Plate Girder 627

Example 12.2 Design a welded plate girder 24 m in span and laterally

restrained throughout. It has to support a uniform load of 100 kN/m throughout
the span exclusive of self-weight. Design the girder without intermediate
transverse stiffeners. The steel for the flange and web plates is of grade
Fe 410. Yield stress of steel may be assumed to be 250 MPa irrespective of the
thickness of plates used. Design the cross section, the end load bearing stiffener
and connections.
Solution For Fe 410 grade of steel: fu = 410 MPa, fy = fyp = fyw = 250 MPa
m = 0.3
E = 2 × 105 MPa
Partial safety factors gmw = 1.50 (for site welding)
= 1.25 (for shop welding)
____ ____

÷ ÷
250 250
e = ew = ef = ____ = ____ = 1.0
fy 250
Design forces
Total superimposed load = 100 kN/m
Factored superimposed load = 1.5 × 100 = 150 kN/m
WL (100 × 24) × 24
Let, self-weight of plate girder = ____ = _____________
400 400
= 144 kN
144
Self-weight of plate girder per metre length = ____ = 6 kN/m
24
Factored self weight = 1.5 × 6 = 9 kN/m
Total uniform factored load = 150 + 9 = 159 kN/m
159 × 242
Maximum bending moment = _________ = 11,448 kNm
8
159 × 24
________
Maximum shear force = = 1908 kN
2
Design of web
Optimum depth of plate girder, d = ____
( )
Mzk 0.33
fy
When intermediate transverse stiffeners are not to be provided;
d
__ £ 200 e i.e., 200 (from serviceability criteria)
tw
2
and £ 345 ef i.e., 345 (from flange buckling criteria)
Let us assume k = d/tw = 180.

(
d = ________________
250 )
11448 × 106 × 180 0.33
= 1871.9 mm 1800 mm

( ) (
Optimum web thickness, tw = ____2
Mz 0.33 ___________
fy k
=
250 × 1802
= 10.95 mm 12 mm
)
11448 × 106 0.33

(Thickness provided is more since intermediate transverse stiffeners are not to be

provided)
739! Mjnju!Tubuf!Eftjho!pg !Tuffm!Tusvduvsft

Let us try web plate 1800 × 12 mm in size.

Design of flanges
Let us assume that bending moment will be resisted by the flanges and shear by
the web.
Mz gm0 11448 × 106 × 1.10
Required area of flange, Af = ______ = ________________ = 27984 mm2
fy d 250 × 1800
Assuming width of flange equal to 0.3 times depth of girder,
bf = 0.3 × 1800 = 540 mm 560 mm
27984
Thickness of flange, tf = ______ = 49.97 50 mm
560
Let us try 560 × 50 mm flange plate.
Classification of flanges
For the flanges to be classifiable as plastic b/tf £ 8.4 e
bf – tw 560 – 12
The outstand of flange, b = ______ = ________ = 274 mm
2 2
b 274
__ = ____ = 5.48
tf 50
< 8.4 (8.4 e = 8.4 × 1 = 8.4) (Table 1.4)
Hence, the flanges are plastic. (bb = 1.0)
Check for bending strength
The trial section of the plate girder is shown in Fig. Ex. 12.2 (i). The plastic
section modulus of the section,
(D – tf) 1900 – 50
Zpz = 2 bf tf ______ = 2 × 560 × 50 × _________ = 51.80 × 106 mm3
2 2
Moment capacity,
fy 250
Md = bb Zpz ___ = 1.0 × 51.80 × 106 × ____ × 10–6 = 11772.7 kNm
gm0 1.10
> 11448 kNm
which is safe.
Shear capacity of web
Let us use simple post-critical method.
1800
d _____
__ = = 150
tw 12
< 200 (200 e = 200 × 1 = 200)

and also < 345 (345 e2f = 345 × 1 = 345)

which is all right.
Elastic critical shear stress,
kv p2 E
tcr, e = ______________
( )
d 2
12 (1 – m2) __
tw (i)!
Gjh/! Fy/! 23/3
! Qmbuf!Hjsefs! 73:

Transverse steffeners will be provided at supports only. Hence, kv = 5.35.

5.35 × p2 × 2 × 105
tcr, e = __________________ = 42.98 N/mm2
12 × (1 – 0.32) × 1502
The non-dimensional web slenderness ratio for shear buckling stress,
_______ __________

÷
fyw
÷
250
lw = _______
__ = __________
__ = 1.83 1.80
÷3 tcr, e ÷3 × 42.98
> 1.20
Shear stress corresponding to buckling (For lw > 1.20),
fyw 250
tb = _____
__ = _________
__ = 44.55 N/mm2
÷3 lw2 ÷3 × 1.802
Shear force corresponding to web buckling,
Vcr = dtw tb = 1800 × 12 × 44.55 × 10–3 = 962.28 kN
< 1908 kN
which is unsafe.
Let us revise the web thickness from 12 mm to 16 mm.
New values of tcr, e, lw, tb, and Vcr will be as follows.
d
__ 1800
= _____ = 112.5
tw 16
5.35 × p2 × 2 × 105
tcr, e = ____________________
2 2
= 76.41 N/mm2
12 × (1 – 0.3 ) × 112.5
_______ __________

÷
fyw
÷
_______ 250
lw = __ = __________
__ = 1.374 = 1.37
÷3 tcr, e ÷3 × 76.41
> 1.2
fyw 250
tb = _____
__ = _________
__ = 76.90 N/mm2
÷3 l2w ÷3 × 1.372
Vcr = dtw tb = 1800 × 16 × 76.90 × 10–3 = 2214.7 kN
> 1908 kN
which is safe.
Check for lateral-torsional buckling
Since the compression flange of the girder is laterally restrained throughout, the
possibility of lateral-torsional buckling is not there and this check is not required.
Flange to web connection
There will be two weld lengths along the span for each flange to web connection
[Fig. Ex. 12.2 (i)].
_
V Af y
qw = _____
2 Iz
bf D3 (bf – tw) d3 560 × 19003 (560 – 16) 18003
Iz = _____ – _________ = ___________ – ______________
12 12 12 12
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= 55702.6 × 106 mm4

1908 × 560 × 50 × (900 + 50/2)
qw = __________________________ = 0.4436 kN/mm
2 × 55702.6 × 106
Let us provide weld of size, S = 6 mm
KS = 0.7 × 6 = 4.2 mm
Strength of shop weld per unit length,
4.2 ×__250 × 10–3
fwd = ______________ = 0.485 kN/mm
÷3 × 1.25
> 0.4436 kN/mm
which is all right.
End bearing stiffener
Local capacity of the web, 16
fyw
Fw = (b1 + n2) tw ___
gm0 224
b1 = 125 mm 16
n2 = 50 × 2.5 = 125 mm
250
Fw = (125 + 125) × 16 × ____ × 10–3
1.10
20 tw 20 tw
= 909.09 kN
(ii)!
< 1908 kN
Gjh/! Fy/! 23/3
Hence, stiffener will be required.
Maximum reaction = 1908 kN
Let us try two flat sections, as stiffener, one on each side of web. Maximum width
560 – 16
of flat that can be accommodated = ________ = 272 mm
2
Let us provide 16 mm thick flat section.
Maximum permissible outstand
= 20 tq e = 20 × 16 × 1 = 320 mm
Maximum effective outstand
= 14 tq e = 14 × 16 × 1 = 224 mm
Let us try flat section 224 × 16 mm in size [Fig. Ex. 12.2(ii)].
Check for buckling of the stiffener
Effective area of stiffener
= 2 × 224 × 16 + (2 × 20 × 16) × 16
= 17408 mm2
Moment of inertia of the stiffener,

[ 16 × 2243
( 224 16 2
)]
Ix = 2 × _________ + 16 × 224 × ____ + ___ = 13319.1 × 104 mm4
12
__
2
____________
2

÷ ÷ 13319.1 × 104
Ix
Radius of gyration, r = __ = ____________ = 87.47 mm
A 17408
 Plate Girder 631

0.7 × 1800
Slenderness ratio, l = _________ = 14.41
87.47
For l = 14.41, fy = 250 N/mm2, and buckling curve c, the design compressive
stress from Table 8.7,
fcd = 225.67 N/mm2
Buckling resistance, Pd = Ae fcd = 17408 × 225.67 × 10–3 = 3928.46 kN
> 1908 kN
which is safe.
Hence, stiffener is safe in compression.
Check for bearing capacity of the stiffener
Since the stiffener will be coped to accommodate the fillet weld of flange plate to
the web, the available effective width of stiffener flat for bearing will be lesser than
the actual width. Let the stiffener plate be coped by 15 mm [Fig. Ex. 12.2 (iii)].
Width available for bearing = 224 – 15 = 209 mm
Bearing strength of the stiffener,
Aq fyq Stiffener
Fpsd = ______ ≥ Fc – Fw plate
0.8 gm0 coped
Area of stiffener in contact with flange,
Aq = 2 × 209 × 16
= 6688 mm2
Fc – Fw = 1908 – 909.09 = 998.91 kN
6688 × 250 × 10–3
Fpsd = _______________
0.8 ¥ 1.10
= 1900 kN
> 998.91 kN (iii)

which is safe. Fig. Ex. 12.2

Check for torsional resistance provided by end bearing stiffener
The ends of the plate girder must have sufficient torsional resistance from
transportation and erection view point.
The moment of inertia of the end bearing stiffener at support,
Is ≥ 0.34 as D3 Tcf
2 tf b3f dt3w 2 × 50 × 5603 1800 × 163
Iy = _____ + ___ = ____________ + __________
12 12 12 12
= 1464.08 × 106 mm4
A = 2 × 560 × 50 + 1800 × 16 = 84,800 mm2
__ ____________

÷ ÷
I 1464.08 × 106
ry = __y = ____________ = 131.40 mm
A 84,800
24 × 103
LLT ________
Slenderness ratio, l = ___
ry = = 182.65
131.40
> 100 (Section 12.17)
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30 30
For LLT > 100, as = ___2 = _______2 = 8.99 × 10–4
l 182.65
Is, provided ≥ 0.34 × 8.99 × 10–4 × (1800 + 2 × 50)3 × 50 = 104.82 × 106 mm4
16 × (2 × 224)3
Is, provided = _____________ = 119.89 × 106 mm4
12
> 104.82 × 106 mm4
which is safe.
End-stiffener connection
There will be two weld lengths along the
depth of web on each side of stiffener plates.
bs = 224 – 15 = 209 mm (iv)!

Tension capacity of one flat, Gjh/! Fy/! 23/3

0.9 An fu 0.9 × (209 × 16) × 410
Tdn = _______ = ___________________ × 10–3
gm1 1.25
= 987.15 kN
987.15
Shear per unit length q1 = ________________ = 0.278 kN/mm
2 × (1800 – 2 × 15)
Let us provide weld of size, S = 5 mm
KS = 0.7 × 5 = 3.5 mm
Strength of shop weld per unit length,
3.5 × 250
fwd1 = _________
__ × 10–3 = 0.404 kN/mm
÷3 × 1.25
> 0.278 kN/mm
Hence, provide 5 mm fillet weld to connect the end bearing stiffener with the web
plate [Fig. Ex. 12.2 (iv)].

Fybnqmf! 23/4! Redesign the plate girder of Ex. 12.2 using intermedi-
ate transverse stiffeners. Connections need not be designed. Use post-critical
method for the design.

Tpmvujpo From Ex. 12.2 following data will be taken.

Maximum bending moment = 11448 kNm
Maximum shear force = 1908 kN
Flange design will be same. Provide 560 × 50 mm flange plates.
Optimum depth of web = 1871.9 mm
Optimum thickness of web = 10.95 mm
e = 1.0
Since intermediate transverse stiffeners will be provided, the web may be made
slender.
Let us try web size of 2000 × 10 mm. [Fig. Ex. 12.3 (i)]