Cold-formed steel beam sections remain an economic structural option in many applications given the cost & other advantages in their manufacture, efficiencies in section properties and material properties, and ease of handling, fabrication and connections - all relative to hot-rolled steel. However, they have not commonly been associated with high-load beam applications due to potential for localised instability in open sections necessitating additional stiffening elements or substitution by heavier sections. The development of hollow-flange sections has raised the upper limit of bending performance for cold-formed steel members and now recent innovation in relatively simple, high-capacity moment connections has further added to the suitability of these for high-load applications as a competitive alternative to hot-rolled sections.

Case study details are given for an application of hollow-flange Long Span Beam in portal frame construction to be sited in Region D cyclonic conditions, including performance testing of innovative moment connections.

Other developing applications include high-efficiency fabricated trusses, structural plan bracing, and fixed-ended purlin connections.

These developments have largely been the result of critical engineering study of design and construction aspects in the use of steel to maximise the structural performance while minimising the construction limitations typically associated with steel.