Square and rectangular hollow sections under end bearing force

In this report, tests on a range of cold-formed square and rectangular hollow section members subject to end bearing force are described. The concentrated force was applied by means of a bearing plate, which acted across the full flange width of the section. The parameters varied in the tests included (1) the bearing length, (2) the slenderness of the member and (3) the shape of the section (RHS or SHS). The results are compared with the Australian Steel Structures Standard AS4100-1990 and the cold-formed standards in America, Australia, Canada and Europe. The results are also compared with the formulae given by Zhao and Hancock (1992), which were based on tests of SHS and RHS sections under interior bearing force. A design model is proposed for SHS and RHS sections under end bearing force. The reliability analysis method is used to calibrate the existing and proposed design formulae.