Numerical and experimental optimization of cold formed steel c-sections under compression

Abstract

This paper presents a numeric study that aims to obtaining minimum weight of cold-formed channel columns, with and without lips. Flexural, torsional and torsional-flexural buckling of columns were considered as constraints. The design of cold-formed steel columns was prepared on the basis of the 2001 edition of the North American Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members. The optimization was made through the Simulated Annealing method. Several numeric simulations are presented and discussed with the main goal of validate the proposal, as well as an experimental example that qualifies the implementation.

Optimization; cold-formed steel; channel columns; Simulated Annealing