ASIA PACIFIC COLLEGE OF ADVANCED STUDIES

AH Banzon St., Ibayo, City of Balanga, Bataan

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL
IN PRINCIPLES OF
STEEL DESIGN
(CE PROF 6)

A.Y. 2021-2022
at at

REFERENCES:

1. Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines. (2004). ASEP Steel Handbook 2004, 3nd
Edition, Philippines: Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines.
2. Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, Inc., (2015) National Structural Code of
the Philippines NSCP C101-15 Volume 1 Buildings, Towers and Other Vertical Structures, 7 th
Edition Second Printing 2019, Philippines: ASEP.
3. Spiegel, Leonard and Limbrunner George F. (1997). Applied Structural Steel Design, 3rd Edition.
Mc Graw-Hill, New York, USA.
Lesson 5: Analysis and Design for Axial Compression (Part 1)
OBJECTIVES

• Incorporate necessary code specification to compute the allowable stresses of sections.

• Absorb all basic formulas in the analysis of compression members.
• Understand the principle of Euler’s Critical Buckling Load.
• Investigate the capacity of steel sections subjected to the different failure in compression.
• Design efficiently compression members using LRFD and ASD method.

INTRODUCTION

There are several types of compression members, the column being the best known. Among the other
types are the top chords of trusses and various bracing members. In addition, many other members
have compression in some of their parts. These include the compression flanges of rolled beams and
built-up beam sections, and members that are subjected simultaneously to bending and compressive
loads.

There are three general modes by which axially loaded columns can fail. These are flexural buckling,
local buckling, and torsional buckling. These modes of buckling are briefly defined as follows:

1. Flexural Buckling – (also called Euler buckling) is the primary type of buckling. Members are subject
to flexure, or bending, when they become unstable.
2. Torsional buckling – caused by twisting about the longitudinal axis of the member. It can occur only
with doubly symmetrical cross sections with very slender cross-sectional elements.
3. Flexural-torsional buckling – may occur in columns that have certain cross-sectional configurations.
These columns fail by twisting (torsion) or by combination of torsional and flexural bending.
THE EULER FORMULA

For a column to buckle elastically, it will have to be long and slender. Its buckling load P can be
computed with the Euler formula that follows:
(Eq. 5.1.1)
𝜋 2 𝐸𝐼
𝑃= 2
𝐿
This formula usually is written in a slightly different form that involves the column’s slenderness ratio.
Since 𝑟 = √𝐼/𝐴, then we can show that 𝐼 = 𝐴𝑟 2 . If we substitute this term from Eq. (5.1.1) and dividing
both sides by A, we can obtain the critical buckling stress as:
(Eq. 5.1.2)
𝑃 𝜋 2𝐸
= = 𝐹𝑒
𝐴 (𝐿/𝑟)2
END RESTRAINT AND EFFECTIVE LENGTHS OF COLUMNS

The effective length of a column is defined as the distance between points of zero moment in the
column, that is, the distance between its inflection points. In steel specifications, the effective length of
a column is referred to as 𝐾𝐿, where 𝐾 is the effective length factor. 𝐾 is the number that must be
multiplied by the length of the column to find its effective length.

An example is given in figure below where a simple bent is shown. The base of each of the columns is
pinned, and the other end is free to rotate and move laterally (called sidesway).

Structural steel columns serve as parts of frames, and these frames are sometimes braced and
sometimes unbraced.

A braced frame is one for which sidesway or joint translation is prevented by means of bracing, shear
walls, or lateral support from adjoining structures.

An unbraced frame does not have any of these types of bracing supplied and must depend on the
stiffness of its own members and the rotational rigidity of the joints between the frame members to
prevent lateral buckling.

Table C-C2.2 of the AISC Commentary on the Specification provides recommended effective length
factors when ideal conditions are approximated. This table is reproduced provided as shown below.
 8 Id
Slenderness limitations, the effective length factor, 𝐾:

LONG, SHORT, AND INTERMEDIATE COLUMNS

Columns are sometimes classed as being long, short, or intermediate. A brief discussion of each of these
classifications is presented in the paragraphs to follow.

Long Columns - The Euler formula predicts very well the strength of long columns where the axial
buckling stress remains below the proportional limit. Such columns will buckle elastically.

Short Columns - the failure stress will equal the yield stress and no buckling will occur. For a column to
fail into this class, it would have to be short as to have no practical application. Thus, no further
reference is made to them here.

Intermediate Columns - For intermediate columns, some of the fibers will reach the yield stress and
some will not. The members will fail by both yielding and buckling, and their behavior is said to be
inelastic. Most columns fall into this range.

NSCP 2015 PROVISIONS

505.1 General Provisions

The design compressive strength, 𝝓𝒄 𝑷𝒏 , and the allowable compressive strength, 𝑷𝒏 /𝜴𝒄 , are
determined as follows:

The nominal compressive strength, 𝑷𝒏 , shall be the lowest value obtained according to the limit states
of flexural buckling, torsional buckling and flexural-torsional buckling.

1. For doubly symmetric and singly symmetric members the limit state of flexural buckling is
applicable.
2. For singly symmetric and unsymmetric members, and certain doubly symmetric members, such as
cruciform or built-up columns, the limit states of torsional or flexural-torsional buckling are also
applicable.

𝝓𝒄 = 𝟎. 𝟗𝟎 (𝑳𝑹𝑭𝑫) 𝜴𝒄 = 𝟏. 𝟔𝟕 (𝑨𝑺𝑫)
505.2 Slenderness Limitation and Effective Length

The effective length factor, 𝑲, for calculation of column slenderness, 𝑲𝑳/𝒓, shall be determined in
accordance with Section 503,

where

𝑳 = laterally unbraced length of the member, mm

𝒓 = governing radius of gyration, mm
𝑲 = effective length factor

User Note: For members designed on the basis of compression, the slenderness ratio 𝐾𝐿/𝑟 preferably
should not exceed 200.

505.3 Compressive Strength Flexural Buckling of Members without Slender Elements

This section applies to compression members with compact and noncompact sections, as defined in
Section 502.4, for uniformly compressed elements.

User Note: When the torsional unbraced length is larger than the lateral unbraced length, then Section
505.4 may control the design of wide flange and similarly shaped columns.

The nominal compressive strength, 𝑷𝒏 , shall be determined based on the limit state of flexural buckling.
(Eq. 505.3-1)
𝑃𝑛 = 𝐹𝑐𝑟 𝐴𝑔

𝐾𝐿 𝐸 𝐹𝑦
1. when ≤ 4.71√ (𝑜𝑟 𝐹𝑒 ≥ 0.44𝐹𝑦 ; ≤ 2.25)
𝑟 𝐹𝑦 𝐹𝑒
471T
(Eq. 505.3-2)
Pn
𝐹𝑦
𝐹𝑐𝑟 = [0.658 𝐹𝑒 ] 𝐹𝑦

1
𝐾𝐿 𝐸 𝐹𝑦 74 71FFy
2. when > 4.71√ (𝑜𝑟 𝐹𝑒 < 0.44𝐹𝑦 ; > 2.25)
𝑟 𝐹𝑦 𝐹𝑒

(Eq. 505.3-3)
𝐹𝑐𝑟 = 0.877𝐹𝑒
where

𝐹𝑒 = elastic critical buckling stress determined according to Eq. 505.3-4, Section 505.4, or the provisions
of Section 503.2, as applicable, MPa.
(Eq. 505.3-4)
𝜋 2𝐸
𝐹𝑒 =
𝐾𝐿 2
( )
𝑟
User Note: The two equations for calculating the limits and applicability of this section, one based on
𝐾𝐿/𝑟 and one based on 𝐹𝑒, provide the same result.

These requirements are represented graphically in figure below

PROBLEM 1 – A W 360 x 110 steel has a length of 6 meters and pinned ends. Compute the design
compressive strength for LRFD and the allowable compressive strength for ASD.

LOCAL STABILITY

The strength corresponding to any overall buckling mode, however, such as flexural buckling, cannot be
developed if the elements of the cross section are so thin that local buckling occurs. This type of
instability is a localized buckling or wrinkling at an isolated location. If it occurs, the cross section is no
longer fully effective, and the member has failed. The measure of this susceptibility is the width-to-
thickness ratio of each cross-sectional element.

Two types of elements must be considered: unstiffened elements, which are unsupported along one
edge parallel to the direction of load, and stiffened elements, which are supported along both edges.

Limiting values of width-to-thickness ratios are given in NSCP 502.4.1. For compression members,
shapes are classified as slender or nonslender. The width-to-thickness ratio is given the generic symbol
𝝀.

Depending on the particular cross-sectional element, 𝝀 for I shapes is either the ratio 𝑏/𝑡 or ℎ/𝑡𝑤 . If 𝝀 is
greater than the specified limit (denoted 𝝀𝒓 ), the shape is slender.

MEMBERS WITH SLENDER ELEMENTS (Section 505.7)

This section applies to compression members with slender sections, as defined in Section 502.4 for
uniformly compressed elements.

The nominal compressive strength, 𝑷𝒏 , shall be determined based on the limit states of flexural,
torsional and flexural-torsional buckling.
𝑃𝑛 = 𝐹𝑐𝑟 𝐴𝑔

𝐾𝐿 𝐸 𝑄𝐹𝑦
1. when ≤ 4.71√ (𝑜𝑟 𝐹𝑒 ≥ 0.44𝑄𝐹𝑦 ; ≤ 2.25)
𝑟 𝐹𝑦 𝐹𝑒

(Eq. 505.7-2)
𝐹𝑦
𝐹𝑐𝑟 = 𝑄 [0.658 𝐹𝑒 ] 𝐹𝑦

𝐾𝐿 𝐸 𝑄𝐹𝑦
2. when > 4.71√ (𝑜𝑟 𝐹𝑒 < 0.44𝑄𝐹𝑦 ; > 2.25)
𝑟 𝐹𝑦 𝐹𝑒
 (Eq. 505.7-3)
𝐹𝑐𝑟 = 0.877𝐹𝑒
𝐹𝑒 = elastic critical buckling stress, calculated using Eqs. 505.3-4 and 505.4-4 for doubly symmetric
members, Eqs. 505.3-4 and 505.4-5 for singly symmetric members, and Eq. 505.4-6 for unsymmetric
members, except for single angles where 𝐹𝑒 is calculated using Eq. 505.3-4.

𝑄 = 1.0 for members with compact and noncompact sections, as defined in Section 502.4, for uniformly
compressed elements.

𝑄 = 𝑄𝑠 𝑄𝑎 for members with slender-element sections, as defined in Section 502.4, for uniformly
compressed elements.

See NSCP Section 505.7 for the values of 𝑄𝑠 (slender unstiffened elements) and 𝑄𝑎 (slender stiffened
elements).

502.4.1 Classification of Sections for Local Buckling

Sections are classified as compact, non-compact, or slender-element sections. For a section to qualify as
compact, its flanges must be continuously connected to the web or webs and the width-thickness ratios
of its compression elements must not exceed the limiting width-thickness ratios 𝝀𝒑 from Tables 502.4.1
and 502.4.2. If the width-thickness ratio of one or more compression elements exceeds 𝝀𝒑 , but does not
exceed 𝝀𝒓 from Tables 502.4.1 and 502.4.2, the section is non compact. If the width-thickness ratio of
any element exceeds 𝝀𝒓 , the section is referred to as slender-element section.

502.4.2 Unstiffened Elements

For unstiffened elements supported along only one edge parallel to the direction of the compression
force, the width shall be taken as follows:

1. For flanges of I-shaped members and tees, the width 𝑏 is one-half the full-flange with, 𝑏𝑓.
2. For legs of angles and flanges of channels and zees, the width 𝑏 is the full nominal dimension.
3. For plates, the width 𝑏 is the distance from the free edge to the first row of fasteners or line of weld.
4. For stems of tees, 𝑑 is taken as the full nominal depth of the section.

502.4.3 Stiffened Elements

For stiffened elements supported along two edges parallel to the direction of the compression force, the
width shall be taken as follows:

1. For webs of rolled or formed sections, 𝒉 is the clear distance between flanges less the fillet or corner
radius at each flange; 𝒉𝒄 is twice the distance from the centroid to the inside face of the
compression flange less the fillet or corner radius.
2. For webs of built-up sections, 𝒉 is the distance between flanges when welds are used, and 𝒉𝒄 is
twice the distance from the centroid to the nearest line of fasteners at the compression flange or
the inside face of the compression flange when welds are used; 𝒉𝒑 is twice the distance from the
plastic neutral axis to the nearest line of fasteners at the compression flange or the inside face of
the compression flange when welds are used.
3. For flange or diaphragm plates in built-up sections, the width 𝒃 is the distance between adjacent
lines of fasteners or lines of welds
4. For flanges of rectangular hollow structural sections (HSS), the width 𝒃 is the clear distance between
web less the inside corner radius on each side. For webs of rectangular HSS, 𝒉 is the clear distance
between the flanges less the inside corner radius on each side. If the corner radius is not known, 𝒃
and 𝒉 shall be taken as the corresponding outside dimension minus three times the thickness. The
thickness, 𝒕, shall be taken as the design wall thickness.
For tapered flanges of rolled sections, the thickness is the nominal value halfway between the free edge
and the corresponding face of the web.
PROBLEM 2 – Investigate the column of Problem 1 for local stability.

PROBLEM 3 – The compression member shown is pinned at both ends and supported in the weak
direction at midheight. Determine the axial compressive strength and the allowable axial compressive
strength if 𝑊12 × 65 of 𝐴992 steel (𝐹𝑦 = 345 𝑀𝑃𝑎) – Credits to Engr. Lao

PROBLEM 4 – Determine the axial compressive strength of an HSS 203.2 × 101.6 × 3.2 with an effective
length of 4.5 meters with respect to each principal axis. Use 𝐹𝑦 = 317 MPa.

Properties of 𝐻𝑆𝑆 203.2 × 101.6 × 3.2

A = 1740 𝑚𝑚2
b = 92.7 𝑚𝑚; h = 194 𝑚𝑚
t = 2.95 𝑚𝑚
rx = 74.2; ry = 43.4