Interaction of global and local buckling of compression members with welded box cross section

This paper summarises a research project that analysed aspects of stability failure of thin-walled compression members that are likely to exhibit combined global and local buckling. In particular the influence of various imperfections on the load-carrying capacity, namely welding residual stresses and local as well as global geometrical defects was subject of detailed experimental and numerical investigations. The insight into the structural behaviour has led in the case of thin-walled box sections to a proposal for a modification of the non-dimensional slenderness value used in the buckling verification and to the recommendation of a shift of the applied European buckling curve to a more favourable one.