André Dias Martins

Direct strength method—a general approach for the design of cold-formed steel structures

Abstract This chapter presents a state-of-the-art report on the direct strength method (DSM), which may be viewed as the most modern and universally accepted approach for the development of methodologies to design a wide variety of thin-walled structural systems, namely cold-formed steel structures. The introductory section describes the basic concepts and procedures of the method, and provides a historical perspective of its development in the last two decades. Then the chapter addresses the development, validation, and application of the currently codified DSM design expressions (strength curves), making a distinction between “first generation” and “second generation”: the former are those originally codified 12 years ago, concerning members under compression (columns) or bending (beams), and the latter correspond to subsequent developments that have reached codification, concerning members under shear (including bending–shear interaction) and perforated columns and beams. The last section is devoted to recent advances and future developments of the DSM. It reports on ongoing research activity concerning structural problems/failures for which DSM-based design expressions are currently being sought, and includes topics that constitute possible/promising extensions of the DSM domain of application. The chapter has an extensive list of references covering the various aspects addressed and making it easy for the reader to acquire additional information on specific topics.