Critical review of design rules for hot-rolled unequal-leg angles sections and members subjected to compression

Abstract

The study aims to verify the rules provided by Eurocode 3 for classification, cross-section resistance and buckling resistance, as well as those developed during the ANGELHY project for unequal-leg hot-rolled angle sections subjected to compression. Numerical models generated using Abaqus a finite element software allowed obtaining the ultimate resistances of the samples. Then those ultimate resistances were compared to the analytical resistance obtained from the rules provided by Eurocode 3 and ANGELY. The samples were carefully selected to represent the full range of sections available on the market. For cross-section resistance, it was concluded that the rules provided by ANGELHY can be employed and, furthermore, yield less conservative results than those provided by Eurocode 3. Regarding buckling resistance, it was concluded that further research is needed, as the study suggests that certain parameters in Eurocode may be incorrect. However, the rules provided by ANGELHY yield good results apart from the choice of curves for the analytical calculation of buckling resistance.