Ultimate and serviceability limit state optimization of cold-formed steel hat-shaped beams

Cold-formed steel hat-shaped beams are commonly used in light-weight steel construction systems, such as residential housing structures. The ultimate strength of these sections is affected by their complex stability behavior (e.g. local, distortional and global buckling), therefore an advanced design methodology is needed to calculate the load bearing resistance in the ultimate limit state. On the other hand the limiting requirements in the design of such structural elements are often the serviceability provisions of the applied design code, which are investigated under the serviceability limit state load conditions. The aim of the present study is to find the optimal cross-sectional dimensions for cold-formed steel hat-profiles with various supporting conditions according to the Eurocode.