Numerical Analysis of Built-Up Cold-Formed Steel Battened Columns Subjected to Axial Compression

A comprehensive examination was performed on cold-formed steel (CFS) built-up battened columns constructed from lipped angles subjected to axial compression. The study looked at steel grade, column thickness, and cross-sectional angles. The finite element models developed using the ABAQUS software included material nonlinear behavior, geometric imperfections, and detailed modeling of connections to simulate actual behavior as accurately as possible. Numerical models have been compared with available experimental data to verify their accuracy and reliability. Among the foregoing, the most critical parameters are steel grade, column thickness, and geometry of the cross-sections. Numerical results confirm that increasing column thickness and higher steel grades result in a significantly larger axial load-carrying capacity and stability improvement of the columns. Furthermore, the cross-sectional geometry of angle sections plays a crucial role in mitigating local buckling and ensuring the overall structure performs well. These findings have enabled optimization in the design of CFS-built-up battened columns, and they have also provided practical guidelines for practicing engineers to design and develop safer and more efficient structural systems. This research demonstrates that these aspects are critical in achieving optimality in CFS structures, particularly for axial compression. The numerical results showed that the cross-sectional shape, steel grade, and thickness influenced the ultimate load capacity. Specifically, Shape S18, with a thickness of 1.95[Formula: see text]mm and G450 grade steel, developed the maximum ultimate load, which was 335.85% higher than the general average. The G450 steel grade performed better, raising the load-carrying capacity by 82.65%, while an increased thickness up to 1.95[Formula: see text]mm increased the same by 75.91%. These results emphasize the importance of choosing optimal parameters to maximize structural performance.