O.I.C.‐design of rectangular and square hollow structural shapes

Abstract

This paper addresses the practical design of steel hollow sections and introduces a design philosophy that enables direct prediction of cross‐sectional resistance under any yield strength, manufacturing process, shape or slenderness. The approach applies uniformly to plastic, compact and slender sections in a simple and consistent format. As a result, both cross‐section classification and the Effective Width Method traditionally required for slender sections – especially relevant with the increasing use of high‐strength steels – become unnecessary. The study first summarizes the development and validation of shell finite element models against more than 30 tests. It then presents results from over 4 800 GMNIA simulations that characterize the onset of yielding and/or local buckling across a wide parameter space: cross‐section shapes (square and rectangular tubes), hot‐finished and cold‐formed fabrication processes, simple load cases (compression or bending), multiple steel grades, and a broad range of dimensions and thicknesses spanning plastic to slender responses. These results form the basis for evaluating the proposed design method. The comparisons show excellent accuracy and consistency, achieved through a remarkably simple formulation. The findings highlight the potential of this approach to unify and streamline the design of steel hollow sections across a broad spectrum of practical applications.