Design of Steel Structures N-004

Rev. 1, December 1998

6.2 Ductility
It is a fundamental requirement that all failure modes are sufficiently ductile such that the structural
behaviour will be in accordance with the anticipated model used for determination of the responses.
In general all design procedures, regardless of analysis method, will not capture the true structural
behaviour. Ductile failure modes will allow the structure to redistribute forces in accordance with
the presupposed static model. Brittle failure modes shall therefore be avoided or shall be verified to
have excess resistance compared to ductile modes, and in this way protect the structure from brittle
failure.

The following sources for brittle structural behaviour may need to be considered for a steel
structure:
1. Unstable fracture caused by a combination of the following factors: brittle material, a design
resulting in high local stresses and the possibilities for weld defects.
2. Structural details where ultimate resistance is reached with plastic deformations only in limited
areas, making the global behaviour brittle. E.g. partial butt weld loaded transverse to the weld
with failure in the weld.
3. Shell buckling.
4. Buckling where interaction between local and global buckling modes occur.
In general a steel structure will be of adequate ductility if the following is satisfied:
1. Material toughness requirements are met, and the design avoids a combination of high local
stresses with possibilities of undetected weld defects.
2. Details are designed to develop a certain plastic deflection e.g. partial butt welds subjected to
stresses transverse to the weld is designed with excess resistance compared with adjoining
plates.
3. Member geometry is selected such that the resistance does not show a sudden drop in capacity
when the member is subjected to deformation beyond maximum resistance. (An unstiffened
shell in cross-section class 4 is an example of a member that may show such an unfavourable
resistance deformation relationship. For definition of cross-section class see NS 3472 or
Eurocode 3).
4. Local and global buckling interaction effects are avoided.

6.3 Tubular members

6.3.1 General
The structural strength and stability requirements for steel tubular members are specified in this
section.

The requirements given in this section apply to unstiffened and ring stiffened tubulars having a
thickness t ≥ 6 mm, D/t < 120 and material meeting the general requirements of Section 5 of this
standard. In cases where hydrostatic pressure are present, the structural analysis may proceed on the
basis that stresses due to the capped-end forces arising from hydrostatic pressure are either included
in or excluded from the analysis. This aspect is discussed in the Commentary.

In the following sub-sections, y and z are used to define the in-plane and out-of-plane axes of a
tubular member, respectively.

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Design of Steel Structures N-004
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The requirements assume the tubular is constructed in accordance with the fabrication tolerances
given in the NORSOK M-101.

The requirements are formulated for an isolated beam column. This formulation may also be used to
check the resistance of frames and trusses, provided that each member is checked for the member
forces and moments combined with a representative effective length. The effective length may in
lieu of special analyses be determined according to the requirements given in this chapter.
Alternatively the Ultimate Limit States for frames or trusses may be determined on basis of non-
linear analyses taking into account second order effects. The use of these analyses requires that the
assumptions made are fulfilled and justified.

Tubular members subjected solely to axial tension, axial compression, bending, shear, or hydrostatic
pressure should be designed to satisfy the strength and stability requirements specified in Sections
6.3.2 to 6.3.6. Tubular members subjected to combined loads without hydrostatic pressure should be
designed to satisfy the strength and stability requirements specified in Section 6.3.8. Tubular
members subjected to combined loads with hydrostatic pressure should be designed to satisfy the
strength and stability requirements specified in Section 6.3.9.

The equations in this section are not using an unique sign convention. Definitions are given in each
paragraph.

6.3.2 Axial tension

Tubular members subjected to axial tensile loads should be designed to satisfy the following
condition:

Afy (6.1)
N Sd ≤ N t, Rd =
γM

where
NSd = design axial force (tension positive)
fy = characteristic yield strength
A = cross sectional area
γM = 1.15.

6.3.3 Axial compression

Tubular members subjected to axial compressive loads should be designed to satisfy the following
condition:

Af c (6.2)
N Sd ≤ N c,Rd =
γM

where
NSd = design axial force (compression positive)
fc = characteristic axial compressive strength
γM = see section 6.3.7

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Design of Steel Structures N-004
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In the absence of hydrostatic pressure the characteristic axial compressive strength for tubular
members shall be the smaller of the in-plane or out-of-plane buckling strength determined from the
following equations:

f c = [1.0 − 0.28λ 2 ] f y for λ ≤ 1.34 (6.3)

0.9 (6.4)
fc = fy for λ > 1.34
λ2

f cl kl f cl (6.5)
λ = =
fE πi E

where
fcl = characteristic local buckling strength
λ = column slenderness parameter
fE = smaller Euler buckling strength in y or z direction
E = Young’s modulus of elasticity, 2.1⋅105 MPa
k = effective length factor, see Section 6.3.8.2
l = longer unbraced length in y or z direction
i = radius of gyration
The characteristic local buckling strength should be determined from:

fy (6.6)
f cl = f y for ≤ 0.170
f cle

 f  fy (6.7)
f cl = 1.047 − 0.274 y  f y for > 0.170
 f cle  f cle

and

t (6.8)
f cle = 2 C e E
D

where
fcle = characteristic elastic local buckling strength
Ce = critical elastic buckling coefficient = 0.3
D = outside diameter
t = wall thickness
fy
For > 0.170 the tubular is a class 4 cross section and may behave as a shell. Shell structures
f cle
may have a brittle structure failure mode. Reference is made to section 6.2. For class 4 cross
sections increased γM values shall be used according to equation (6.22).

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Design of Steel Structures N-004
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6.3.4 Bending
Tubular members subjected to bending loads should be designed to satisfy the following condition:

fmW (6.9)
M Sd ≤ M Rd =
γM

where
MSd = design bending moment
fm = characteristic bending strength
W = elastic section modulus
γM = see section 6.3.7
The characteristic bending strength for tubular members should be determined from:

Z fyD (6.10)
fm = fy for ≤ 0.0517
W Et

  f D   Z  f yD (6.11)
f m = 1.13 − 2.58 y    f y 0.0517 < ≤ 0.1034
  Et    W  Et

  f D   Z  fyD fy (6.12)
f m =  0.94 − 0.76 y    f y 0.1034 < ≤ 120
  Et    W  Et E

where
W = elastic section modulus
=
[
π D 4 − (D − 2t) 4 ]
32 D
Z = plastic section modulus
=
1 3
6
[
D − (D − 2t) 3]
fy
For > 0.170 the tubular is a class 4 cross section and may behave as a shell. Shell structures
f cle
may have a brittle structure failure mode. Reference is made to section 6.2. For class 4 cross
sections increased γM values shall be used according to equation (6.22).

6.3.5 Shear
Tubular members subjected to beam shear forces should be designed to satisfy the following
condition:

Af y (6.13)
VSd ≤ VRd =
2 3γ M

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Design of Steel Structures N-004
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where
VSd = design shear force
fy = yield strength
A = cross sectional area
γM = 1.15
Tubular members subjected to shear from torsional moment should be designed to satisfy the
following condition:

2I p f y (6.14)
M T,Sd ≤ M T, Rd =
D 3γ M

where
MT,Sd = design torsional moment
π
Ip = polar moment of inertia =
32
[
D 4 − (D − 2 t ) 4 ]
6.3.6 Hydrostatic pressure

6.3.6.1 Hoop buckling

Tubular members subjected to external pressure should be designed to satisfy the following
condition:

fh (6.15)
σ p,Sd ≤ f h,Rd =
γM

p Sd D (6.16)
σ p,Sd =
2t

where
fh = characteristic hoop buckling strength
σp,Sd = design hoop stress due to hydrostatic pressure (compression positive)
pSd = design hydrostatic pressure
γM = see section 6.3.7
If out-of-roundness tolerances do not meet the requirements given in NORSOK-M-101, guidance on
calculating reduced strength is given in the Commentary.

fh = fy , for f he > 2.44f y (6.17)

f 
0.4
(6.18)
f h = 0.7f y  he  for 2.44f y ≥ f he > 0.55f y
 f y 

f h = f he , for f he ≤ 0.55f y (6.19)

The elastic hoop buckling strength, fhe, is determined from the following equation:

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Design of Steel Structures N-004
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t (6.20)
f he = 2 Ch E
D

where
Ch = 0.44 t/D for µ ≥ 1.6D/t
= 0.44 t/D + 0.21 (D/t)3/µ4 for 0.825D/t ≤ µ < 1.6D/t
= 0.737/(µ - 0.579) for 1.5 ≤ µ < 0.825D/t
= 0.80 for µ < 1.5
and where the geometric parameter, µ, is defined as:

L 2D
µ= and
D t

L = length of tubular between stiffening rings, diaphragms, or end connections

6.3.6.2 Ring stiffener design

The circumferential stiffening ring size may be selected on the following approximate basis:

tL r D 2 (6.21)
I c = f he
8E

where
Ic = required moment of inertia for ring composite section
Lr = ring spacing
D = diameter (See Note 2 for external rings.)
Notes:
1. Equation (6.21) assumes that the yield strength of the stiffening ring is equal to or greater than that of the tubular.
2. For external rings, D in equation (6.21) should be taken to the centroid of the composite ring.

3. An effective width of shell equal to 1.1 D ⋅ t may be assumed as the flange for the composite ring section.
4. Where out-of-roundness in excess of tolerances given in NORSOK-M-101 is permitted, larger stiffeners may be
required. The bending due to out-of-roundness should be specially investigated.

Local buckling of ring stiffeners with flanges may be excluded as a possible failure mode provided
that the following requirements are fulfilled:

h E
≤ 1.1
tw fy

and

b E
≤ 0.3
tf fy

where

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