig. 4) [3]
Fig. 2. Model of a purlin protected against lateral buckling by sheeting.

c
y ¼ 0:211o0:35 ! ks ¼ 0:5 ! l̄P
c b sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
h=232 mm
b=76 mm c fy
c=16 mm h x ¼ 1:05 ¼ 0:486o0:673 ! r ¼ 1, ð3Þ
t=2 mm t t Eks

b ceff ¼ 0:5rb ¼ 16 mm: (4)

Fig. 3. Characteristic dimensions of the cross-section of purlin 232.C.20. Determination of the spring stiffness of the edge stiffener
cr:
2. Dimensioning of roof purlin for gravity load 3Et3 kN
cr ¼ 2
¼ 259:44 2 . (5)
2
b ðb þ hÞ12ð1  n Þ m
The cold-formed Section 232.C.20 of METSEC system is
assumed [6]. The main dimensions of the cross-section of Estimation of the critical stress in the edge stiffener:
purlin 232.C.20 are shown in Fig. 3. pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
2 cr EJ s
scrs ¼ ¼ 203:33 MPa: (6)
2.1. Effective cross-section of C purlin in bending As

Calculating the buckling reducing factor w for the edge

Reaching the critical value of the normal stress in a
stiffener according to [3]:
rectangular plate supported along its edges in a non-flexible
way and subjected to compression, as it takes place in sffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
separated walls of cold-formed members, does not mean the fy
l¼ ¼ 1:312 ! f
exhaustion of the ultimate carrying capacity. The carrying- scrs
capacity exhaustion of the plate takes place only, when the h 2
i
stress in the zone near the stiffened edge reaches the value ¼ 0:5 1 þ aðl  0:2Þ þ l ¼ 1:433, ð7Þ
equal to the yield stress fy or the critical stressing the stiffener,
even after the middle part of the plate has buckled [2,7]. where a ¼ 0.13 shape ratio of a plate
and
2.1.1. Effective width of the compressed flange beff [3] 1
w¼ qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi ¼ 0:498 ! teff ¼ wt ¼ 1 mm: (8)
2
sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi f þ f2  l̄p
b fy
ks ¼ 4 ! l̄P ¼ 1:05 The value of the reduction factor according to [4,5] is
t Eks higher and equal to w ¼ 0.53. It may be determined from
1:0  0:22 Table 11 of the standard [8].
lP
¼ 0:81640:673 ! r ¼ ¼ 0:895, ð1Þ The reduced thickness (effective) of the edge stiffener in
lP
the compressed flange calculated according to [3] is
beff ¼ 0:5rb ¼ 34 mm: (2) teff ¼ wt ¼ 1 mm: (9)
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918 E. Pieciorak, M. Piekarczyk / Thin-Walled Structures 45 (2007) 916–920

34 beff beff
ceff = 16 mm
heff1 t teff ceff
teff = 1 mm
3.33 mm

hx,eff teff
heff1 = 42.5 mm
a a xeff xeff
As = 96.03 mm2 heff2 = 42.5 mm h
beff = 34 mm t teff
2

16
Js = a- = 1749.3 mm4 t teff ceff
Aeff(S) = 395.95 mm2 heff2
b
2
Fig. 6. Effective cross-section of C purlin in compression.
Fig. 4. Edge stiffening in compressed flange.
y Fd

q h.Fd f = 34 mm
eff eff
(1)
s.s. x
heff1 t teff ceff h
ceff = 16 mm Aeff = 699.58 mm 2
hx,eff teff L=5290
teff = 1 mm hx,eff = 131.32 mm K q h.Fd
xeff xeff h/6
heff1 = 35.7 mm Jxeff = 5420662 mm4 h b
heff2 = 169.6 mm Weff1 = 41.28 mm 3 heff2 t
beff = 34 mm Weff2 = 53.84 mm 3 Fig. 7. Free flange of a purlin treated as a beam on elastic foundation.
c
(2) b

Fig. 5. Effective cross-section of C purlin in bending. For uplift loading (e.g. wind suction) a single span purlin
should satisfy, besides the criteria for cross-section
resistance, also the criteria for stability of free flange
[3–5]. The stresses in the free flange, not connected to the
2.1.3. The effective depth of the web (see Fig. 5) [3] sheeting, should be calculated by superposing the effects of
sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi in-plane bending around the axis of greater stiffness and
h fy the effects of torsion, including lateral bending due to
ks ¼ 23:9 ! lp ¼ 1:052
t Eks cross-sectional distortion. For this purpose the free flange
¼ 1:01940:673 ! r ¼ 0:769, ð10Þ may be treated as a beam on elastic foundation with
the stiffness K, subject to a lateral load qhFd,, as shown in
h h h Fig. 7.
heff1 ¼ 0:4r ¼ 35:7 mm heff2 ¼ 0:6r þ Because bending moments in case of wind uplift loading
2 2 2
¼ 169:6 mm: ð11Þ are much smaller than in case of gravity load, so we can
perform only stability check for the free flange of the purlin.

2.2. Effective cross-section of C purlin in compression

3.1. Determination of the linear stiffness coefficient K [3]
(see 2.1)
The total rotational spring stiffness CD should be
The effective cross-section of C purlin in compression is
determined from:
determined as for the effective cross-section of C purlin in
bending (see Fig. 6). 1 kN m
CD ¼ ¼ 0:975 , (14)
1=C DA þ 1=C DC m
2.3. Resistance check for the effective cross-section [3]
 2
b kN m
Resistance check for the stiffened flange: C DA ¼ C 100 ¼ 0:982 after ½3,
100 mm m
M max N sd fy kN m
þ ¼ 274:4 MPao ¼ 318:2 MPa: (12) C DA ¼ 1:17 after ½4; 5. ð15Þ
W eff1 AeffðsÞ 1:1 m
Resistance check for the free flange: C100 ¼ 1.7 kNm/m—the rotational coefficient for trapezoi-
fy dal steel sheeting fastener in every second trough;
M max N sd
þ ¼ 212:9 MPao ¼ 318:2 MPa: (13)
W eff2 AeffðsÞ 1:1 4EI effsheet kN m
C DC ¼ ¼ 145 , (16)
L m

1
3. Dimensioning of roof purlin for wind uplift loading K¼   b  2
4ð1  n2 Þh2 h þ 2 2 þ b =Et3 þ ChD
Effective cross-section of C purlin in bending for wind kN
¼ 9:966 . ð17Þ
uplift loading (see 2.1) according to Fig. 5 (upside down). m2
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3.2. Determination of equivalent transversal loading in free in a node (three translations and three rotations) is
flange [3] analyzed with use of the programme MARC [1]. In the
analysis geometrically and materially non-linear range of
The equivalent lateral load qh.Fd acting on the free the behavior (elastic–plastic material with strain-hardening
flange, due to torsion and lateral bending, should be with the tangential modulus Et ¼ Ex104) is considered.
obtained from: The spring restraint of the purlin against rotation Cd
kN f kN resulting from the rotational stiffness of the connectors
qFd ¼ 0:492 ! qh:Fd ¼ qFd ¼ 0:072 . (18) between the sheeting and the purlin as well as the lateral
m h m
stiffness K due to the flexural stiffness of the sheeting are
The geometrical properties of the equivalent gross- taken into account.
section of free flange of C purlin (see Fig. 7). The calculations are carried out for a simplified model in
Asz ¼ 253.4 mm2 Jfy ¼ 200877 mm4 ify ¼ 28.16 mm which instead of contact and ‘‘connecting at bolts’’
Wfy ¼ (Jfy/bz) ¼ 4501 mm3. conditions the thickness of the beam is doubled in the
contact zone on the middle support.
3.3. Stability check for the free flange of the purlin [3] The purlin is loaded as follows: weight of the purlin,
dead load of the covering, snow load (the load is applied in
The initial lateral bending moment M0fy in the free flange the contact zone of the upper flange with the trapezoid
without any spring support and the correction factor for sheet) and force N resulting from the roof bracing. In the
the effective spring support bR may be determined from first stage the purlin is loaded by the weight of the purlin
Table 10.1 in [3]. and the force N, next by the dead load of the covering and
qh:Fd L2 the snow load. In the 40th increment the design value of
M 0fy ¼ ¼ 0:252 kN m; (19) load calculated according to the standard [3] was achieved.
8
In the following steps the load enlarged five times the value
KL4 1  0:0225R of vertical design load (step 158).
R¼ 4
¼ 1:9 ! bR ¼ ¼ 0:327. (20)
p EJ fy 1 þ 1:013R
6.1. Results of numerical calculations and conclusions
The lateral bending moment Mfy in a free flange due to
transverse loading qh.Fd may be determined from expres- In the 40th incremental step the vertical deflections of the
sion 10.5 [3]. web are lower than 14.88 mm and of the upper flange lower
M fy ¼ bR M 0fy ¼ 0:083 kN m: (21) than 22.33 mm while max sHMH/fy ¼ 0.35.
For the load increment larger than 2.55 times the
Lateral buckling reduction factor of the free flange
transverse design load qdg ¼ 3.11 kN/m (step 65) in some
w ¼ 0.607. Stability check for the free flange
  regions of compressed upper flange and web first plastic
1 M max N sd M fy fy zones occurred which increased for further load increments
smax;Ed ¼ þ þ ¼ 104:91 MPap
w W eff1 AeffðsÞ W fy 1:1 (step 80), (Fig. 8).
¼ 318:18 MPa: ð22Þ The purlin can safety carry loads larger than limit
resistance even after plasticizing of some zones in the
compressed flange.
4. Verification for condition of limit deflection for 232.C.20 The damage of the beam occurs for the load increments
greater than 100.
L
u ¼ 16:06 mmougr ¼ ¼ 29:39 mm: (23)
180

5. Comparison of C and Z cross-section of the purlin

Comparing the purlin 232.C.20 (A ¼ 8.06 cm2) of a shop

pavilion designed in this work with the purlin 232.Z.18
(A ¼ 7.96 cm2) for the same shop pavilion shown in work
[2] one can find out that the use of the C purlin and the Z
purlin brings very similar economical profits.

6. Numerical analysis of the behavior of a thin-walled beam

with C cross-section under loading

The space structure of the purlin consisting of finite shell

elements, each with four nodes and six degrees of freedom Fig. 8. Effective stress/field strength (sHMH/fy ¼ 0.94–step 80).
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
920 E. Pieciorak, M. Piekarczyk / Thin-Walled Structures 45 (2007) 916–920

References
[1] MSC.MARC vK7.3 User Manual. Theory, MARC Analysis Rea-
search Corp., 1998, USA.
[2] Piekarczyk M, Utilization of the post-buckling reserve of strenght in
the design of steel structures. Cracow University of Technology, 2004,
Monograph 299.
[3] Eurocode No. 3, Design of steel structures, Part 1.3, general rules,
ENV 1993-1-1, CEN, February 1996.
[4] PN-B-03207, Steel structures. Structures of cold formed thin gauge
members and sheeting. Design and execution, December 2002.
[5] PN-B-03207:2002/Az1, Steel structures. Structures of cold formed thin
gauge members and sheeting. Design and execution, October 2004.
[6] Mostostal Kraków-Metsec, Profile Z and C systems for building.
[7] Bródka J, Łubiński M, Light steel structures, Arkady, Warsaw 1978,
pp. 213–218 [in polish].
[8] PN-90/B-03200, Steel structures. Design rules.