Design of Steel Structures

Tension Members

Prof. Dr. Md. Basir Zisan

Dept. of Civil Engineering
Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology

1
 INTRODUCTION
Tension members are structural elements that are subjected to
axial tensile forces. Examples include:
 Members in trusses
 Cable in frame to resist lateral forces

2
 INTRODUCTION

Characteristics
Members Experience
Axial force
Stretching
Uniform stress over the cross section

Very Efficient Member

Strength governed by the material strength
Bolt holes affect the strength

3
 INTRODUCTION
Cross Sections Used for Tension Members

4
 NOMINAL STRENGTH
Nominal Strength of Tension Member
Yielding of gross section will occur when the stress f reaches
Fy

Factored yield strength = øt Pn

øt =0.90 for tension yielding limit state
Ag = gross section area

5
 NOMINAL STRENGTH
Nominal Strength of Tension Member
When limit state is a localized yielding resulting in a fracture
through the effective net area having hole, the nominal
strength Pn OR Tn is

Factored fracture strength = øt Ae Fu

øt =0.75 for tension fracture limit state
Ae = net effective area= UAn
An= net area
U=reduction coefficient (efficiency factor)

The smaller resistance factor for fracture (φt = 0.75 as

compared to φt = 0.90 for yielding) reflects the more serious
nature and consequences of reaching the fracture limit state.
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 NET AREA
The design of axially load member as shown in the figure
involves calculation for:

 Tension member (gross area)

 Tension member at connection (net area)

 Gusset plate at connection (net area)

 Gusset plate at support

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 NET AREA
The performance of a tension member is often governed
by the response of its connections. The AISC Steel Manual
introduces a measures of connection performance know as
joint efficiency, which is a function of:

 Material properties (ductility)

 Connectors spacing

 Stress concentrations

 Shear lag (Most important as defined by

AISC Steel Manual)

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 NET AREA
SHEAR LAG
 The force which is acting in one of the legs gets
transferred to the entire cross-section in the form of
shear.
 At the location of the connection, the stress distribution is
non-uniform due to the concentration of force on the
connected leg.

 This “lag” in stress distribution in

the tension member is termed as
“SHEAR LAG”.

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 NET AREA
The AISC Steel Manual introduces the concept of effective
net area to account for shear lag effect.
 For bolted connections: Ae = UAn
 For welded connections: Ae= UAg
Where

is the distance from the plane of the connection to the

centroid of the connected member and L is the length of
the connection in the direction of the load.

10
 NET AREA
Determination of

11
NET AREA

12
NET AREA

13
AREA REDUCTION DUE TO BOLT

 The nominal diameter of the hole (dh) is equal to the

bolt diameter (db) + 1/16 in.

 The bolt-hole fabrication process damages additional

material around the hole diameter. The material
damage extends 1/16 in. around the hole diameter.

 - Therefore, the net section area, assume that the gross

area is reduced by a hole diameter equal ((db) + 1/16 in.
+ 1/16 in) = (db) + 1/8 in.

14
 EXAMPLE-1
A 5 × ½ bar of A572 Gr. 50 steel is used as a tension
member. It is connected to a gusset plate with six 7/8 in.
diameter bolts as shown in below. Assume that the effective
net area Ae equals the actual net area An and compute the
tensile design strength of the member.

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 EXAMPLE-1
Gross section area = Ag = 5 x ½ = 2.5 in2

Net section area (An)

Hole diameter for calculating net area
= 7/8+ 1/16 + 1/16 in. = 1 in
Net section area = An = (5 – 2 x (1)) x ½
= 1.5 in2
Gross yielding design strength = φt Pn = φt Fy Ag
= 0.9 x 50 ksi x 2.5 in2
= 112.5 kips
Fracture design strength = φt Pn = φt Fu Ae
=0.75 x 65 ksi x 1.5 in = 73.125 kips
2

Therefore, design strength = 73.125 kips (net section fracture

controls) 16
FAILUR PATH AND NET AREA

17
 FAILUR PATH AND NET AREA
Stagger Fasteners: All possible failure pattern should be
considered.

18
NET AREA IN STAGGER FASTERNER

Length correction due to staggered condition = s2/4g

s= the spacing parallel to loading and
g= gage distance perpendicular to spacing

19
 EXAMPLE-2
Determine the minimum net area of the plate shown in figure,
assuming 15/16 in.-diameter holes as located in the figure.

Path AD, 2-holes

[12-2(15/16+1/16)]*0.25=2.50 in2
Path ABD, 3-holes
[12-3(15/16+1/16)+(2.125)2/(4*2.5)+(2.125)2/(4*4)]*0.25=2.43 in2
Path ABC, 3-holes
[12-3(15/16+1/16)+(2.125)2/(4*2.5)+(1.875)2/(4*4)]*0.25=2.42 in2
20
NET AREA IN STAGGER FASTERNER
When holes are staggered on two legs of an angle the
gage length g, the distance between two holes is
calculated as follows:

21
NET AREA IN STAGGER FASTERNER

22
NET AREA IN STAGGER FASTERNER
Determine the net area An for the angle given below if
15/16 in.-diam holes are used. Plate thickness in mm.

Net area is An, where D is the diameter of the hole.

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 NET AREA IN STAGGER FASTERNER
Determine the net area An for the angle given below if
15/16 in.-diam holes are used.
4.75 = (6+4-0.5)*0.5

Therefore, 3.75 in2 control the design.

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 TEARING OR BLOCK SHEAR
Block shear is an important consideration in the design of steel
connections. Consider the figure below that shows the
connection of a single-angle tension member. The block shear
is shown in shaded.

25
 TEARING OR BLOCK SHEAR
When thin plate are attached by bolt, a tearing limit state,
called block shear, may control the design strength of a
tension member.
 Here, the block will fail in shear
along ab and tension on bc. The
AISC steel manual procedure is
based on one of the two failure
surfaces yielding and the other
fracturing.
 The rupture along tensile plane
bc is accompanied by yielding to
the shear plan ab.
 The rupture along shear plane ab is accompanied by
rupture along tension plane bc.
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 Both surfaces contribute to the total resistance.
 TEARING OR BLOCK SHEAR
 The nominal strength in tension is FuAnt for fracture and
FyAgt for yielding where the subscript t denotes area on the
tension surface (bc).
 The yield and ultimate stress in shear are taken as 60% of
the values in tension. The AISC steel manual considers two
failure modes:
i. Shear yielding-tension rupture: 0.6FyAgv < 0.6FuAnv
Tn=0.6FyAgv +FuUbsAnt
ii. Shear fracture-tension rupture: 0.6FyAgv ≥ 0.6FuAnv
Tn=0.6FuAnv +FuUbsAnt
Suffix g stand for gross area and n stands for net area and Ubs
=1.0 for uniform stress and 0.5 for non-uniform stress.
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LOAD TRANSFER AT CONNECTORS
Calculate the governing net area for the following
connection. Given dia of connector is 7/8 in and plate is
5/8 in thick.

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LOAD TRANSFER AT CONNECTORS

29
LOAD TRANSFER AT CONNECTORS

30
LOAD TRANSFER AT CONNECTORS

31
 LRFD METHOD
Structural Safety Requirement

For tension member

32
 LRFD METHOD
For Tension

For block shear

33
EXAMPLE-3

34
 EXAMPLE-3
Yielding limit state
Area Ag= (L1+L2-t)*t = (4+6-0.5)*0.5=4.75 in2
Calculate Design Strength

Fracture limit state

Net Area

35
 EXAMPLE-3
Fracture limit state
Calculate Design Strength

So, Design Strength= 178 kip

36
 EXAMPLE-3
Calculate Load Effect

LRFD specification the ratio of L to D is assumed to be 3.0

If the angle section or gusset plate consists of very few large

fastener or thin plate, then it is necessary to check the block shear
limit state. 37
 EXAMPLE-4

Gross Area of angle

Ag= (4+4-0.25)×0.25
=1.94 in2

38
 EXAMPLE-4
Net Area of angle
An= 1.94-(1×0.25)
hole dia=1.0

39
 EXAMPLE-4
Block Shear
Block shear potential failure along path a-b-c must be
investigated since the angle thickness is very low compared
to gusted plate

Calculate net area Anv and Ant

40
 EXAMPLE-4
Block Shear

i. Shear yielding-tension rupture: 0.6FyAgv < 0.6FuAnv

Tn=0.6FyAgv +FuUbsAnt
ii. Shear fracture-tension rupture: 0.6FyAgv ≥ 0.6FuAnv
Tn=0.6FuAnv +FuUbsAnt

Thus, Block Shear Strength

Block Shear= 41.3 kips, Yield Limit= 62.9 kips and Fracture
41
Limit= 60.3 kips
 ASD METHOD
The Philosophy of ASD Method is

The nominal strength Rn divided by the factor Ω is called

“Allowable Strength”. In past, this method was called
“Allowable Stress Design”. In present method, the stress is
multiplied with section properties turned into strength.

Therefore, the nominal strength, Tn is

Yield Limit State, Tn =FyAg

Fracture Limit State, Tn =FuAe
42
 ASD METHOD
The allowable strength are

Yield Limit State

Fracture Limit State

Block Shear or Tear State

Yield Limit State F.O.S. is 1.67

Fracture Limit State F.O.S. is 2.0
Block Shear or Tear F.O.S is 2.0

43
 EXAMPLE-5
Re-do Example-3 by ASD method.

44
 EXAMPLE-5
Yield limit state

Fracture limit state

45
 EXAMPLE-6
Re-do Example-4 by ASD method.

Yield limit state

Tn = FyAg
=36×1.94
=69.8 kips

Fracture limit state

Tn = FuUAn
=58×0.82×(1.94-0.25)
=80.4 kips

Block Shear limit state Tn =55 kip

46
 EXAMPLE-6
Re-do Example-4 by ASD method.

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