Abstract
In this paper, the strength of a light gauge steel section subjected to an interaction of concentrated-compressive load and bending moment is estimated using an analytical model, which is based on plastic mechanism and elastic approaches. The investigated section is in the form of a thin-walled plain channel steel section. In the plastic mechanism approach, an idealized plastic mechanism model of the section is analysed according to the equilibrium of external energy and energy dissipated at the plastic hinge lines of the model. An inter- section of a declined load-deflection curve obtained from the plastic mechanism approach and an inclined load- deflection curve obtained from an elastic analysis is assumed to be a theoretical ultimate load of the section. In order to assess the accuracy of this analytical model, estimated values of ultimate load are verified by actual ones measured in the tests where scattered data of the estimated values is also statistically analysed and limited within an acceptable range of :t 20%. It is found from the statistical analysis that the mean value of the scattered data is 0.937 with the standard deviation of 0.038 and coefficient of variation of 0.041.