Stability design of thin-walled members including local buckling

In Germany design calculations for thin-walled structural components such as purlins and wall cladding rails are based at present on design specifications in the national code DASt 016 or Eurocode 3. Both provide simplified design equations and procedures, whose application leads to limitations in structural idealisation. However a more economic and safer design is possible by applying computer programs, which allow a second order out-of-plane analysis of any arbitrary structure modelled by finite beam elements. Local instabilities may be considered within this method through effective widths and reduced cross section capacities. In addition analytical solutions and numerical calculations, using shell elements, were carried out to verify the concept. A FE-based design procedure is presented, which is capable of dealing with most of the practical problems and also may be used to replace otherwise necessary and expensive testing.