ARTICLE IN PRESS

Thin-Walled Structures 44 (2006) 832836

www.elsevier.com/locate/tws

Optimization of mono- and anti-symmetrical I-sections of cold-formed

thin-walled beams
K. Magnuckia,b,, M. Rodaka, J. Lewinskia
a

Institute of Applied Mechanics, Poznan University of Technology, ul. Piotrowo 3, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
b
Institute of Rail Vehicles TABOR, ul. Warszawska 181, 61-055 Poznan, Poland
Received 29 November 2005; received in revised form 7 August 2006; accepted 18 August 2006
Available online 9 October 2006

Abstract
Subject of the study includes mono- and anti-symmetrical open I-sections of cold-formed thin-walled beams with double anges. The
beams under uniformly distributed vertical load are simply supported at both ends. Geometric properties of each of the I-sections are
separately described by dimensionless parameters. Strength, global and local buckling conditions are dened for these beams. A
dimensionless objective function is assumed and formulated on the grounds of the optimization criterion. Numerical study of a family of
thin-walled beams is carried out. Results of the study are presented graphically.
r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Parametric optimization; Open cross-sections; Cold-formed thin-walled beams

1. Introduction
Cold-formed thin-walled beams nd a wide application
in construction and machinery industry, as they enable
obtaining any shape of the beam cross-section. The paper
by Davies [1] is related to development in cold-formed
section technology, applications, and design procedures of
cold-formed sections. He deals with application of a
generalized beam theory (GBT) to buckling problems.
Hancock [2] reviews and summarizes major research
developments in cold-formed steel structures, presents the
development of the North American Specication for the
Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members and
provides a brief summary of the direct strength method.
The problems of strength, general and local stability have
been discussed by Bazant and Cedolin [3] who used a
classical theory of warping torsion of thin-walled beams.
Trahair [4] presented mathematical models of exuralCorresponding author. Institute of Applied Mechanics, Poznan
University of Technology, ul. Piotrowo 3, 60-965 Poznan, Poland.
Fax: +48 61 665 2307.
E-mail addresses: krzysztof.magnucki@put.poznan.pl (K. Magnucki),
marcin_rodak@o2.pl (M. Rodak), jerzy.lewinski@put.poznan.pl
(J. Lewinski).

0263-8231/$ - see front matter r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.tws.2006.08.009

torsional buckling and their solutions in various load cases.

The monograph summarizes overall buckling research
studies of thin-walled beams and rods. Ma and Hughes
[5] used the energy method to lateral buckling behaviour of
beams under distributed vertical load, taking into account
distortion of the web. They used nonlinear elastic theory
for this purpose. Bradford and Ge [6] considered elastic
distortional buckling of a two-span continuous I-beam
with a concentrated load in each span. Hsu and Chi [7]
focused on exural behaviour of cold-formed steel beams
subject to monotonic and cyclic loading. Mohri et al. [8]
dealt with overall stability of unrestrained thin-walled
elements of open cross-sections. They compared their
results obtained for lateral buckling stability to the
European steel code, and proposed new Wagners coefcients. Magnucki et al. [9] considered strength and stability
problems of a simply supported beam subject to uniformly
distributed transverse load. The solutions were supported
on Vlasovs theory. On the other hand, local stability is
described in accordance with the theory of thin plates and
shells. Di Lorenzo et al. [10] studied imperfections resulting
from the manufacturing process: rolling and cold work.
They proposed an analytical model with a view to assess
the imperfections caused by the rolling process. Trahair

ARTICLE IN PRESS
K. Magnucki et al. / Thin-Walled Structures 44 (2006) 832836

and Hancock [11] proposed a simple advanced method of

designing steel members in the case of inelastic lateral
buckling using the reduced elastic moduli in order to
consider the effects of high moment, residual stresses, and
geometrical imperfections on yielding. Corte et al. [12]
compared numerical results and available experimental
data of stiffened cold-formed lipped C-section members
subject to bending. In effect they introduced the average
effective geometric imperfection amplitude dened so as
to minimize the average difference between numerical and
experimental ultimate loads. Chu et al. [13] investigated
buckling behaviour of cold-formed steel channel section
beams subject to a uniformly distributed load. The study is
focused on local and distortional buckling. Their results
have shown that, in the case of local buckling, the
difference in critical loads between pure bending and a
uniformly distributed load is insignicant. Nevertheless, in
case of distortional buckling a remarkable difference
appears. Stasiewicz et al. [14] considered stability of
repeatedly bent ange of a thin-walled beam.
In recent years emerged many works devoted to
optimization of cold-formed cross-sections. First of all
yczkowski [15] provided a review of
Gajewski and Z
optimal designing of thin-walled structures, inclusive of
shells and rods. Afterwards, Magnucki and Monczak [16]
presented variational and parametrical optimization of
open cross-section of a thin-walled beam subject to
bending. Magnucka-Blandzi et al. [17], Magnucki [18],
Magnucka-Blandzi and Magnucki [19], Magnucki and
Ostwald [20,21] determined optimal shapes of selected open
cross-sections of simply supported cold-formed thin-walled
beams under pure bending and/or a uniformly distributed
load. Tian and Lu [22] optimized cold-formed openchannel sections with and without the lips subjected to
compressive load. Liu et al. [23] optimized cross-section
shapes of cold formed columns. They proposed a two-stage
optimization method. The new approach consists in using
classication trees that generate near-optimal cross-sections subject to further local optimization. Lee et al. [24]
used micro Genetic Algorithm in order to nd an optimal
cross-section of a cold-formed steel beam under uniformly
distributed load. The subject of the parametric optimization includes two I-sections of cold-formed thin-walled
beams. The rst one is mono-symmetrical and the other
anti-symmetrical. These beams of the length L, depth H,
and wall thickness t are simply supported at both ends and
carry a uniform distributed vertical load of intensity q (Fig.
1). The load is distributed along the top edge of the webs of
each of the beam.

q
x

H
L
y

Fig. 1. Thin-walled beam with the vertical load distributed along the top
edge of the web.

b
t

61

3
2

a
t
z

H
O,B,C

Fig. 2. Scheme of the mono-symmetrical I-section of a thin-walled beam.

double walls. This is a result of cold bending of thin sheets,

with both sheet edges joined in the middle of one of the
anges. In consequence the webs of such beams are double
that is not effective taking into account their strength.
The present proposal deals with a cold-formed thinwalled beam with single web and double anges of an open
mono-symmetrical I-cross-section (Fig. 2). Dimensionless
parameters of the cross-section
b
x1 ;
a

t
x3 ,
b

(1)

being design variables of optimization problem. Total area

and the geometric stiffness for SaintVenant torsion of the
cross-section
J t 23at3 f 0

A 2atf 0 ;

where f 0 1 2x1 .

(2)

The centroid (the point O) is located in the middle of the

web (the point B, zB 0). Moments of inertia of the crosssection area with respect to y and z axes:
J y 2a3 tf 2 ;

J z 2a3 tf 3 ,

(3)

where
f 2 16x31 ;


f 3 x1 1
x1 x3 2 x1 131
x1 x3 .

Position of the shear centre-point C

zC
zB

Typical I-beams are manufactured in steel works by hot

rolling. Hsu and Chi [7] developed a new technique of cold
forming of the I-beams, characterized by existence of

y
4
5

2. Geometric properties of I-sections of thin-walled beams

2.1. Mono-symmetrical I-section

833

f4
a;
f3

where f 4 2
x1 x3 x31 x3 .

(4)

The shear centre is located inside the web (within its

thickness), near its middle. For purposes of further
investigation a simplication was assumed that the shear
centre is placed in the cross-section centre zC zB .

ARTICLE IN PRESS
K. Magnucki et al. / Thin-Walled Structures 44 (2006) 832836

834

Hence, the warping function in points of the prole

e i a2
oi o

3. Statement of the optimization problem

for i 1; 2; . . . ; 6,

(5)

3.1. Constraints

where
e 1 0;
o

e 2
121
x1 x3 x1 ;
o

e 4 121 2x1 x3 x1 ;
o

e 3
121
2x1 x3 x1 ,
o
e 6 2x21 x3 .
o

e 5 121 3x1 x3 x1 ;
o

The warping moment of inertia of the cross-section

J o 2a5 tf 5 ,

2

e 3o
e 24 o
e 25 o
e 5o
e 26 x1 . 6
e 2 2e
e4 o
e6 o
o23 o
f 5 16 o

Basic constraints in the design of thin-walled

structures are strength and stability conditions. The
space of allowable solutions for optimal I-sections is
restrained. The strength condition is of the following
form
MpM 1 ;

where M 1 2

Jz
sall ,
H

where H a2 x1 x3 depth of the beam, sall allowable stress, M 18 qL2 bending moment. The global
stability condition, as lateral distortional buckling condition based on the papers [9,20], may be written in the
following form:

2.2. Anti-symmetrical I-section

Dimensionless parameters of the cross-section satisfy the
formula (1). The centroid of the cross-section (the point O)
and the shear centre (the point C) are located in the centre
of the yz coordinate system, y and z being the principal
axes. Total area, geometric stiffness for SaintVenant
torsion of and moments of inertia of the cross-section are
equal to the ones of the cross-section referred in Section 2.1
(Eqs. (2), (3)). The warping moment of inertia is as follows:

EJ y
q L2
M 2 2 CR 2:568
8cs
c s l2 H

J o 2a5 tf 5 ,

C 0 810:893

(7)

where

2
e 1o
e 22
e1 o
e2 o
o21 16 o
f 5 1
x1 x3 e


e 3o
e 24 o
e 25 o
e 5o
e 26 x1 .
e4 o
e6 o
2e
o23 o

The warping functionsvalues of the functions in points of

the prole (Fig. 3)
e i a2
oi o

for i 1; 2; . . . ; 6,

2x31 x3
e2 o
e 1
121
x1 x3 x1 ,
; o
1 2
x3 x1
e3 o
e 1
121
2x1 x3 x1 ; o
e4 o
e 1 121 2x1 x3 x1 ,
o
3x1 x3 x1 ;

e6 o
e1
o

s!
C0

1 1 4 2
C1

10



 p 2
EJ y
GJ

EJ
,
t
o
L
L6
EJ y
C 1 41:080 4 H,
L
L
Frelative length of the beam.
l
H
The local buckling condition may be written in the
form
where M j

J z j
s ;
csl a CR

j 3; 4

(11)

and
6p2
Gx23 Fcritical stress for the flange of

3
I-section cold-formed beams [20],

s3
CR

2x21 x3 .

p2

p2
Ex1 x3 2 Fcritical stress for the flat
21
n2
web of thin-walled beams [3].

s4
CR

y
4
5

where

and

MpM j ;

e1

o

e1
e5 o
o

MpM 2 ;

(8)

where

1
21

(9)

61

3
2

a
t
z

H
O, B, C

3.2. Optimization criterion

The optimization criterion assumed based on the paper
[19] is of the following form:

Fig. 3. Scheme of the anti-symmetrical I-section of a thin-walled beam.

min max Fmj x Fmax ,

j1;:::; 4

(12)

ARTICLE IN PRESS
K. Magnucki et al. / Thin-Walled Structures 44 (2006) 832836

where

835

Table 2
Optimal parameters of anti-symmetrical cross sections of the I-beams

Mj
Fdimensionless objective function,
EA3=2
j 1 Fstrength condition; j 2 Flateral buckling
condition,

Fmj

j 3; 4 Flocal buckling conditions for the flange and the

web; x x1 ; x3 .
Maximum value of these functions (12) is equivalent to a
maximum of the bending moment M and minimum of the
area A of the cross-section of the beam. Hence, the
assumed criterion includes maximization of the load and
minimization of the area of the beam cross-section.

7.5

10.0

1.0257
x1
x3
0.03464
Fmax 0.002364

1.3175
0.03456
0.001969

12.5
1.5938
0.03448
0.001695

15.0
1.8548
0.03441
0.001494

17.5
2.1009
0.03434
0.001342

20.0
2.3329
0.03427
0.001222

maximization of bending moment

Fmax

min max M j x,
EA3=2 j1;2 x

(13)

where M 1 x and M 2 x satisfy the formulas (9) and (10).

4. Numerical calculations

5. Conclusions

Numerical investigation was carried out for a family of

thin-walled beams of the following parameters: Youngs
modulus E 205 GPa, allowable stress sall =E 0:0015,
Poissons ratio n 0:3, factor of safety for lateral buckling
cs 1:8 and for a local one csl 1:5cs and relative length
of the beam l 2 h7:5; 20:0i. Calculation results dene the
inuence of relative length l of beams on maximal value of
the dimensionless objective function Fmax (Fig. 4, Tables
1,2). Fig. 4 presents a comparison of considered crosssections to standard hot-rolled ones. Value of Fmax of the
last ones is calculated based on the formula (12). Area of
such a cross-section is constant and, in consequence,
maximization of the objective function is equivalent to

The optimization criterion (12) has been formulated

based on the dimensionless objective function Fmj , where
j 1; :::; 4, being a quality measure of cross-sections of
beams. The maximum value (12) is equivalent to maximization of the load and minimization of area of the beam
cross-section. This criterion enables sorting and comparing
the beams of various cross-section shapes. The quality of
the two cold-formed thin-walled beams subject to the study
considerably exceeds the one of a standard I-section beam.
The maximum values Fmax of thin-walled beams exceed
by 30% the ones of the standard hot-rolled I-section beam.
The difference between the results obtained for monosymmetric and anti-symmetric beams is insignicant. As
active constraints the strength, global and local (ange)
stability conditions are assumed.

0.0024

References

0.0022
0.0020
max

0.0018
0.0016
0.0014

I 100
I 140
I 200

0.0012
0.0010
0.0008
0.0006
7.5

10.0

12.5

15.0

17.5

20.0

Fig. 4. A comprehensive diagram for I-beams.

Table 1
Optimal parameters of mono-symmetrical cross sections of the I-beams
l

7.5

1.0228
x1
x3
0.03465
Fmax 0.002368

10.0
1.3113
0.03456
0.001976

12.5
1.5831
0. 03448
0.001704

15.0
1.8387
0.03441
0.001506

17.5
2.0789
0.03434
0.001354

20.0
2.3048
0.03428
0.001235

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