The type of failure depends upon the shape and dimen-
sions of the cross section, the column length (see Figure
3.4), or the load eccentricity (see Figures 3.3 and 3.4). As
demonstrated in Figure 8.3, the mode described in (a) may
occur for large negative eccentricities, and the mode
described in (b) may occur for large positive eccentricities,
even though the column section and length remain unal-
tered.
The types of failure described in (a) and (b) are both
accurately accounted for by using the ®rst and third terms
of the linear interaction equations (when the x-axis is the
axis of symmetry) or the ®rst and second terms (when the y-
axis is the axis of symmetry). The determination of the
torsional-¯exural buckling moment (M
e
) for a section
symmetric about the x-axis and bent in the plane of
symmetry, as in Figure 8.3, can be calculated by using
Eq. (5.11).
A series of tests by S. Wang on cold-formed hat sections
with the lips turned outward has been reported by Jang
and Chen (Ref. 8.3). The test results of the columns are set
out in Figure 8.4 in the same format as Ref. 8.3. The
columns were tested between simple supports (distance L
apart) with the ends prevented from warping. Conse-
quently the effective lengths (K
x
L
x
, K
y
L
y
, and K
t
L
t
) used
in the calculations have been taken as L, L, and L=2,
respectively, since the warping restraint effectively halves
the torsional effective length. The values of F
e
computed
using Section C4.2 agree closely with the test results when
elastic buckling occurs. The shape of the design curves
produced by Section C5.2 of the AISI Speci®cation for
eccentric loading with positive eccentricity accurately
re¯ects the test results. For negative eccentricity, the
design curves are accurate for the shorter columns
(K
x
L
x
=r
x
35) where ¯exural yielding predominates over
torsional-¯exural buckling. However, for slender columns
loaded with negative eccentricity, the design curves are
conservative since the simple linear interaction formula
Members in Combined Axial Load and Bending
229