Shear response of elliptical hollow sections

Following the introduction of hot-finished elliptical hollow sections to the construction industry, recent research has been performed to develop supporting structural design guidance. This paper focuses on shear resistance. Twenty-four shear tests were performed on hot-finished steel elliptical hollow section members. The shear tests were arranged in a three-point bending configuration with span-to-depth ratios ranging from 1 to 8. This enabled the study of cross-section resistance in shear and the interaction between shear and bending. Measurements were taken of cross-section geometry, local initial geometric imperfections and material properties in tension. Test results, including moment rotation histories, are presented. Additional results were generated numerically. These results have been used to verify proposed design expressions for shear resistance and resistance to combined shear and bending. Further investigations into design criteria for shear buckling are currently under way.