STRUCTURAL STEEL DESIGN

COURSE CODE: 0401-418

CHAPTER

2
Loads on Steel Structures
Text Book: Structural Steel Design, 5th Ed., Jack C. McCormack
 Specifications and Building Codes

 The design of structural steel is controlled and governed by building

codes.
 These codes provide general guidelines of the minimum
requirements for the design of a structural component or a system.
 These codes, which are actually laws or ordinances, specify
minimum:
 Design loads
 Design stresses
 Construction types
 Material quality
 Other factors.
 Specifications and Building Codes

 Examples:
 Reinforced concrete structures: Generally designed according to
the American Concrete Institute (ACI).
 Structural Steel Design: Principally based on the specifications of
the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC).

“LRFD Manual of Steel Construction,” 14th Edition, 2010.

American Institute of Steel Construction
 LOADS

 In designing a structure, an engineer must consider all the loads that

can realistically be expected to act on the structure during its planned
life span.
 The accurate determination of the loads to which a structure or
structural element will be subjected is not always predictable.
 Common loads acting on engineering structures are grouped into 3
categories:
 Dead Loads
 Live Loads
 Environmental Load: (Wind, Snow, Earthquakes, Impact,
Rain loads, Hydrostatic and soil pressure, Thermal and
other effects)
LOADS

Dead Loads = Weight

 Walls and Columns

 Slabs and Beams
 Roofs
 Finishes – Plaster
 Cladding
LOADS

Variable Loads:
 Imposed Loads
 Occupants and Furniture
 Stored Materials
 Movable Partitions
 Movable Machinery
 Wind Load
 Snow Load
 Earthquake loads
 LOADS

Dead Load Wind Load

Live Load

Seismic Load
 1- Dead Loads
Gravity loads of constant magnitudes and fixed position that act on
the structure due to its own weight and the weight of other materials
permanently attached to it. The weight of the structure is obtained from
member sizes and material unit weight.
 2- Live Loads

 Loads of variant magnitudes and/or

position caused by the use of the structure.
 Live load for buildings are specified as
uniformly distributed surface loads.
 Human occupants
 Furniture
 Movable equipment
 Vehicles
 Stored goods
2- Live Loads
2- Live Loads
 Example 2.1

H D
E

Steel Girder (W 12 x 30)

3 @ 10 ft = 30 ft The structural system
of a G+1 residential
building consists of the
steel frame shown
25 ft above. Determine the
4 in
load acting on beams
CG, DH and the girder
AD
5 ft 5 ft
(W 10 x 22)
Example 1

Solution
 Beam CG: Tributary area = 10 ft x 25 ft =250 ft2 and the dead load/m is :
o Concrete slab = 150 lb/ft3 x 10 ft x (4 in/12) = 500 lb/ft =0.5 k/ft
o Steel beam = 22 lb/ft = 0.022 k/ft

o Total dead load = 0.5+0.022= 0.522 k/ft

o RC=RG = (0.522 k/ft x 25 ft)/2 = 6.525 k

 Beam DH: The tributary area is 5 ft x 25ft =125 ft2 and the dead load/m is:

o concrete slab = 150 lb/ft3 x 5 ft x (4 in/12) =250 lb/ft = 0.25 k/ft

o Steel beam = 0.022 k/ft

o Total dead load = 0.25+0.022= 0.272 k/ft

o RD=RH = (0.272 k/ft x 25 ft)/2 = 3.4 k
 Example 1

 Girder AD: For the symmetry of the framing system and the loading ,

o the load acting on beam BF = the load on CG

o the load acting on beam AE = the load on DH

 The load on girder AD:

o Uniformly distributed load due to its own weight : 30 lb/ft = 0.03 k/ft

o Concentrated loads transmitted to the girder by the beams at

points: A, B, C and D
3.4 k 6.525 k 6.525 k 3.4 k

0.03 k/ft

10.375 k 10.375 k
10 ft 10 ft 10 ft

30 ft
Example 1

Solution
Steel Girder (W 12 x 30)
3 @ 10 ft = 30 ft

25 ft
4 in

5 ft 5 ft
(W 10 x 22)

3.43.4
k k 6.525 k 6.525
6.525kk 3.4
3.4kk
0.03 k/ft
0.522 k/ft 0.272 k/ft

10.375 k 10.375 k
6.525kN
45.4 k 45.4
6.525kN
k 24.16
3.4 k kN 24.16
3.4 kN
k 10 ft 10 ft 10 ft
25 ft 25 ft 30 ft
 3- Wind Loads
 Caused by the flow of the wind around the structure
 The magnitude depends on :
 The geographical location
 Obstruction surrounding the structure
 Geometry of the structure
 Structural system
 The magnitude of the dynamic pressure q
on a an object is given by: , V (mph)
where is the mass density of air and the is wind velocity in mph

 Using the unit weight of air of 0.0765 lb/ft3 at sea level and 15o C, the
dynamic pressure is given by : ( density: 0.0765 lb/ft3 , g = 32.2 ft/s2)

v2
 3- Wind Loads

 In the design of usual building types, the dynamic pressure is

commonly converted into equivalent static pressure p expressed as:

 Where,

Ce : Exposure factor varying from 1.0 [for 0 to 40ft height] to

2.0 [for 740- 1200 ft height]

Cg : Gust factor = 2.0 for structural elements and 2.5 for small elements
including cladding

Cp : Shape factor for the building

 4- Seismic Loads

 Caused by sudden undulation of a portion of the earth’s surface

 The ground surface moves in both horizontal and vertical directions, but it
is the horizontal component of the ground motion that causes most of the
damages.
 The magnitude depends on:
 Proximity from seismic active zones
 Height of the structure
 Structural system
 Occupancy
 Soil type
 4- Seismic Loads…
 When the ground under a given structure moves due to the earthquake,
the inertia of the mass tends to resist the movement.
 To simplify the design w W
process building codes
describe an equivalent
lateral force procedure
such the one contained
in ANSI
 4- Seismic Loads…

When the natural period T cannot be determined by rational means

from technical data, it may be obtained as follows:

• for shear walls or exterior concrete frames using deep beams or

wide piers, or both:
 5- Hydrostatic and Soil Pressure

 Structures used to retain water such as dams tanks and coastal

structures must be designed to resist hydrostatic pressure.
 Similarly, underground structures like basement walls floors and
retaining walls must be designed to resist soil pressure.
 Both hydrostatic or soil pressure act normal to the submerged
surface with the magnitude varying linearly with the height.
 5- Hydrostatic and Soil Pressure…

P=y h

SB
 LOAD FACTORS

 Load factors are amplifying factors used to account for uncertainties

in involved in estimating the loads.
 Load factors for live loads are usually higher that used for dead loads
since dead loads can be estimated more accurately than live loads.
Notations
Example 2
Example 2
Example 3

+ -
Example 4
Example 4
 LRFD Design Method

 Service load is multiplied by a load factor, normally larger than 1.0.

reflecting the uncertainty of that particular load.

 Resistance factors Ф (also known as strength factors) are usually

reductions factors applied to the strength of the member to account for
uncertainties in material strengths, dimensions and workmanship.

 A structure is said to be safe if it has high reliability ( ability to fulfill its

design function during the planned life span), meaning: very small
chances of failure.
RESISTANCE FACTORS

SB
RESISTANCE FACTORS

 The goal of LRFD Specifications is to keep this chance to very small

values. To do this, the resistance Ф R of each member and the
maximum load Ru during the life span are computed.
 LRFD Design Method

 A structure is said to be safe if it has high reliability ( ability to fulfill its

design function during the planned life span), meaning: very small
chances of failure.
 It is desirable to have a structure with 100% reliability, but this goal is
statistically impossible. For a system with resistance R and applied
load Q, statically there will always be a chance for Q to exceed R or
chance of failure .
 A structure is said to be safe if:

SB
Text Assigned Problems:

Solve the following Problems:

• 2.1, 2.3, and 2.5

Questions ?