INFLUENCE OF STIFFENING IN COLD-FORMED CHANNEL SECTIONS IN THE NATURAL FREQUENCY OF VIBRATION

Resumo

The modernization in structural engineering in the last years led to the search for economic

and modern solutions, using quickly built systems, elements with lower self-weight as well as column-
free structural systems, which allows for more architectural flexibility. This practice, however, gave

rise to elements with thinner cross-section and, consequently, lower natural frequencies, which are
closer to the dynamic excitation frequency of loads due to human activities such as running, jumping
and walking. This fact can be specially noticed in cold-formed steel (CFS) structures on account of its
lightness and lower stiffness when compared to rolled and welded steel sections. Hence, this article
aims to evaluate the influence of stiffening in cold-formed isolated elements with lipped channel
sections. Finite element analyses were carried out in order to assess its influence in the range of first
natural frequency of vibration. For the most results obtained, the increment in the edge stiffener’s
width has increased the natural frequency of vibration while the presence or absence of web stiffener
did not affect the outcomes.