Tests of Cold-Formed Lipped C-Section Members

Subject to Compresssion

Izumi Iwamoto1, Yoshihiro Kimura2 and Toshiyuki Ogawa3

1
Graduate Student, Dept. of Arch., Tokyo Institute of Technology, JAPAN
E-mail:izumi@post.arch.titech.ac.jp
2
Research Assoc., Dept. of Arch., Tokyo Institute of Technology, JAPAN
E-mail:kimura@arch.titech.ac.jp
3
Prof., Dept. of Arch., Tokyo Institute of Technology, JAPAN, Affiliates of ASCE
E-mail:togawa@o.cc.titech.ac.jp

1. Introduction
Cold-formed lipped C-section members, whose section is thin-walled, open and mono
symmetric, are prone to loss stability by interaction of two or more instability modes,
such as local buckling of each component plate and overall buckling. We carried out
elastic buckling analysis to investigate into the buckling mode of lipped C-section mem-
bers subject to compression. The analysis is carried out between fixed ends. Figure 1
shows the buckling curve of two kinds of lipped C-section. Figure 2 shows the buckling
mode in Fig. 1. Interaction mode between local and overall buckling is called distor-
tional buckling. In case of the distortional buckling, each component plate distorts with
lateral displacement.
The occurrence of the distortional buckling depends on the sectional geometry and the
length of member. Distortional buckling occurs at intermediate length between the length

a b c
σcr(MPa)
800
a b c

600

400

200 a b c
C-150x 75x20x3.2
C-150x 75x20x3.2 (Distortional Buckling)
C-150x100x20x3.2 Flexural
C-150x100x20x3.2 (Distortional Buckling) Local Distortional
0 Torsional
0 100 200 300 400
L(cm) Buckling Buckling
Buckling
Fig. 1 Buckling curves
Fig. 2 Buckling mode
(Elastic buckling analysis)
where local and overall buckling occurs. In this paper, we perform compression tests of
cold-formed lipped C-section members with intermediate length. The buckling strength
and buckling mode are investigated. Displacement of lip/flange junction relates to rigid-
ity of the lip. So we changed the lip width of test specimens. The effect of lip width on
buckling behavior is also described.

2. Outline of tests
Table 1 shows the dimensions of the test specimens. Cross section of test specimens are
shown in Fig. 3. The length of test specimen is 200cm and it is chosen in the range
which distortional buckling occurs in elastic buckling analysis. Experimental param-
eters are flange width and lip width. The first letter of test specimen label indicates the
flange width, A for 75mm and B for 100mm. Last number of label indicates lip width.

Table 1 Dimensions of specimens

Section Lip Larger than the
Specimen HxBxCxt B/t H/t rigidity specified value of
(mm) (cm4 ) lip rigidity (AISI)
A-0 C-150x 75 x3.2 23.4 46.9 0 No

A-2 C-150x 75x20x3.2 23.4 46.9 0.21 No

A-4 C-150x 75x40x3.2 23.4 46.9 1.71 Yes
B-0 C-150x100 x3.2 31.3 46.9 0 No
B-2 C-150x100x20x3.2 31.3 46.9 0.21 No
B-4 C-150x100x40x3.2 31.3 46.9 1.71 Yes

P
t t
C

H H
6

100
Plate(40mm)

B B Dial gage

Fig. 3 Cross section of test specimen

L

Specimen
Table 2 Material properties
End plate(12mm)
Test- σy σu E Est εst elong.
Piece (MPa) (MPa) (GPa) (MPa) (%) (%)
20

125

PL-3.2 335 429 212 3444 1.95 37.0

Fig. 4 Test set up

Lip rigidities of A-4 and B-4 are larger than the specified value in the AISI specification
but those of A-2 and B-2 are smaller than that. Specimens are fabricated by cold form-
ing. The steel used in test specimens is SS400 (400MPa minimum tensile strength).
Tensile coupon tests were carried out and material properties are shown in Table 2.
Figure 4 shows the test set up. Specimens are loaded with both ends fixed. The test
specimen was welded at ends to end plates with 12mm thickness. To guarantee fixed
boundary conditions, the end plates were bolted to plates with 40mm thickness. Strain
gages are placed at midlength of the specimens and along the lip to investigate the stress
distribution across the section and the bending deformation of lips both in-plane and
out-of-plane.

3. Test results
3.1 Load-displacement relationship
The load-displacement relationships obtained through the tests are shown in Fig. 5. The
load P is normalized by the yield load Py and the end shortening displacement δ is
normalized by the displacement δy at the yield load Py. The maximum strengths of the
A type are almost the same. The strength of specimen A-0 decreases rapidly after maxi-
mum strength. The decreasing ratio after maximum strength of A-2 and A-4 are almost
equal. This is because flange width-to-thickness ratio of A type is small and they buck-
led at the webs, and lip width has little effect to their maximum strengths and the de-
creasing slopes. For lipped section B-2, the strength decreased at 1δ/δy. On the other
hand, unlipped B-0, the strength decreased at only 0.5δ/δy due to flange buckling. The
maximum strength of B-4 is almost equal to that of B-2, but decreasing slope of B-4
becomes more moderately than that of B-2.

P/Py
0.8 P/Py
0.8
A-0 B-0
A-2 B-2
0.6 0.6
A-4 B-4

0.4 0.4

0.2 0.2

0 0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 δ/δy
3 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 δ/δy
3
A type B type
Fig. 5 P/Py-δ/δy relationships

3.2 Stress distribution

Figure 6 shows the stress distribution of the section at midlength. The figures show at
0.5δ/δy and maximum strength. At 0.5δ/δy for all the specimens, stress distributions are
almost uniform and it shows they are loaded at centroid. At the maximum strength,
unlipped section B-0, the stress at the free end of flange is small. But for lipped section
B-2, the end of flange of lip side keeps high stress. In the case of B-4, lip behaved like a
plate whose side is restrained. For A-4, the distribution shows the most uniform of all
specimens because of its small flange width-to-thickness ratio and wide lip.
ε(µ)
-500 ε(µ)
-500
0.5δ/δy
0.5δ/δy
-1000 -1000
Max
Max
-1500 -1500

-2000 -2000

-2500 -2500
lip flange web flange lip lip flange web flange lip

ε(µ)
A-2 A-4
ε(µ)
-500 -500 ε(µ)
-500
0.5δ/δy
0.5δ/δy 0.5δ/δy
-1000 -1000 -1000
Max Max
Max
-1500 -1500 -1500

-2000 -2000 -2000

-2500 -2500 -2500

flange web flange lip flange web flange lip lip flange web flange lip
B-0 B-2 B-4

Fig. 6 Stress distribution

3.3 Effect of lip width on buckling behavior

The objective of attaching lip to flange is to increase the strength. Lip width has also
effect on buckling length. As the buckling length becomes long, the buckling mode will
change. So we consider relationship between lip width and buckling length. Buckling
length is represented by lip. Buckling length of lip has two directions, in-plane and out-
of-plane. Bending deformation is shown as a reciprocal of curvature ρ. Figure 7 shows
the in-plane and out-of-plane reciprocal of curvature of lip. The place of curvature shown
in Fig. 7 is the nearest to the buckling place. For A-2, in-plane deformation is larger than
that of out-of-plane. For A-4, whose lip is wide, deformation of both direction is small.
We took the buckling length in direction of out-of-plane.

1/ρ(/cm) 1/ρ(/cm)
0.01 0.01
0 0
-0.01 out -0.01 out
out-of-plane in out-of-plane in
-0.02 in-plane
-0.02 in-plane

-0.03 -0.03
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 δ/δy
3 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 δ/δy
3
A-2 A-4

Fig. 7 In-plane and out-of-plane bending deformation of lip

 l
u/L
0.01
0
-0.01
-0.02
-0.03
0 L/2 L
A-0 A-0
l
u/L
0.01
0
-0.01
-0.02
-0.03
0 L/2 L
A-2 A-2
l
u/L
0.01
0
-0.01
-0.02
-0.03
0 L/2 L
A-4 A-4
l
u/L
0.01
0
-0.01
-0.02
-0.03
0 L/2 L
B-0 B-0
l
u/L
0.03
0.02
0.01
0
-0.01
0 L/2 L
B-2 B-2

Fig. 8 Deformation of lip/flange B-4

junction Photo. 1 Final deformation

Figure 8 shows the final deformation of lip/flange junction. Photograph 1 shows the
final deformation of all specimens. The deformation is measured by laser sensor. In-
plane deformation of lip u is normalized by the length of member L. Larger the rigidity
of lip, longer the buckling length and smaller the in-plane deformation. In the case of B
type, as the rigidity of lip increases, buckling range becomes from local mode to overall
mode.
3.4 Buckling mode
Table 3 shows the buckling mode of all specimens. In decision of buckling mode,
change of distortion of each component plate is used. For A-0 and B-0, flange buckling
occured. Lipped section A-2 and B-2, web local buckling occurred and after that, flange/
lip junction deformed. Finally they deformed like distortional mode. In the case of A-4,
flange/lip junction little deformed. Flexural torsional buckling occurred for B-4.

Table 3 Buckling mode

Specimen Buckling mode

A-0 Flange local buckling

A-2 Web local buckling Deformation of flange/lip junction
A-4 Web local buckling

B-0 Flange local buckling

B-2 Web local buckling Deformation of flange/lip junction

B-4 Flexural torsional buckling

4. Conclusion
We performed compression tests of lipped C-section members and their buckling
behavior is investigated. The results obtained are summarized as follows.
1) In case of the section with lip rigidity smaller than the value in the AISI specification,
web local buckling occurred and lip/flange junction deformed like distortional mode in
elastic buckling analysis.
2)In case of the section with lip rigidity larger than the value in the AISI specification,
lip/flange junction little deformed or buckling mode shifts to next low-order eigenmode
such as flexural torsional buckling.
3) In this test, the maximum strength of the C-section member is not influenced by lip
rigidity, but the decreasing slope after maximum strength is influenced by lip rigidity.

References
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Struct. Div., ASCE, 1981.2
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ASCE, 1978.11
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