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Cao Hung Pham

Cao Hung Pham photo

BE MConstMgt MEngSc (UNSW)

Postgraduate Research Student
Centre for Advanced Structural Engineering



School of Civil Engineering, Room 360
Phone: +61 2 9351 4393
Fax: +61 2 9351 3343
Email: C.Pham@civil.usyd.edu.au





Research project - Direct Strength Method (DSM) of design under combined actions

Supervisor: Prof Greg Hancock
Associate Supervisor: Prof Kim Rasmussen


The Direct Strength Method (DSM) of design of cold-formed section is a new method for designing complex thin-walled section as an alternative to the traditional the Effective Width Method. It uses elastic buckling solutions for the entire member cross section to give the direct strength rather than for elements in isolation. The first advantage of the DSM is that it allows direct computation of the capacity of cold-formed thin walled members of complex section shape (eg. with intermediate stiffeners). Secondly, the interaction between local and overall modes and distortional and overall modes is taken into account. The DSM uses numerical solutions for elastic buckling and requires computer software such as THIN-WALL or CUFSM to evaluate elastic buckling stresses. The method has recently been incorporated in the North American Specification and the Australian/New Zealand Standard.

The project will investigate the DSM for cases where combined action occurs particularly bending and shear.

Shear test

Shear test

Buckling mode shape for bending and shear

Buckling mode shape for bending and shear

Selected publications

  • Pham, C. H., and Hancock, G. J. (2009). “Direct Strength Design of Cold-Formed Purlins”, Journal of Structural Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers, Volume 135, Issue 3, pp. 229-238 (March 2009).
  • Pham, C. H., and Hancock, G. J. (2009). “Shear Buckling of Thin-Walled Channel Sections”, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, Volume 65, No 3, pp. 578-585 (March 2009).
  • Pham, C. H., and Hancock, G. J. (2008). “Direct Strength Design of Cold-Formed Purlins”, Proceedings, Fifth International Conference on Thin-walled Structures, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Gold Coast, Australia, Volume 1, pp 41- 52 (Keynote Paper).
  • Pham, C. H., and Hancock, G. J. (2008). “Buckling Studies of Thin-Walled Channel Sections in Shear”, Proceedings, Fifth International Conference on Thin-walled Structures, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Gold Coast, Australia, Volume 2, pp 1097 - 1104.
  • Pham, C. H., and Hancock, G. J. (2008). “Buckling Studies of Thin-Walled Channel Sections under Combined Bending and Shear”, Proceedings, Nineteen International Specialty Conference, Missouri University of Science & Technology, St Louis, Missouri, USA, pp 185 - 203.
  • Pham, C. H., and Hancock, G. J. (2009). “Shear Buckling of Thin-Walled Channel Sections with Intermediate Web Stiffener”, Proceedings, Sixth International Conference on Advances in Steel Structures, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
  • Pham, C. H., and Hancock, G. J. (2007). “Direct Strength Design of Cold-Formed Purlins”, Research Report No R882, School of Civil Engineering, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia, May, 2007.
  • Pham, C. H., and Hancock, G. J. (2007). “Shear Buckling of Thin-Walled Channel Sections”, Research Report No R885, School of Civil Engineering, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia, August, 2007.
  • Pham, C. H., and Hancock, G. J. (2007). “Buckling Studies of Thin-Walled Channel Sections under Combined Bending and Shear”, Research Report No R886, School of Civil Engineering, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia, October, 2007.
  • Pham, C. H., and Hancock, G. J. (2008). “Shear Buckling of Thin-Walled Channel Sections with Intermediate Web Stiffeners”, Research Report No R892, School of Civil Engineering, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia, September, 2008.

Learning & Teaching

  • CIVL2201 Structural Mechanics
  • CIVL3206 Steel Structures 1
  • CIVL3205 Concrete Structures