Yield line mechanism analysis of cold-formed channel sections with edge stiffeners under bending

Cold-formed channel sections are used in a variety of applications in which they are required to absorb deformation energy. This paper investigates the collapse behaviour and energy absorption capability of cold-formed steel channels with flange edge stiffeners under large deformation major-axis bending. The Yield Line Mechanism technique is applied using the energy method, and based upon measured spatial plastic collapse mechanisms from experiments. Analytical solutions for the collapse curve and in-plane rotation capacity are developed, and used to model the large deformation behaviour and energy absorption. The analytical results are shown to compare well with experimental values. Due to the complexities of the yield line model of the collapse mechanism, a simplified procedure to calculate the energy absorbed by channel sections under large bending deformation is developed and also shown to compare well with the experiments.