Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

CALCULATION SHEET Document Ref: SX006a-EN-EU Sheet 1 of 8

Title Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

Eurocode Ref EN 1993-1-1

Made by Matthias Oppe Date June 2005
Checked by Christian Müller Date June 2005

Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

This worked example on the calculation of alpha-cr demonstrates for a
simple structure how the checks are performed. It shows whether second
order effects have to be taken into account or may be neglected for the
structural analysis.

IPE 400 IPE 400

HEB HEB HEB

3,50
200 200 200

IPE 400 IPE 400

3,50

HEB HEB HEB

200 200 200

6,00 6,00 3,00 3,00 [m]

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Layout a) Rigid column bases

Layout b) Pinned column bases

Basic data
Check whether second order effects have to be taken into account or not.

• Span length : 6,00 m

• Bay width : 3,00 m
• Slab depth : 12 cm
• Partitions : 1,50 kN/m2
• Imposed load : 5,00 kN/m2 (office building)
• Concrete density : 24 kN/m3
Created on Wednesday, November 09, 2011

• Steel grade : S235

Weight of the slab : 0,12 × 24 kN/m3 = 2,88 kN/m2

Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

CALCULATION SHEET Document Ref: SX006a-EN-EU Sheet 2 of 8

Title Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

Eurocode Ref EN 1993-1-1

Made by Matthias Oppe Date June 2005
Checked by Christian Müller Date June 2005

Beams IPE 400 – Steel grade S235 tf

z Euronorm
Depth h = 400 mm 19-57
Width b = 180 mm tw

Web thickness tw = 8,6 mm y y

h
Flange thickness tf = 13,5 mm
Fillet r = 21 mm

z
Mass 66,3 kg/m b
Section area A = 84,46 cm2
Second moment of area /yy Iy = 23130 cm4

Columns HE 200 B – Steel grade S235 Euronorm

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Depth h = 200 mm 53-62

Width b = 200 mm
Web thickness tw = 9,0 mm
Flange thickness tf = 15,0 mm
Fillet r = 18 mm

Mass 61,3 kg/m

Section area A = 78,08 cm2
Second moment of area /yy Iy = 5696 cm4

Self weight of the beam :

(66,3 × 9,81) × 10-3 = 0,650 kN/m
Permanent load :
G = 0,650 + (2,88 + 1,5) × 3,00
= 13,79 kN/m
3,50

Variable load (Imposed load) :

Created on Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Q = 5,0 × 3,0 = 15,0 kN/m

3,50

w1 = 2,03 kN/m w1
6,00 6,00
w2

w2 = 0,76 kN/m
Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

CALCULATION SHEET Document Ref: SX006a-EN-EU Sheet 3 of 8

Title Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

Eurocode Ref EN 1993-1-1

Made by Matthias Oppe Date June 2005
Checked by Christian Müller Date June 2005

ULS Combination (simple): EN 1990

§ 6.4.3.2
γG G + γQ Q = 1,35 × 13,79 + 1,50 × 15,0 = 38,9 kN/m
(6.10)
w1 = 1,35 × 2,03 = 2,75 kN/m
w2 = 1,35 × 0,76 = 1,01 kN/m

Yield strength EN 1993-1-1

Steel grade S235 Table 3.1
2
The maximum thickness is 15,0 mm < 40 mm, so : fy = 235 N/mm
Note : The National Annex may impose either the values of fy from the
Table 3.1 or the values from the product standard.

Global initial imperfections: EN 1993-1-1

§ 5.3.2
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φ = φ0 ×α m ×α h

Where: φ 0 is the basic value: φ 0 = 1/200

αh is the reduction factor for height h applicable to columns:

2 2
αh = but ≤ α h ≤ 1, 0
h 3
h is the height of the structure in meters
αm is the reduction factor for the number of columns in a row:
⎛ 1⎞
α m = 0,5 ⎜ 1 + ⎟
⎝ m⎠
m is the number of columns in a row including only those
columns which carry a vertical load NEd not less than 50% of
the average value of the column in the vertical plane
considered
Created on Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

CALCULATION SHEET Document Ref: SX006a-EN-EU Sheet 4 of 8

Title Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

Eurocode Ref EN 1993-1-1

Made by Matthias Oppe Date June 2005
Checked by Christian Müller Date June 2005

Average compression force for the column:

- - -

1 -98,6 -267,4 -100,7

N average = × 38,9 × 12 × 2 = 311, 2 kN

3 - - -

N Ed > 0 , 5 × N average = 155 , 6 kN -198,8 -525,9 -208,9

[kN]

from computer calculation

Ö due to the internal force distribution (cp. computer calculation) three

columns should be considered (m = 3)

1 1
α m = 0,5 × (1 + ) = 0,5 × (1 + ) = 0,816
m 3
h = 7,00 m
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2 2
αh = = = 0 , 756
h 7
1 1
φ= × 0 , 756 × 0,816 =
200 324

Equivalent horizontal loads

1
H 1,d = H 2,d = φ × g × l = × 38,9 × 12 = 1, 44 kN
324

Effects of deformed geometry of the structure EN 1993-1-1

§ 5.2.1 (3)
Calculation of αcr
First order analysis may be used for the structure, if the increase of the
relevant internal forces or moments or any other change of structural
behaviour caused by deformations can be neglected. This condition may be
assumed to be fulfilled, if the following criterion is satisfied:
Fcr
α cr = ≥ 10 (for elastic analysis)
FEd
Created on Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Fcr
α cr = ≥ 15 (for plastic analysis)
FEd
Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

CALCULATION SHEET Document Ref: SX006a-EN-EU Sheet 5 of 8

Title Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

Eurocode Ref EN 1993-1-1

Made by Matthias Oppe Date June 2005
Checked by Christian Müller Date June 2005

where: α cr is the factor by which the design loading would have to be

increased to cause elastic instability in a global mode
Fcr is the elastic critical buckling load for global instability
mode based on initial elastic stiffnesses
FEd is the design loading on the structure

Alternative calculation of αcr EN 1993-1-1

§ 5.2.1 (4)B
Beam-and-column type plane frames in buildings may be checked for sway
mode failure with first order analysis if the criterion αcr ≥ 10 (resp. αcr ≥ 15) is
satisfied for each storey. In these structures αcr may be calculated using the
following approximate formula, provided that the axial compression in the
beams or rafters is not significant:
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⎛H ⎞⎛ h ⎞
α cr = ⎜⎜ Ed ⎟⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎜ ⎟
⎝ V Ed ⎠ ⎝ δ H,Ed ⎠
where: H Ed is the design value of the horizontal reaction at the bottom
of the storey to the horizontal loads and fictitious horizontal
loads
V Ed is the total design vertical load on the structure on the
bottom of the storey
δH,Ed is the horizontal displacement at the top of the storey,
relative to the bottom of the storey, when the frame is loaded
with horizontal loads (e.g. wind) and fictitious horizontal
loads which are applied at each floor level
h is the storey height

δH,Ed

VEd
h
Created on Wednesday, November 09, 2011

HEd
Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

CALCULATION SHEET Document Ref: SX006a-EN-EU Sheet 6 of 8

Title Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

Eurocode Ref EN 1993-1-1

Made by Matthias Oppe Date June 2005
Checked by Christian Müller Date June 2005

a) Rigid column bases EN 1993-1-1

§ 5.2.1 (3)
Calculation of αcr
The computer calculation for the relevant load case leads to

38,9

1,44
Fcr
α cr = = 27, 06 > 10

3,50
FEd 38,9

1,44

3,50
Ö second order effects may be
neglected 6,00 6,00

Alternative calculation of αcr

Deformed structure
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δ1

δ2

δ1 = 0,69 mm h = 3,50m ΣVEd = 466,8 kN

δ2 = 0,31 mm ΣHEd = 1,44 kN
1, 44 3500
α cr,1 = × = 28, 41 > 10
466,8 0, 69 − 0,31
1, 44 × 2 3500
α cr ,2 = × = 34,83 > 10
Created on Wednesday, November 09, 2011

466,8 × 2 0,31
Ö second order effects may be neglected
Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

CALCULATION SHEET Document Ref: SX006a-EN-EU Sheet 7 of 8

Title Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

Eurocode Ref EN 1993-1-1

Made by Matthias Oppe Date June 2005
Checked by Christian Müller Date June 2005

b) pinned column bases EN 1993-1-1

§ 5.2.1 (3)
Calculation of αcr
The computer calculation for the relevant load case leads to

Fcr 38,9
α cr = = 6, 79 < 10
FEd 1,44

3,50
38,9

1,44
Ö second order effects have to be

3,50
taken into account
6,00 6,00

Alternative calculation of αcr EN 1993-1-1

§ 5.2.1 (4)B
Deformed structure
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δ1

δ2

δ1 = 1,79 mm h = 3,50 m ΣVEd = 466,8 kN

δ2 = 1,34 mm ΣHEd = 1,44 kN
1, 44 3500
α cr,1 = × = 23,99 > 10
466,8 1, 79 − 1,34
Created on Wednesday, November 09, 2011

1, 44 × 2 3500
α cr,2 = × = 8, 06 < 10
466,8 × 2 1,34
Ö second order effects have to be taken into account
Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

CALCULATION SHEET Document Ref: SX006a-EN-EU Sheet 8 of 8

Title Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

Eurocode Ref EN 1993-1-1

Made by Matthias Oppe Date June 2005
Checked by Christian Müller Date June 2005

For multi-storey frames second order sway effects may be calculated by EN 1993-1-1
increasing the horizontal loads HEd (e.g. wind) and equivalent loads VEd × φ § 5.2.2 (6)B
due to imperfections according to first order theory by the factor:
1
1
1−
α cr
provided that: - αcr > 3,0
- all storeys have a similar distribution of
ƒ vertical loads
ƒ horizontal loads
ƒ frame stiffness with respect to the applied storey shear
forces
1 1
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here: = = 1,172
1 1
1− 1−
α cr 6, 79
Created on Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

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RESOURCE TITLE Example: Calculation of alpha-cr

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ORIGINAL DOCUMENT

Name Company Date

Created by Matthias Oppe RWTH 15/06/05

Technical content checked by Christian Müller RWTH 15/06/05

Editorial content checked by

Technical content endorsed by the

following STEEL Partners:

1. UK G W Owens SCI 7/7/05

2. France A Bureau CTICM 17/8/05

3. Sweden A Olsson SBI 8/8/05

4. Germany C Muller RWTH 10/8/05

This material is copyright - all rights reserved. Use of this document is subject to the terms and conditions of the Access Steel Licence Agreement

5. Spain J Chica Labein 12/8/05

Resource approved by Technical G W Owens SCI 21/05/06

Coordinator

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Translated resource approved by:

Created on Wednesday, November 09, 2011