Numerical Investigation on the Axial Load Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Angle Columns with Various Heights
摘要
Cold-formed steel (CFS) has become a cornerstone of modern construction due to its versatility, lightweight nature, and cost-effectiveness. Among various CFS structural members, angle section columns are particularly important in lightweight and modern structures. This study investigates the axial load behaviour of cold-formed steel angle section columns with varying heights under fixed-end boundary conditions, employing finite element analysis (FEA) using ABAQUS. The analysis focuses on understanding the effect of column height on critical load capacity, buckling modes (local, flexural, torsional, and flexural-torsional), and overall deformation patterns. Columns with heights ranging from 400 to 3000 mm are modelled and analyzed to capture the relationship between geometry and structural performance. This study highlights the superior performance of lipped cold-formed steel angle sections under axial compression. Lipped sections exhibit higher strength, improved stability, and better resistance to local buckling due to enhanced rigidity. In contrast, unlipped sections experience earlier instability. These findings emphasize the importance of geometric enhancements in optimizing structural efficiency, encouraging further research on design improvements.