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Predesign of a steel column

This nomogram allows you to obtain during the design phase, an approach to the actual dimensions of your
structural elements. In this case, the required structural profile of a steel column of height H .
How to use :
You start on the left-hand side side (marked with ¿), and finish in the line marked with = and in uppercase.
Start on the left-hand side by giving the distance between the columns, in m, in both directions of the structure
(tributary area).
Follow the line indicating the column position, the number of floors which the column supports, and the use of Column load Q [kN]
those floors, to obtain the total column load Q. 20000
18000
With the obtained load, indicate the column length in meters, and its boundary conditions. 16000
14000
You obtain the required profile, either HEB or IPE. 12000
The example (orange dashed line), shows how to obtain the required profile for a rigid frame interior column with 10000
a height of 10 m, located in a public building, and supporting two floors. The columns are located in a 7 £ 7 m grid. 9000

The obtained profile is either a HEB200 (usual for columns) or IPE 450.
8000 = COLUMN PROFILE
7000
HEB 1000
6000
HEB 600
5000
HEB 400
4000

IPE 750X196 HEB 300

3000
IPE 750X173 HEB 280
2500

2000
IPE 750X147 HEB 260
1800

¿ Distance/columns dir.1 [m] 1600 HEB 240

1400 IPE 600
50 1200
IPE 550 HEB 220
40 1000 Column length L [m]
35 900 IPE 500
30 800 1 HEB 200
25
700 IPE 450
600
1.5 IPE 400 HEB 180
20 500
Dist/cols.2 [m] 400 2 IPE 360
15 1
Number of floors HEB 160
Use 2.5 Column supports IPE 330
Column position 1 300
Cantilever
10 2
Interior Public 3
250 IPE 300
9
3
2 Residential
HEB 140
8
4
200 4
7 Facade 3 Roof 180
IPE 270
5 160 5
6 6
7
8 5 140 Pinned HEB 120
5 9 Corner Light roof
10 120
IPE 240
4
15 10 100 Rigid frame
90
3
20 80 10 IPE 220
25
30 20 70 HEB 100
35
40 60
IPE 200
2 50 50
15
40 IPE 180

30
1
IPE 160
25

20
18 IPE 140
16
14
12
IPE 120
10
9
8
7
6
IPE 100
5

2.5

2
1.8
1.6
Legend: 1.4

Use: 1.2

Light roof: non-accessible roof, covered with a sandwich panel or similar. 1

Roof: not accessible roof, with a slab and tiles (or similar).
Residential: apartment or similar use, or an accessible roof with a slab and pavement.
Public: lecture hall, exhibition hall...
Column supports:
Rigid frame: rigid connected frames.
Pinned: pinned on both sides, usual when cross-bracing is used.
Cantilever: cantilevered column, fixed to the ground.

c 2020,
∞ J.M. Cabrero (Based on Vuistregels, W.J.Raven, TU Delft, 2003). If you believe you have found a mistake, contact [email protected]