Section Classification

Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Shek Poi Ngian

Faculty of Civil Engineering
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor
[email protected]
Background

• For efficiency, structural members are generally

composed of relatively thin elements (i.e.
thicknesses substantially less than other cross-
sectional dimensions)

• Although favourable in terms of overall structural

efficiency, the slender nature of these thin
elements results in susceptibility to local
instabilities (buckling) under compressive
stress, which must be considered in design.
Local Buckling

Loading, P

Local buckling

Local buckling in structural components

Cross-section Classification

• Whether in the elastic or inelastic material range,

cross-sectional resistance and rotation capacity are
limited by the effects of local buckling.

• Eurocode 3 (and BS 5950) account for the effects of

local buckling through cross-section classification.

• The classifications from BS 5950 of plastic,

compact, semi-compact and slender are replaced
in Eurocode 3 with Class 1, Class 2, Class 3 and
Class 4, respectively.
Factors Affecting Local Buckling

The factors that affect local buckling (and therefore the

cross-section classification) are:

• Width/thickness ratios of plate components

• Element support conditions

• Material strength, fy

• Applied stress system

Cross-section Classification

• Classification is made by comparing actual width-

to-thickness ratios of the plate elements with a set
of limiting values, given in Table 5.2 of EN 1993-1-1).
• A plate element is Class 4 (slender) if it fails to
meet the limiting values for a class 3 element.
• The classification of the overall cross-section is
taken as the least favourable of the constituent
elements (for example, a cross-section with a
class 3 flange and class 1 web has an overall
classification of Class 3).
Section Class

• EC3 defines four classes of cross section

• The class into which a particular cross section falls
depends upon

• Slenderness of each element (defined by a

width-to-thickness ratio

• The compressive stress distribution

• Classes are defined in terms of performance

requirement for resistance of bending
moments
Definition Of 4 Classes

Eurocode 3 defines four classes of cross-section:

Moment
Class 1
Mpl
Mel Class 2

Class 3

Class 4

Deformation
 Section Class
Class 1 Class 3
• Able to perform plastic hinge • Local buckling will occur
• With rotation capacity • Before the attainment of yield stress in
• With required plastic analysis one or more parts of the cross section
• Without reduction of the resistance

Class 2 Class 4
• Able to develop their plastic • Elastically calculated stress in the
moment resistance extreme compression fibre of the steel
• But limited to rotation capacity member
of local buckling • Assuming an elastic distribution of
stress can reach the yield strength
• Local buckling is liable to prevent
development of plastic moment
resistance
Procedures

1. Refer Table 5.2 EN1993-1-1: 2005

2. Evaluate the slenderness ratio (cf/tf and cw/tw)
3. Evaluate the parameter ε
4. Determine the class of that element based on
limiting value of thickness ratio
5. Classify the complete cross-section according to
the least favourable classification
Compression

Cross-section resistance in compression Nc,Rd:

𝐴𝐴𝑓𝑓𝑦𝑦
Class 1, 2 and 3: 𝑁𝑁𝑐𝑐,𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 =
𝛾𝛾𝑀𝑀𝑀

𝐴𝐴𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑓𝑓𝑦𝑦
Class 4: 𝑁𝑁𝑐𝑐,𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 =
𝛾𝛾𝑀𝑀𝑀
Bending

• Class 1 & 2 cross-sections:

𝑊𝑊𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑓𝑓𝑦𝑦
𝑀𝑀𝑐𝑐,𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 = 𝑀𝑀𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 =
𝛾𝛾𝑀𝑀𝑀

• Class 3 cross-sections:
𝑊𝑊𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑓𝑓𝑦𝑦
𝑀𝑀𝑐𝑐,𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 = 𝑀𝑀𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 =
𝛾𝛾𝑀𝑀𝑀

• Class 4 cross-sections:
𝑊𝑊𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑓𝑓𝑦𝑦
𝑀𝑀𝑐𝑐,𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 =
𝛾𝛾𝑀𝑀𝑀
Compressed Widths C
Definition of compressed widths – flat widths:
c

Rolled c Rolled

Welded c
Welded

(a) Outstand (b) Internal compression

flanges parts

Limits on slenderness e.g. c/t ≤ 9ε

ε = 235 / fy
Internal Compression Parts (Table 5.2 Sheet 1)
Outstand Flanges (Table 5.2 Sheet 2)
Angles And Tubular Sections (Table 5.2 Sheet 3)
Class 4 cross-sections

Class 4 (slender) cross-sections

• For class 4 (slender) cross-sections, reduced

(effective) cross-section properties must be calculated
to account explicitly for the occurrence of local
buckling prior to yielding.

• Effective width formulae for individual elements are

provided in Eurocode 3 Part 1.5 (EN 1993-1-5).
Class 4 - Effective Width Concept
Cross-section Classification Exercise
Determine the classification and resistance Nc,Rd for a 254 x 254 x 73 UC
in pure compression, assuming grade S355 steel.

h = 254.1 mm
b
z b = 254.6 mm
tw = 8.6 mm
tw
h d y y tf = 14.2 mm
r r = 12.7 mm
tf
z A = 9310 mm2

Section properties for 254 x 254 x 73 UC

Cross-section Classification Exercise (cont.)

Cross-section resistance in compression is covered in

clause 6.2.4, with cross-section classification covered in
clause 5.5.2.

For a nominal material thickness (tf = 14.2 mm and tw = 8.6

mm) of less than or equal to 40 mm the nominal values of
yield strength fy for grade S355 steel is 355 N/mm2 (from
Table 3.1 EN1993-1-1).
Cross-section Classification Exercise (cont.)

Cross-section classification (clause 5.5.2):

ε = 235 / fy = 235 / 355 = 0.81

Outstand flanges (Table 5.2, sheet 2, Part subject to Compression):

Actual cf / tf = 7.77 (From Section Properties Table)

Limit for Class 2 flange = 10 ε = 8.14 > 7.77

∴ Flanges are Class 2

Cross-section Classification Exercise (cont.)

Web – internal compression part (Table 5.2, sheet 1, Part subject

to compression)

Actual cw / tw = 23.29 (From Section Properties Table)

Limit for Class 1 web = 33 ε = 26.85 > 23.29

∴ Web is Class 1

Overall cross-section classification is therefore Class 2.

Cross-section Classification Exercise (cont.)

Cross-section compression resistance (clause 6.2.4):

Afy
Nc ,Rd = for Class 1, 2 or 3 cross − sections
γ M0

The design compression resistance of the cross-section

is therefore:

9310 × 355
Nc ,Rd = = 3305 × 103 N = 3305 kN
1.00
Cross-section Classification Exercise 2
Classify section 457 × 152 × 60 UKB subject to pure bending, Use steel of
grade S355.

b
z

tw
h d y y
r
tf
z
Cross-section Classification Exercise 2 (cont.)

ε = (235/fy)0.5 = (235/355)0.5 = 0.81

Classification of outstand element (Refer to BS EN1993-1-1, Table 5.2,

sheet 2, Part subject to compression):

Actual cf / tf = 4.68 (From Section Properties Table)

Class 1 limit 9 ε = 9 × 0.81 = 7.29 > 4.68

Therefore, the outstand element is Class 1 plastic.

Cross-section Classification Exercise 2 (cont.)

Classification of internal element (Refer to BS EN1993-1-1, Table 5.2,

sheet 1, Part subject to bending):

Actual cw / tw = 50.3 (From Section Properties Table)

Class 1 limit is 72 ε = 72 × 0.81 = 58.32 > 50.3

Therefore, the internal element is Class 1 plastic.

Under pure bending, the whole section is classified as Class 1

plastic.
Cross-section Classification Exercise 3
Classify section 457 × 152 × 60 UB subject to 700kN axial compression
and bending. Use steel grade S355.

b
z

tw
h d y y
r
tf
z
Cross-section Classification Exercise 3 (cont.)

ε = (235/fy)0.5 = (235/355)0.5 = 0.81

Classification of outstand element (Refer to BS EN1993-1-1, Table 5.2,

sheet 2, Part subject to compression):

Actual cf / tf = 4.68 (From Section Properties Table)

Class 1 limit 9 ε = 9 × 0.81 = 7.29 > 4.68

Therefore, the outstand element is Class 1 plastic.

Cross-section Classification Exercise 3 (cont.)

Classification of internal element (Refer to BS EN1993-1-1, Table 5.2,

sheet 1, Part subject to bending and compression):

Actual cw/tw = 50.3 (From Section Properties Table)

456ε
limit for Class 2 web = = 39.29 < 50.3
13α − 1
1 𝑁𝑁𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 1 700000
𝛼𝛼 = 1+ = 1+ = 0.81
2 𝑓𝑓𝑦𝑦 𝑐𝑐𝑤𝑤 𝑡𝑡𝑤𝑤 2 355 × 407.6 × 8.1
Cross-section Classification Exercise 3 (cont.)

42ε
= 66.5 > 50.3
limit for Class 3 web = 0, 67 + 0,33ψ

2 N Ed 2 × 700000
ψ= −1 = − 1 =−0.48
Af y 7620 × 355

Therefore, the internal element is Class 3 semi compact.

Under combined bending and compression, the whole section is

classified as Class 3 semi compact.
Summary

Local buckling and cross-section classification:

• Local buckling accounted for through cross-

section classification

• 4 classes of cross-section

• Classification influences resistance

• Effective widths for Class 4 sections

Section Classification

Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Shek Poi Ngian

Faculty of Civil Engineering
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor
[email protected]