The book describes the main areas of cold-formed
members, connections, and systems in routine use today.
It presents the history and applications of cold-formed steel
design in Chapter 1, cold-formed steel materials in Chapter
2, and buckling modes of thin-walled members in Chapter
3. These three chapters provide a basic understanding of
how cold-formed steel design differs from hot-rolled steel
design. Chapters 4 to 9 follow the approach of a more
conventional text on structural steel design, with Chapter
4 on elements, Chapter 5 on ¯exural members, Chapter 6
on webs, Chapter 7 on compression members, Chapter 8 on
combined compression and bending, and Chapter 9 on
connections. Chapters 10 and 11 apply the member
design methods to common systems in which cold-formed
steel is used, roof and wall systems in Chapter 10 and steel
storage racks in Chapter 11. Chapter 12 gives a glimpse
into the future of cold-formed steel design where the direct
strength method is introduced. This method based on the
®nite strip method of structural analysis introduced in
Chapter 3 and currently under consideration by the AISI
Speci®cation Committee, gives a simpler and more direct
approach to design than the current effective width
approach. Residential framing is not covered in a separate
chapter since the design methods in Chapters 4 to 9 are
appropriate for members and connections used in wall
framing and roof trusses.
The book has been based on a similar one, Design of
Cold-Formed Steel Structures, written by the ®rst author
and published by the Australian Institute of Steel
Construction in 1988, 1994, and 1998 with design to the
Australian=New Zealand Standard AS=NZS 4600, which is
similar to the AISI Speci®cation. The Australian book is
completely in SI units to the Australian standard, whereas
this book is written in U.S. customary units to the AISI
speci®cation.
The worked examples in Chapters 4±8, 10 and 11 have
all been programmed as MATHCAD
TM
spreadsheets to
Preface
iv