INTRODUCTION TO LIMIT STATES

1
 INTRODUCTION

Designer has to ensure the structures, he

designs are:

• Fit for their purpose

• Safe
• Economical and durable

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 2
INTRODUCTION-2

• Uncertainties affecting the safety of a

structure are due to:

 uncertainty about loading

 uncertainty about material strength and

 uncertainty about structural dimensions

and behaviour

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 3
 INTRODUCTION-3

Variation of maximum
life time load effects
(B.M.) Variation of resistance
Frequency

Curve (a) (R.M.) between nominally

Curve (b)
identical materials
Risk of failure

Strength (or Load effects divided

Load used in calculation
resistance) by
used in Resistance moment
calculations
Statistical Meaning of Safety

4
 INTRODUCTION - 4

• Uncertainties in service life are due to:

 Variability of the loads

 Variability of the load distribution through the structure

• Characteristic resistance:
Value of resistance below which not more than a prescribed
percentage of test results may be expected to fall

• Characteristic load:
Value of the load, which has an accepted probability of not
being exceeded during the life span of the structure.

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 5
ALLOWABLE STRESS DESIGN (ASD)

• Stresses caused by the characteristic loads must be

less than an “allowable stress”, which is a fraction of
the yield stress.

• Allowable stress may be defined in terms of a “factor

of safety" which represents a margin for overload and
other unknown factors which could be tolerated by the
structure.

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 6
ALLOWABLE SRESS DESIGN (ASD) - 2

Allowable stress = (Yield stress) / (Factor of safety)

Limitations

•material non-linearity
•non-linear behaviour in the post buckled state and
the property of steel to tolerate high stresses by
yielding locally and redistributing the loads not
accounted for.
•no allowance for redistribution of loads in statically

indeterminate members

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 7
 LIMIT STATE DESIGN
•structure
“Limit States" are the various conditions in which a
would be considered to have failed to fulfil the
purpose for which it was built.

•“Ultimate Limit States” are those catastrophic states,which

require a larger reliability in order to reduce the probability of
its occurrence to a very low level.

•“Serviceability Limit State" refers to the limits on acceptable

performance of the structure.

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 8
General Principles of Limit State Design

» Structure to be designed for the Limit States at which

they would become unfit for their intended purpose by
choosing, appropriate partial safety factors, based on
probabilistic methods.

» Two partial safety factors, one applied to loading ( f) and

another to the material strength (m) shall be employed.

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 9
 f allows for;

– the possible deviation of the actual behaviour

of the structure from the analysis model
– deviation of loads from specified values and
– reduced probability that the various loads
acting together will simultaneously reach the
characteristic value.

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 10
 m takes account;

– the possible deviation of the material in the

structure from that assumed in design
– the possible reduction in the strength of the
material from its characteristic value and
– manufacturing tolerances.
– Mode of failure (ductile or brittle).

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 11
 Limit State of Strength Serviceability Limit State

Strength (yield, buckling) Deflection

Stability against overturning and sway Vibration
Fracture due to fatigue Repairable damage due to fatigue
Corrosion
Brittle Fracture
Fire

Table 1: Limit States

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 12
 PARTIAL SAFETY FACTOR

S*  R*

S* - factored load effect

R*- factored resistance of the element being

checked, and is a function of the nominal value of
the material yield strength.

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 13
 Partial Safety Factor for Loads
Limit State of Strength Limit state of Serviceability
LL’ WL LL’
Combination WL
DL / AL
DL /EL
Leadi Accompan EL Leading Accompa
ng ying nying
DL+LL+CL 1.5 1.5 1.05   1.0 1.0 1.0 

DL+LL+CL
1.2 1.2 1.05 0.6
+  1.0 0.8 0.8 0.8
1.2 1.2 0.53 1.2
WL/EL

1.5
DL+WL/EL   1.5  1.0   1.0
(0.9)*

1.2
DL+ER 1.2       
(0.9)

DL+LL+AL 1.0 0.35 0.35  1.0    

*
This value is to be considered when the dead load contributes to stability against overturning is critical or the dead load causes reduction in stress due to other loads.
‘
When action of different live loads is simultaneously considered, the leading live load is whichever one causes the higher load effects in the member/section.
Abbreviations: DL= Dead Load,LL= Imposed Load (Live Loads), WL= Wind Load, CL= Crane Load (Vertical/horizontal), AL=Accidental Load,
ER= Erection Load, EL= Earthquake Load.

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 14
 Partial Safety Factor for Material

Sl. No. Definition Partial Safety Factor

1 Resistance, governed by yielding m0 1.10

2 Resistance of member to buckling m0 1.10

3 Resistance, governed by ultimate stress m1 1.25

4 Resistance of connection m1

Shop Field
(i) Bolts-Friction Type, mf Fabrications Fabrications

(ii) Bolts-Bearing Type, mb 1.25 1.25

1.25 1.25
(iii) Rivets, mr 1.25 1.25
(iv) Welds, mw 1.25 1.50

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 15
 LIMIT STATES FOR DESIGN
PURPOSES
•Ultimate Limit State is related to the maximum design
load capacity under extreme conditions. The partial
load factors are chosen to reflect the probability of
extreme conditions, when loads act alone or in
combination.

•Serviceability Limit State is related to the criteria

governing normal use. Unfactored loads are used to
check the adequacy of the structure.

•Fatigue Limit State is important where distress to the

structure by repeated loading is a possibility.
© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures
IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 16
 Limit State of serviceability
Type of Maximum
Deflection Design Load Member Supporting
Building Deflection
Purlins and Girts Elastic cladding
Live load/Wind load Span / 150
Purlins and Girts Brittle cladding
Span / 180
Live load Simple span Elastic cladding Span / 240
Live load Simple span Brittle cladding Span / 300
Live load Cantilever span Elastic cladding Span / 120
Live load Cantilever span Brittle cladding Span / 150
Vertical Profiled Metal Sheeting Span / 180
Live load or Wind
Rafter supporting
load Plastered Sheeting Span / 240
Crane load Gantry Crane Span / 500
(Manual operation)
Crane load
(Electric operation up to 50 Gantry Crane Span / 750
Industrial t)
building Crane load
Gantry Crane Span / 1000
(Electric operation over 50 t)

No cranes Column Elastic cladding Height / 150

No cranes Column Masonry/Brittle cladding Height / 240
Gantry (lateral) Crane(absolute) Span / 400
Crane + wind Relative displacement between
10 mm
rails
Lateral Height / 200
Column/frame Gantry (Elastic cladding; pendent
operated)
Crane+ wind

Column/frame Gantry (Brittle cladding; cab Height / 400

operated)
© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures
IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 17
 Elements not
Live load Floor & Roof Span / 300
susceptible to cracking
Elements susceptible
Live load Floor & Roof Span / 360
to cracking
Vertical
Elements not
Live load Span / 150
susceptible to cracking
Other Cantilever
Buildin Elements susceptible
Live load Span / 180
gs to cracking

Elastic cladding Height / 300

Wind Building
Brittle cladding Height / 500
Lateral
Storey
Wind Inter storey drift ---
height / 300

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 18
TOPICS COVERED AND CONCLUSIONS

•Review of the provisions of safety,

consequent on uncertainties in loading and

material properties.
•Allowable Stress Design

•Limit State Design

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 19
 THANK YOU

© Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG 20