Preface

Extensive research projects on tubular structures have been carried out in the last 30
years under the direction of CIDECT (International Committee for the Development
and Study of Tubular Structures) and IIW (International Institute of Welding)
Subcommission XV-E. A series of design guides have been produced by CIDECT
to assist practising engineers. Individual steel manufacturers have been involved in
numerous research programs on their own products. Professional organisations such
as the Australian Steel Institute (formerly the Australian Institute of Steel
Construction), The Steel Construction Institute (UK), the American Institute of Steel
Construction, the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction and the Architectural
Institute of Japan and the Building Centre of Japan have also prepared design aids on
designing steel hollow sections. Most of the documents were related mainly to the
behaviour and design of hot-rolled tubular sections.

This book describes the structural behaviour and design of cold-formed tubular
members and connections. Cold-formed tubes have several special characteristics
which differentiate them from hot-rolled tubes such as rounded stress-strain material
behaviour, variation of yield stress around the section, larger residual stresses, web
crippling of RHS due to the extemal comer radii that introduce load eccentrically to
the webs, interaction of web local buckling and flange local bucking in bending, weld
defects in welded thin-walled tubes and their impact on fatigue strength, and
challenge for plastic design because of lower ductility. The following topics on cold-
formed tubular sections have only received small coverage in the existing design
standards, design guides or relevant books: members subjected to bending,
compression, combined bending and compression, local buckling under concentrated
force, effect of bending on bearing capacity, tension members and welds in thin-
walled tubes, welded connections subjected to fatigue loading, effect of concrete-
filling and large-deformation cyclic loading on limiting width-to-thickness ratios,
fatigue design using hot spot stress method, bolted moment end plate connections and
plastic design of portal frames. These topics are addressed in detail in the book.

This book not only summarises the research performed to date on cold-formed tubular
members and connections but also provides design examples in accordance with both
the Australian Standard AS 4100 and the British Standard BS 5950 Part 1. It is
suitable for structural engineers, researchers and university students who are
interested in tubular structures.

Chapter 1 deals with the application of cold-formed tubes and the scope of the book.
Chapter 2 summarises the manufacturing processes and manufacturing tolerances in
various standards. It also presents the material properties of cold-formed tubes
including the rounded stress-strain curves, variation of yield stress around the section,
residual stresses and fracture toughness. Chapters 3, 4 and 5 are concemed with
members subjected to bending, compression and combined bending and compression.
The highlights include slendemess limits, flexural-torsional buckling, interaction of
local and overall buckling and beam-column behaviour. Chapter 6 discusses RHS
members subjected to concentrated forces applied through either a welded brace or a
bearing plate. The effect of bending moment on bearing capacity is also presented.
vi Preface

Tension members and welds in thin-walled tubes are covered in Chapter 7. Chapter 8
describes welded connections subjected to fatigue loading. The classification method
is discussed in detail. Chapter 9 presents some recent developments in cold-formed
tubular members and connections. The highlights are limiting width-to-thickness
ratios for concrete-filled tubes and for those subjected to large-deformation cyclic
loading, fatigue design using hot spot stress method, bolted moment end plate
connections and plastic design of portal frames. Extensive references are given in the
book.

We are grateful for the advice on tubular structures from Prof. Jaap Wardenier at
Delft University of Technology, Prof. Jeffery Packer at the University of Toronto,
Prof. Donald Sherman at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Prof. Yoshi
Kurobane at Kumamoto University and Prof. Paul Grundy at Monash University over
the last 10 years.

We appreciated the comments from Dr. Leroy Gardner at Imperial College, London
on Chapter 6, Dr. Steve Maddox at TWI, UK and Dr. Alain Nussbaumer at EPFL
ICOM, Lausanne on Chapter 8, Dr. Mohamed Elchalakani at Connell Wagner Pty Ltd
on Chapters 3 and 9, and Dr. Fidelis Mashiri at Monash University on Chapters 8
and 9. Thanks are given to Dr. Mike Bambach at Monash University for checking the
design examples in the book. Prof. David Nethercot at Imperial College, London,
Charles King and Abdul Malik at The Steel Construction Institute, UK provided
necessary documents regarding BS 5950 Part 1. Prof. Yuji Makino at Kumamoto
University provided necessary information regarding JIS standards. We are very
grateful to Mr. Robert Alexander at Monash University for preparing most of the
diagrams. We wish to thank OneSteel Market Mills for providing the front cover
photo and Smorgon Steel Tube Mills for providing the back cover photo. We also
wish to thank Keith Lambert, Loma Canderton and Noel Blatchford at Elsevier Ltd
for their advice on the format of the book.

Finally, we wish to thank our families for their support and understanding during the
many years that we have been undertaking tubular research, both at The University of
Sydney and Monash University, and during the preparation of the book.

Xiao-Ling Zhao, Tim Wilkinson and Gregory Hancock

January 2005