An examination of web crushing in thin-walled beams

This paper briefly describes an initial investigation into the collapse behaviour of webs of thin-walled beams under concentrated loads. The general methods of analysis of this behaviour given in some current cold formed steel design specifications are outlined. Theoretical examinations of the buckling behaviour of channel sections under two flange loading are derived on the basis of a simple energy analysis and compared with the predictions of a finite element package. The development of a design procedure which makes use of the buckling analysis together with the Perry Robertson interaction formula to take account of material yielding, the effect of corner radii and imperfections is described and comparisons with experimental results are shown.