Steel - Ch1 - Introduction
Steel - Ch1 - Introduction
Structural Analysis
YES NO
Final Design
Structural Design
Optimal structural design shall achieve balance between
the following requirements:
Strength
Serviceability
Optimal design
Economy
Roles and responsibilities of the
structural steel designer
Arrange and proportion the members of the structures,
using engineer’s intuition and sound engineering
principles, so that they can be practically erected, have
sufficient strength (safe), and are economical.
Frames ( Beam-Column)
• Beams
• Girders
• Columns
Space trusses/frames
Steel Structures
Purlin
s
Columns
Beams-
Frames
Bracing
Steel Structures
Industrial/Parking
structures “Frames”
Steel Structures
Joists/Trusses
Steel Structures
Girder bridges
Steel Structures
Truss
bridges
Steel Structures
Cable stayed
& suspended
bridges
Structural Members
Structural members are categorized based up on the
internal forces in them. For example:
• Tension member –subjected to tensile axial force only
• Column or compression member –subjected to compressive axial
force only
• Tension/Compression member –subjected to tensile/compressive
axial forces
• Beam member –subjected to flexural loads, i.e., shear force &
bending moment only. The
• axial force in a beam member is negligible.
• Beam-column member – member subjected to combined axial
force & flexural loads (shear
• force, & bending moments)
Structural Members
• In trusses:
• All the members are connected using pin/hinge connections.
• All external forces are applied at the pins/hinges.
• All truss members are subjected to axial forces (tension or
compression) only.
• In frames:
• The horizontal members (beams) are subjected to flexural loads
only.
• In braced frames:
• The vertical members (columns) are subjected to compressive
axial forces only.
• The diagonal members (braces) are subjected to
tension/compression axial forces only.
• In moment frames
• The vertical members (beam-columns) are subjected to combined
axial & flexural loads.
Structural Connections
Members of a structural frame are connected together
using connections. Prominent connection types include:
• Truss / bracing member connections are used to connect two or
more truss members together. Only the axial forces in the
members have to be transferred through the connection for
continuity.
• Simple shear connections are the pin connections used to
connect beam to column members. Only the shear forces are
transferred through the connection for continuity. The bending
moments are not transferred through the connection.
• Moment connections are fix connections used to connect beam to
column members. Both the shear forces & bending moments are
transferred through the connections with very small deformations
(full restraint).
Structural Connections
Truss connection
Simple Shear
connection
Moment resisting
connection
Structural Loads
The building structure must be designed to carry or resist
the loads that are applied to it over its design-life. The
building structure will be subjected to loads that have been
categorized as follows:
• Dead Loads (D): are permanent loads acting on the structure.
These include the self-weight of structural & non-structural
components. They are usually gravity loads.
• Live Loads (L): are non-permanent loads acting on the structure
due to its use & occupancy. The magnitude & location of live loads
changes frequently over the design life. Hence, they cannot be
estimated with the same accuracy as dead loads.
• Wind Loads (W): are in the form of pressure or suction on the
exterior surfaces of the building. They cause horizontal lateral
loads (forces) on the structure, which can be critical for tall
buildings. Wind loads also cause uplift of light roof systems.
Structural Loads
• Snow Loads (S): are vertical gravity loads due to snow,
which are subjected to variability due to seasons &
drift.
• Roof Live Load (Lr): are live loads on the roof caused
during the design life by planters, people, or by
workers, equipment, & materials during maintenance.
• Values of structural loads can be computed based on
the design code.
Dead Loads (D)
Dead loads consist of the weight of all materials of
construction incorporated into the building including but
not limited to walls, floors, roofs, ceilings, stairways, built-
in partitions, finishes, cladding & other similarly
incorporated architectural & structural items, & fixed
service equipment such as plumbing stacks & risers,
electrical feeders, & heating, ventilating, & air conditioning
systems.
qz = 402 Kz (N/m2)
p = q GCp (N/m2)
ASCE 7-05 pg. 79
• Note that:
• A positive sign indicates pressure acting towards a surface.
• Negative sign indicates pressure away from the surface
Example 1.1 – Wind Load
Consider the building structure with the structural floor plan & elevation
shown below. Estimate the wind loads acting on the structure when the
wind blows in the east-west direction. The structure is located in
Nablus.
15 m
15 m
15 m 15 m
Plan
Example 1.1 – Wind Load
6 @ 3m
6 @ 3m
Example 1.1 – Wind Load
Velocity pressure (qz)
• Kd - directionality factor = 0.85
• Kzt - topographic factor = 1.0
• I - importance factor = 1.0
• V = 100 kph in Nablus
qz = 402 Kz (N/m2)
• Kz - varies with height z above the ground level
• Kz values for Exposure B, Case 2
Example 1.1 – Wind Load
Wind pressure (p)
• Gust factor = G = 0.85 for rigid structures
• External pressure coefficient = Cp = +0.8 for windward walls
• Cp = -0.5 for leeward walls
• Cp = -0.7 for side walls
• External pressure = q G Cp
• External pressure on windward wall = qz GCp = 402 Kz x 0.85 x 0.8 =
273.4 Kz Pa toward surface
• External pressure on leeward wall = qh GCp = 402 K18 x 0.85 x (-0.5)
= 145.2 Pa away from surface
• External pressure on side wall = qh GCp = 402 K18 x 0.85 x (-0.7) =
203.3 Pa away from surface
• The external pressures on the structure are shown in the following
two figures.
Example 1.1 – Wind Load
203.3
273.4 Kz
145.2
203.3
Example 1.1 – Wind Load
3m
232.4
3m 221.5
3m 207.8 145.2
191.4
3m 180.4
169.5
3m
155.8
3m
Background of Structural Steel
Economical production in large volume not available until mid 19th
century and the introduction of the Bessemer process. Steel became
the principal metallic structural material by 1890.
Steels consists almost entirely of iron (over 98%) and small quantities
of carbon, silicon, manganese, sulfur, phosphorus, and other
elements.
The quantities of carbon affect properties of steel the most.
Increase of carbon content increases hardness and strength
Alloy steel – has additional amounts of alloy elements such chronium,
vanadium, nickel, manganese, copper, or zirconium.
The American Society for Testing of Materials (ASTM) specifies exact
maximum percentages of carbon content and other additions for a
number of structural steels. Consult Manual, Part 2, Table 2-1 to 2-3
for availability of steel in structural shapes, plate products, and
structural fasteners.
ASTM classifications of structural
steels
Carbon steels – A36, A53, A500, A501, A529, A570. Have
well-defined yield point. Divided into four categories:
• Low-carbon steel (< 0.15%)
• Mild steel (0.15 to 0.29%, structural carbon steels)
• Medium-carbon steel (0.3 to 0.59%)
• High-carbon steel (0.6 to 1.7%)
High-Strength Low-Alloy steels – A242, A572, A588,
A606, A607, A618, A709
• Well-defined yield point
• Higher strengths and other properties
Alloy Steels – A514, A709, A852, A913.
• Yield point defined as the stress at 0.2% offset strain
• Low-alloy steels quenched and tempered → 550 to 760 MPa yield
strengths
Advantages and disadvantages of
steel as a structural material
Advantages
• High strength per unit of weight → smaller weight of structures
• Uniformity
• Elasticity
• Long lasting
• Ductility
• Toughness
• Easy connection
• Speed of erection
• Ability to be rolled into various sizes and shapes
• Possible reuse and recyclable
Advantages and disadvantages of
steel as a structural material
Disadvantages
• Maintenance costs
• Fire protection/Fireproofing costs
• Susceptibility to buckling failure
• Fatigue
• Brittle fracture
Types of Steel
Three basic types of steel used for structural steel
• Plain Carbon Steel
• Low-alloy steel
• High-alloy “specialty steel”
The most commonly used is mild steel - ASTM A36
Fu
Fy Yield plateau
E
• Where Rn is the nominal strength and Q is the load effect for the ith
limit state
Load and Resistance Factor Design
(LRFD)
Resistance: Shear, Bending, Axial Forces
Advantages of LRFD
• Non-case specific, statistical calculations guarantee population
behavior.
• Uniform factor of safety as both load and material factors are tied
by reliability analysis
Probabilistic Basis for LRFD
If we have the probability distribution of the load effect (Q)
and the material resistance (R) then:
• The probability of failure can be represented by observing the
probability of the function (R-Q)
• The probability of failure PF can be represented as the probability that
Q ≥ R:
Probability
of failure
AISC Load combinations
AISC considers the following load combinations
in design g i Qi fi Rn
1 1.4 D
2 1.2 D 1.6 L 0.5( Lr or S or R)