CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND

With the initiative of the government to industrialize the construction industry, the CIDB

Malaysia has been promoted diligently the Industrialize Building System (IBS) since year

2003. Not only it can reduce the dependency on foreign labor, but it also give better control

of quality, increased productivity and faster completion, less wastage and cleaner

environment, all in a more simplified construction solutions.

Prior to this, research and development have been identified. This includes the developments

of lightweight material through the application of light steel framing design using cold-

formed steel. Cold-formed steel sections can be widely used in many sectors of construction

and are gaining greater acceptance in the residential sector apart from industrial buildings

and hotels.

Ben Young et al., (2007) reviewed literatures related to the behavior of cold-formed and hot-

rolled steel plain angle column and found very limited literature on cold-formed steel lipped

angle sections with unequal flange width. Further research in this area would be beneficial

to widely develop the application of light steel framing.

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1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

Cold-formed steel has been recently brought into Malaysian construction and has high

potential to be developed in Malaysia as it has wide range of application, ease of fabrication,

and high strength-to-weight ratios

Recent studies (Long-Yuan Li et al., (2008); Ben Young et al., (2008)) have reported that

cold-formed steel member can have a very thin thickness. On the contrary, the thinner the

section, the easier the member can buckle. Besides this, although the geometry and loading

for angle columns, especially for angle sections with unequal flange widths are usually

comparatively simple; their behavior may be extremely complicated.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study is to investigate the local and distortional buckling behavior of cold-

formed steel unequal lipped angle. Hence, the following objectives are then set:

a. To assess the strength and serviceability performance of thin-walled open sections using

Finite Elements (F.E) analysis;

b. To validate numerically and theoretically the performance with previous research and;

c. To identify the mode of failure of the cold-formed steel unequal lipped angle section.

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1.4 SCOPE OF WORK

Generally, this study involves numerical investigation on the local and distortional buckling

behavior of cold-formed steel unequal lipped angle subjected to axial load. The

determination of location of shear center for all the specimen was performed using

STAAD.Pro 2005. The finite element analysis was performed using LUSAS software in the

computer lab level seven (7) to develop an accurate finite element model on fixed-ended

columns. The theoretical investigation done by performing manual calculation by referring

to BS5950: Part 5 for plain C channel.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

With the recent development, the move to use the cold-formed steel sections can become a

great interest to parties especially in the construction industry. Cold-formed steel sections

are light weight, has a high strength and stiffness with uniform quality. Not only that it give

ease of fabrication, it also easy to erect and install. Apart from that, it is economic in

transportation and handling in mass production.

Nevertheless, this study can be of a new guideline in designing other common cold-formed

steel section implemented in Malaysia such as the C-channels.