Direct strength-method study on ultimate load-carrying capacity of eccentrically loaded lipped channels

The direct strength method is a very effective new way for calculating carrying capacity of thin-walled members. The shift of lipped channel effective centroid is determined by ANSYS analysis and its formula is established also. Based on this point, the direct strength method for calculating the ultimate load-carrying capacity about the minor axis of pin-ended lipped channels under eccentric compressive axial load acted in the plane of major axis is proposed. The method can consider local and overall interaction buckling, distortional and overall interaction buckling, as well as the shift of the effective centroid. The results compared with the test ones and the finite element analysis shows that this method is valid for calculating the shift of lipped channel effective centroid and the ultimate load-carrying capacity of eccentrically loaded lipped channels.