Prediction of the cross-section capacity of hot-rolled profiles using the direct strength method and the continuous strength method

Material yielding on one hand and local buckling on the other hand limit the cross-section capacity of steel structural members. Current structural design codes use the concept of cross-section classification to determine the cross-section resistance of hot-rolled profiles. In this system, the Effective Width Method (EWM) is employed to account for local buckling effects for slender, class 4, cross-sections. Alternative design methods for treatment of local buckling in metallic cross-sections have been proposed, including the Direct Strength Method (DSM), developed for cold-formed steel structural profiles, and, recently, the Continuous Strength Method (CSM). The DSM is based on the assumption that the strength can be predicted from the ratio of the yield strength to the elastic critical load in conjunction with a strength curve for the entire cross-section. Thus it is essentially an extension of the use of column curves for global buckling, but with application to local buckling instability. The CSM is a deformation-based design approach which is based on a continuous relationship between cross-sectional slenderness and cross-section deformation capacity and a rational exploitation of strain hardening. This paper is focused on the evaluation of the cross-sectional resistance of hot-rolled structural profiles. Test data from literature experimental programmes have been gathered and analysed to compare the predictions from the DSM and CSM design approaches.