Editorial

In February 1993, an International Workshop on Cold-Formed Steel Structures was held in Sydney, Australia funded by the National Science Foundation of the USA, and the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce of Australia under the bilateral science and technology program of the two governments. The Workshop provided a forum for 31 Australian and 11 USA experts to discuss recent research findings and the latest developments in cold-for- med steel structures and to identify future research needs in this particular area. The Workshop was held at a time when the Aus- tralian Standards Association was preparing a new Limit State Cold-Formed Steel Structures Code based principally on the Amer- ican Iron and Steel Institute Load and Resistance Factor Design Specification for Cold-Formed Steel Structures. Many of the techni- cal papers addressed issues related to standardization, and differ- ences between Australian and USA practice in cold-formed steel design.

Thirty nine papers were presented at the Workshop, and a selec- tion of 11 of these papers is published in this special issue. In sel- ecting the 11 papers to be published, those with new theoretical models or new test results were chosen. The papers cover the areas in cold-formed design of purlins, columns and beams, sheet- ing and decking, structural analysis and spot welding in the vehicle industry. The last paper was selected to introduce a new area of structural behaviour in cold-formed steel design. Many excellent review papers were presented but could not be included in this special issue.

The co-directors of the International Workshop were Professor Wei-Wen Yu, Curators' Professor Emeritus at the University of Mis- souri-Rolla, USA and myself at the University of Sydney. I would particularly like to thank Professor Yu for his encouragement and assistance in organizing the Workshop, and in arranging for the USA participants to visit Australia to take part.

Gregory Hancock BHP Steel Professor of Steel Structures

University of Sydney, Australia

0141-0296/94/0503064) l © 1994 Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd

306 Engng Struct. 1994, Volume 16, Number 5