Web Buckling and Web Crippling in Steel Structures

In the context of steel structures, particularly steel beams, the web refers to the vertical section of a
beam, located between the top and bottom flanges. The web is primarily responsible for carrying shear
forces. Two failure modes related to the web of a steel beam are web buckling and web crippling. Both
are critical to the design and stability of steel beams under loading conditions.

1. Web Buckling

Web buckling occurs when the web of a steel beam, subjected to shear forces, experiences excessive
compressive stresses that cause it to deform laterally. It is primarily a concern in thin webbed beams or
beams with large shear forces. Web buckling is especially important in unstiffened webs, where there
are no internal stiffeners or reinforcement to prevent such buckling.

Causes of Web Buckling:

• Shear Force: When a beam is subjected to vertical shear, the web resists the shear force. If the
web is too thin or if the shear force is too high, the compressive stresses in the web exceed the
material's capacity, leading to buckling.

• Thin Webs: Beams with thin webs are more susceptible to buckling because they have lower
resistance to compressive forces.

• Large Shear Stresses: If the shear stress exceeds a certain threshold, web buckling can occur.
This is typically a concern in beams carrying high shear loads near the supports.

Effects of Web Buckling:

• Local deformations of the web can occur, leading to a reduction in the load-carrying capacity of
the beam.

• Progressive buckling can lead to failure if not addressed in design.

Prevention and Design Considerations:

• Stiffeners: Web stiffeners (vertical plates welded to the web) can help prevent web buckling by
increasing the buckling resistance of the web.

• Thicker Webs: Increasing the thickness of the web or using stronger materials can reduce the
tendency to buckle.

• Design Codes: Structural design codes (like AISC, Eurocode, etc.) provide guidelines to ensure
that web buckling is avoided, based on the shear stress and dimensions of the web.

2. Web Crippling

Web crippling occurs when localized compressive forces cause the web of the beam to yield or crush,
especially near the supports or points of concentrated load. This failure mode is common at the bearing
points of a beam (e.g., where the beam rests on a column or when a point load is applied to the beam).

Causes of Web Crippling:

 • Concentrated Loads: When a point load is applied directly to the web, it creates a concentrated
compressive force. If the web is not adequately designed to resist this force, it can fail due to
crippling.

• Bearing Supports: Web crippling can also occur where the beam is supported, and the web
experiences compressive forces due to the reaction from the support.

• Large Load Concentrations: Large concentrated loads, especially near the edges or near
supports, can cause significant local stresses in the web, leading to crippling.

Effects of Web Crippling:

• Localized Damage: Crippling leads to localized yielding or crushing of the web material, which
compromises the overall integrity of the beam in that area.

• Reduced Load-Carrying Capacity: The beam may lose its ability to carry loads effectively in the
region of the web crippling.

Prevention and Design Considerations:

• Web Reinforcement: The use of bearing stiffeners or crush plates at locations of concentrated
loads can help prevent web crippling by spreading out the load and reducing localized stresses.

• Proper Load Distribution: Using continuous or distributed loading rather than point loads can
reduce the risk of web crippling.

• Design Codes: Similar to web buckling, design codes provide guidance on the strength and size
of webs to prevent crippling, including factors such as the type of load, position of the load, and
support conditions.

Key Differences Between Web Buckling and Web Crippling

• Nature of Failure:

o Web Buckling: It is a global instability of the web under shear force, leading to lateral
deformation.

o Web Crippling: It is a localized failure due to compressive stresses at a point (e.g., near
supports or where concentrated loads are applied).

• Failure Mechanism:

o Web Buckling: Occurs due to the web being thin and unable to withstand shear-induced
compressive forces, leading to lateral deflection or buckling.

o Web Crippling: Occurs when the web material crushes or yields locally due to a
concentrated compressive load.

• Critical Locations:

o Web Buckling: Typically a concern over the entire span of the beam, especially where
shear forces are largest.
 o Web Crippling: Most critical at locations where loads are concentrated, such as near
supports or where point loads are applied.

Conclusion

Both web buckling and web crippling are important failure modes to consider in the design of steel
beams. Web buckling is related to the lateral instability of the web under shear, while web crippling
refers to localized crushing or yielding of the web under compressive stresses from concentrated loads.
Proper design practices, such as using stiffeners, ensuring sufficient web thickness, and following
structural design codes, are crucial to preventing these types of failures