Compression Members

COLUMN STABILITY

A. Flexural Buckling
• Elastic Buckling
• Inelastic Buckling
• Yielding
B. Local Buckling – Section E7 pp 16.1-39
and B4 pp 16.1-14
C. Lateral Torsional Buckling
 AISC Requirements

CHAPTER E pp 16.1-32

Nominal Compressive Strength

Pn  Fcr Ag
AISC Eqtn E3-1
 AISC Requirements

LRFD
Pu  c Pn

Pu  Sum of factored loads

c  resistance factor for compressio n  0.90

c Pn  design compressiv e strength

 In Summary

 Fy
 KL E

 0.658 F 
e
Fy if  4.71

  r Fy



Fcr   or Fe  0.44 Fy




 0.877 Fe otherwise

KL
 200
r
 In Summary - Definition of Fe

Fe: Elastic Buckling Stress corresponding to the controlling mode of

failure (flexural, torsional or flexural torsional)

Theory of Elastic Stability (Timoshenko & Gere 1961)

Flexural Buckling Torsional Buckling Flexural Torsional Flexural Torsional

2-axis of symmetry Buckling Buckling
1 axis of symmetry No axis of symmetry

 2E AISC Eqtn AISC Eqtn AISC Eqtn

Fe 
KL / r 2 E4-4 E4-5 E4-6
 Column Design Tables

Assumption : Strength Governed by Flexural Buckling

Check Local Buckling

Column Design Tables

Design strength of selected shapes for effective length KL

Table 4-1 to 4-2, (pp 4-10 to 4-316)

Critical Stress for Slenderness KL/r

table 4.22 pp (4-318 to 4-322)
 Design of Members in Compression

• Selection of an economical shape: Find lightest shape

• Usually category is defined beforehand, e.g. W, WT etc

• Usually overall nominal dimensions defined in advance

because of architectural and other requirements.

USE OF COLUMN LOAD TABLES

IF NOT APPLICABLE - TRIAL AND ERROR

 EXAMPLE I – COLUMN LOAD TABLES

A compression member is subjected to service loads pf 165 dead and 535

kips live. The member is 26 feet long and pinned at each end

LRFD

Calculate factored load

Pu  1.2D  1.6L  1.2(165)  1.6(535)  1,054 kips

Required Design Strength

c Pn  1,054 kips
Enter Column Tables with KL=(1)(26)=26 ft

W14 X 145 design strength :1,230 kips  Pu OK

 EXAMPLE I – COLUMN LOAD TABLES

A compression member is subjected to service loads pf 165 dead and 535

kips live. The member is 26 feet long and pinned at each end

ASD

Calculate factored load

Pa  D  L  (165)  (535)  700 kips

Required Allowable Strength

Pn
 700 kips
c
Enter Column Tables with KL=(1)(26)=26 ft

W14 X 132 design strength : 702 kips  Pa OK

 EXAMPLE Ii – COLUMN LOAD TABLES

Select the lightest W-shape that can resist a service dead load of 62.5
kips and a service live load of 125 kips. The effective length is 24 feet.
Use ASTM A992 steel
LRFD
Calculate factored load and required strength

Pu  1.2D  1.6L  1.2(62.5)  1.6(125)  275 kips  c Pn

Enter Column Tables with KL=(1)(24)=24 ft
W 8 :No W8 with φc Pn  275 kips
W10 :W10 X 54, c Pn  282 kips No Footnote: No need to
check for local buckling

W12 :W10 X 58, c Pn  293 kips

W14 :W14 X 61, c Pn  293 kips
 IF COLUMNS NOT APPLICABLE

1. Assume a value for Fcr

Fcr  Fy

2. Determine required area

LRFD
Pu
c Fcr Ag  Pu  Ag 
c Fcr
ASD
Pa Pa
0.6Fcr   Ag 
Ag 0.6 Fcr
 IF COLUMNS NOT APPLICABLE

3 Select a shape that satisfies area requirement

4 Compute Fcr for the trial shape

5 Revise if necessary
• If available strength too close to required value try next tabulated value
• Else repeat 1-4 using Fcr of trial shape

6 Check local stability and revise if necessary

 Example

Select a W18 shape of A992 steel that can resist a service dead load of 100
kips amd a service live load of 300 kips. Effective length KL=26 ft
Calculate factored load and required strength

Pu  1.2D  1.6L  1.2(100)  1.6(300)  600 kips

2
Try Fcr  Fy  33 ksi
3
Pu 600
Required Area Ag    20.2 in 2
c Fcr 0.933
 Example

Select a W18 shape of A992 steel that can resist a service dead load of 100
kips amd a service live load of 300 kips. Effective length KL=26 ft
Try W 18x71

Available Area Ag  20.8 in 2  20.2 OK

KL 26 12
Slenderness   183.5  200 OK
rmin 1.70
 2E  2 (29,000)
Euler’s Stress Fe    8.5 ksi
KL / r 2
183.5 2

E 29,000 KL
Elastic Buckling 4.71  4.71  113   183.5
Slenderness Limit Fy 50 rmin

ELASTIC BUCKLING
 Example

Select a W18 shape of A992 steel that can resist a service dead load of 100
kips amd a service live load of 300 kips. Effective length KL=26 ft

Critical Stress Fcr  0.877 Fe  0.8778.5  7.455 ksi

Design Strength

c Pn  c Fcr Ag  0.9(7.455)( 20.8)  140 kips  600 kips NG

 Example

Select a W18 shape of A992 steel that can resist a service dead load of 100
kips amd a service live load of 300 kips. Effective length KL=26 ft

 33  7.455 
Assume NEW Fcr  20 ksi   
Critical Stress  2 

Pu 600
Ag    33.3 in 2
c Fcr 0.920
Required Area
 Example

Select a W18 shape of A992 steel that can resist a service dead load of 100
kips amd a service live load of 300 kips. Effective length KL=26 ft
Try W 18x119

Available Area Ag  35.1 in 2  33.3 OK

KL 26 12
Slenderness   116.0  200 OK
rmin 2.69
 2E  2 (29,000)
Euler’s Stress Fe    21.27 ksi
KL / r 2
116.0 2

E 29,000 KL
Elastic Buckling 4.71  4.71  113   116
Slenderness Limit Fy 50 rmin

ELASTIC BUCKLING
 Example

Select a W18 shape of A992 steel that can resist a service dead load of 100
kips amd a service live load of 300 kips. Effective length KL=26 ft

Critical Stress Fcr  0.877 Fe  0.87721.27  18.65 ksi

Design Strength

c Pn  c Fcr Ag  0.9(18.65)(35.1)  589 kips  600 kips NG

This is very close, try next larger size

 Example

Select a W18 shape of A992 steel that can resist a service dead load of 100
kips amd a service live load of 300 kips. Effective length KL=26 ft
Try W 18x130

Available Area Ag  38.2 in 2

KL 26 12
Slenderness   115.6  200 OK
rmin 2.70
 2E  2 (29,000)
Euler’s Stress Fe    21.42 ksi
KL / r 2
115.6 2

E 29,000 KL
Elastic Buckling 4.71  4.71  113   115.6
Slenderness Limit Fy 50 rmin

ELASTIC BUCKLING
 Example

Select a W18 shape of A992 steel that can resist a service dead load of 100
kips amd a service live load of 300 kips. Effective length KL=26 ft

Critical Stress Fcr  0.877 Fe  0.87721.42  18.79 ksi

Design Strength

c Pn  c Fcr Ag  0.9(18.79)(38.2)  646 kips  600 kips OK

 More Length
Effective on Effective Length in
of Columns Factor
Frames

Ic Lc
Ig Lg Ig Lg Assumptions
A • All columns under
Ic Lc consideration reach buckling
Simultaneously
B
• All joints are rigid

• Consider members lying in the

plane of buckling
Define:


• All members have constant A

G
Ic Lc
G 
I c Lc • Elastic Behavior

I I
A B
g Lg g Lg
 Effective Length Factor-Alingnment Charts

Use alignment charts (Structural Stability Research Council SSRC)

AISC Commentary Figure C-C2.3 nad C-C2.4 p 16-.1-241

Connections to foundations
(a) Hinge
G is infinite - Use G=10
(b) Fixed
G=0 - Use G=1.0

E KL
Assumption of Elastic Behavior is violated when 4.71 
Inelastic Flexural Buckling Fy rmin
 Example

G
 I c Lc
I
W12x96 12’
g Lg
W24x55 A W24x68

Joint A
W12x120 12’
833 / 12  1070 / 12
W24x55 B W24x68 GA   0.94
1350 / 20  1830 / 18
W12x120 15’
Joint B
1070 / 12  1070 / 15
C
GB   0.95
1350 / 20  1830 / 18
20’ 18’
Joint C
Sway Uninhibited
Pinned End GC  10.0
 Example

AISC Commentary Figure C-C2.3 nad C-C2.4 p 16-.1-241

COLUMN AB COLUMN BC

GA  0.94 Gc  10.0
GB  0.95 GB  0.95

K x  1.3 K x  1.85
olumns in Frames

More on Effective Length

Assumptions
• All columns under
consideration reach buckling
Simultaneously

• All joints are rigid

• Consider members lying in the

plane of buckling

• All members have constant A

• Elastic Behavior Violated

 Alingnment Charts & Inelastic Behavior

Elastic
Ginelastic 
 EI
t c Lc Et
 Gelastic
 2E
 EI
g Lg E
Fcr 
 KL
r
 2
Ginelastic   a  Gelastic

Inelastic Stiffness Fcr ( inelastic) Et

Reduction a  
 2 Et Factor Fcr ( elastic) E
Fcr 
 KL
r
2

SRF: Table 4-21 AISC Manual pp 4-317

 Example

Compute Stiffness Reduction Factor per LRFD for an axial compressive stress of
25 ksi and Fy=50 ksi

Pu
 25 ksi
Ag
P 25 F 
Fcr (inelastic)  u   27.78 ksi  0.658 y
Fe
Fy
c Ag 0.9

27.78 ksi  0.65850 Fe 50  Fe  35.61 ksi

Fcr (elastic)  0.877 Fe  0.87735.61  31.23

Fcr (inelastic) 27.28
a    0.890
Fcr ( elastic) 31.23