AS 1538—1988

Australian StandardR
This is a free 6 page sample. Access the full version online.

Cold–formed Steel Structures

Code
 This Australian Standard was prepared by Committee BD/1, Steel Structures. It was
approved on behalf of the Council of the Standards Association of Australia on
19 September 1988 and published on 31 December 1988.

The following interests are represented on Committee BD/1:

Association of Consulting Engineers, Australia
Australian Institute of Steel Construction
Australian Road Research Board
Australian Welding Research Association
Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia
This is a free 6 page sample. Access the full version online.

Confederation of Australian Industry

CSIRO, Division of Building, Construction and Engineering
Department of Administrative Services–Construction Group (Commonwealth)
Institution of Engineers, Australia
National Association of Australian State Road Authorities
Public Works Department, New South Wales
Railways of Australia Committee
The University of New South Wales
University of Sydney

Review of Australian Standards. To keep abreast of progress in industry, Australian Standards are subject to
periodic review and are kept up to date by the issue of amendments or new editions as necessary. It is important
therefore that Standards users ensure that they are in possession of the latest edition, and any amendments thereto.
Full details of all Australian Standards and related publications will be found in the Standards Australia Catalogue
of Publications; this information is supplemented each month by the magazine ‘The Australian Standard’, which
subscribing members receive, and which gives details of new publications, new editions and amendments, and of
withdrawn Standards.
Suggestions for improvements to Australian Standards, addressed to the head office of Standards Australia, are
welcomed. Notification of any inaccuracy or ambiguity found in an Australian Standard should be made without
delay in order that the matter may be investigated and appropriate action taken.

This Standard was issued in draft form for comment as DR 87165.

 AS 1538—1988

Australian StandardR
This is a free 6 page sample. Access the full version online.

Cold–formed Steel Structures

Code

First published as AS 1538–1974.

Second edition 1988.

PUBLISHED BY STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

(STANDARDS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA)
1 THE CRESCENT, HOMEBUSH, NSW 2140
ISBN 0 7262 5234 4
 PREFACE

This Standard was prepared by the Association’s Committee on Steel Structures to supersede
AS 1538–1974.
It is intended that this Standard supplements AS 1250–1981, SAA Steel Structures Code.
This Standard is a working stress Standard and is based on permissible and working stress
design.
The technical requirements of this Standard are essentially those of the 1974 edition but the
opportunity has been taken to introduce a number of significant amendments which include
the following:
(a) Unstiffened compression elements are now treated by effective area reduction, rather
than by permissible stress reduction.
(b) The concept of sub–element is abolished.
(c) Provision is made for web stiffeners.
(d) The inelastic reserve capacity of flexural members is introduced.
(e) The determination of elastic critical stress of laterally unbraced beams has been refined
and its scope enlarged. Allowance is made for beams restrained at one flange only.
(f) In computing the permissible bending stresses in web, the stiffened and unstiffened
flanges are now distinguished.
(g) The web crippling of beams has undergone considerable modification by the
This is a free 6 page sample. Access the full version online.

introduction of new parameters and interaction with bending.

(h) The treatment of axially loaded compression members is somewhat simplified.
(i) Welded connections (treated in the previous edition in a cursory manner or by reference
to other publications) are now provided and in line with modern welding practice.
(j) For some structural members, bracing requirements have been modified.
(k) A new Appendix provides equations for calculation of ‘column properties’ of certain
sections (Appendix A) and another Appendix lists a large number of related references
(Appendix D).

E Copyright — STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

Users of Standards are reminded that copyright subsists in all Standards Australia publications and software. Except where the Copyright Act allows
and except where provided for below no publications or software produced by Standards Australia may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in
any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in writing from Standards Australia. Permission may be conditional on an appropriate
royalty payment. Requests for permission and information on commercial software royalties should be directed to the head office of Standards
Australia.
Standards Australia will permit up to 10 percent of the technical content pages of a Standard to be copied for use exclusively in–house by
purchasers of the Standard without payment of a royalty or advice to Standards Australia.
Standards Australia will also permit the inclusion of its copyright material in computer software programs for no royalty payment provided
such programs are used exclusively in–house by the creators of the programs.
Care should be taken to ensure that material used is from the current edition of the Standard and that it is updated whenever the Standard is amended or
revised. The number and date of the Standard should therefore be clearly identified.
The use of material in print form or in computer software programs to be used commercially, with or without payment, or in commercial contracts is
subject to the payment of a royalty. This policy may be varied by Standards Australia at any time.
 CONTENTS
Page

SECTION 1. SCOPE AND GENERAL

1.1 SCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.2 NEW MATERIALS OR METHODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.3 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4 DEFINITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.5 NOTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.6 DESIGN AND SUPERVISION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.7 MATERIALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.8 CORROSION PROTECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

SECTION 2. DESIGN REQUIREMENTS AND SECTION PROPERTIES

2.1 LOAD COMBINATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.2 DESIGN METHODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.3 OTHER DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.4 SECTION PROPERTIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
This is a free 6 page sample. Access the full version online.

SECTION 3. MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE DESIGN STRESSES

3.1 MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE DESIGN STRESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.2 INELASTIC RESERVE CAPACITY OF FLEXURAL MEMBERS . . . . . . 16
3.3 LATERALLY UNBRACED AND INTERMEDIATELY BRACED
BEAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3.4 MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE STRESSES IN WEBS OF BEAMS . . . . . . . . 17
3.5 WEB CRIPPLING OF BEAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3.6 AXIALLY LOADED COMPRESSION MEMBERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.7 COMBINED BENDING AND COMPRESSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.8 CIRCULAR HOLLOW MEMBERS IN COMPRESSION OR
BENDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.9 STRESS IN COMPOUND MEMBERS MADE OF DISSIMILAR
STEELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

SECTION 4. DESIGN OF CONNECTIONS

4.1 FASTENING SYSTEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4.2 WELDED CONNECTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4.3 CONNECTING TWO CHANNELS TO FORM AN I–SECTION . . . . . . . . 26
4.4 SPACING OF CONNECTIONS IN COMPRESSION ELEMENTS . . . . . . . 27
4.5 BOLTED CONNECTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

SECTION 5. BRACING REQUIREMENTS

5.1 WALL STUDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
5.2 CHANNELS AND Z–SECTIONS USED AS BEAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

SECTION 6. TESTING
6.1 COMPRESSION TESTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
6.2 TESTS FOR SPECIAL CASES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

APPENDICES
A SECTION PROPERTIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
B PROTECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
C MINIMUM VALUES OF YIELD STRESS AND TENSILE
STRENGTH FOR STEELS TO AS 1163, AS 1397, AS 1594 AND
AS 1595 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
D REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
 AS 1538—1988 4

STANDARDS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Standard
COLD-FORMED STEEL STRUCTURES CODE

SECTION 1. SCOPE AND GENERAL

1.1 SCOPE. This Standard specifies requirements for 2311 The painting of buildings
the design and protection of structures or structural 2312 Guide to the protection of iron and steel
members made by cold-forming carbon and low alloy against exterior atmospheric corrosion
steel strip or sheet. The Standard is intended to 2812 Welding, brazing and cutting of
supplement AS 1250—1981. metals—Glossary of terms
1.2 NEW MATERIALS OR METHODS. This AWS
Standard shall not be interpreted to prevent the use of
materials or of methods of design or construction not D1.3-81 Recommended practice for resistance
especially referred to in this Standard. If it is desired to welding
seek the opinion of the SAA Committee on Steel C1.1-66 Recommended practice for resistance
Structures as to whether materials or methods of design welding
or construction not covered in this Standard, are deemed AISI Specification for the design of cold-formed
to comply with the intention of this Standard, details of steel structural members
such materials or methods, including relevant test 1.4 DEFINITIONS. For the purpose of this
This is a free 6 page sample. Access the full version online.

results, shall be submitted to the Committee. Standard, the definitions given in AS 2812 and those
1.3 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS. The following below apply.
documents are referred to in this Standard. Beam—structural member, other than a triangulated
AS frame, which supports load primarily by its internal
1110 ISO metric hexagon precision bolts and screws resistance to bending.
1111 ISO metric hexagon commercial bolts and Bend—bend adjacent to flat elements and having a
screws maximum inside radius-to-thickness ratio (R/t) of 8
1112 ISO metric hexagon nuts, including thin nuts, (see Figure 1.4).
slotted nuts and castle nuts Column—axially-loaded compression member.
1163 Structural steel hollow sections Compound member—structural member consisting of
1250 * SAA Steel Structures Code (including two or more formed members or flat sheets joined
Amendment No 1, 1982 and Amendment No 2, longitudinally by structural fastenings.
1984) NOTE: Formed members or sheets which do not contr ibute
to load capacit y or sti ff ness of a compound member are not
1252 High strength steel bolts with associated nuts considered a part of the member.
and washers for structural engineering
Effective width (effective design width)(b e)—flat
1391 Methods for tensile testing of metals effective width, determined in accordance with
1397 Steel sheet and strip—Hot-dipped zinc-coated Clauses 2.4.1 and 2.4.5, i.e. the flat width (b)
or aluminium/zinc coated reduced for design purposes.
1511 SAA High-strength Structural Bolting Code Elements—simple shapes into which a cold-formed
1553 Covered electrodes for welding structural member is considered divided (see
1553.1 Part 1: Low carbon steel electrodes for Figure 1.1) and may consist of the following shapes:
manual metal-arc welding of carbon (a) Flat elements—appearing in cross-section as
and carbon-manganese steels rectangles.
1554 SAA Structural Steel Welding Code (b) Bends—appearing in cross-section as sectors of
1554.1 Part 1: Welding of steel structures circular rings, having the inside radius to
thickness ratio equal or less than eight
1559 Fasteners—Bolts, nuts and washers for tower (R/t ≤ 8).
construction
(c) Arched elements—circular or parabolic
1594 Hot-rolled low carbon steel plate, sheet and elements having the inside radius to thickness
strip ratio greater than eight (R/t > 8).
1595 Cold-rolled unalloyed low carbon steel sheet Feed width(w f )—width of coiled or flat steel used in
and strip production of a cold-formed product.
1858 Electrodes and fluxes for submerged-arc Flat-width ratio (of a single flat compression
welding element) (b/t)—ratio of the flat width (b) exclusive
2203 Carbon steel electrodes, cored (for arc of edge fillets, to the element thickness (t).
welding) Flexural-torsional buckling—mode of buckling in
2214 SAA Structural Steel Welding Supervisors which members bend and twist simultaneously.
Certification Code

* Refers only to AS 1250–1981 editi on.

COPYRIGHT
 AS 1538-1988 Cold-formed Steel Structures Code

The remainder of this document

This is a free 6 page sample. Access the full version online.

is available for purchase online at

infostore.saiglobal.com/store

SAI Global also carries a wide range of publications from a wide variety of Standards Publishers:

Business
Information

DIN

AS
AMERICAN SOCIETY
VDLUFA

...
FOR QUALITY TM

Plus many more on infostore.saiglobal.com/store