Steel and Timber Structures
Chapter 3: Compression Members
Lecture Outline
• Introduction
• Typical cross-sections of compression members
• Design according to ES EN-3/EC-3
Zero Force Members: - These members contribute to the
stability of the structure, by providing buckling prevention
for long slender members under compressive forces
-Also, they can carry loads in the event that variations are
introduced in the normal external loading configuration.
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Introduction : What are Compression members
✓ Compression members are the most common of ▪ Columns are ordinarily used in buildings,
structural elements carrying either axial load with or
are vertical and transmit some actual
without bending moment. This chapter deals with for
load or beam reaction to another column
the cases where members are carrying only axial load
or foundation.
with eccentricity considered to be less than 1/1000 of
▪ Stanchions are steel columns made of
the member length.
rolled steel sections (usually built – up)
✓ If the bending action is quite significant, the member
and carry heavy loads.
is termed as a beam-column and designed in a
▪ Struts on the other hand are not
different way.
necessarily vertical and are used as
✓ Terms such as column, stanchions and struts are
compression members in roof trusses and
widely used to define a compression member.
bridge trusses.
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Introduction : Steel Compression Members
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Introduction : Steel Compression Members
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Introduction : Steel Compression Members
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Introduction : Steel Compression Members
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Introduction : Steel Compression Members
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Introduction : Steel Compression Members
Typical Cross Sections
Usually members in compression are made
with rolled profiles or built up sections .
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Introduction : Steel Compression Members
The resistance of a steel member subject to axial
compression depends on;
▪ The cross section resistance or
▪ The occurrence of instability phenomena, such as
flexural buckling, torsional buckling or flexural-torsional
buckling.
✓ In general, the design for compression is governed by the
second condition (instability phenomena) as steel members
are usually of medium to high slenderness.
✓ The resistance of a compression member decreases as its
length increases, in contrast to the axially loaded tension
member whose resistance is independent of its length.
✓ Thus, the compressive resistance of a very slender member
may be much less than its tensile resistance, as shown in the
Figure.
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Design for Resistance According to ES EN-3/EC3: Approach
✓ Compression members subject to
Stocky Columns are not affected by buckling and
- Axial compression only
the strength is related to the material yield stress fy.
- No bending
Nmax = Npl = Aeff fy
✓ However in practice real columns are subject to
- Eccentricities of axial loads
- Transverse forces
✓ The treatment distinguishes between
- Stocky columns, and
- Slender columns
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Design for Resistance According to ES EN-3/EC3: Stocky Columns
Strength design for a compression member subjected to a centric axial force N Ed at a given cross section is performed by
comparing the demand to the axial resistance capacity N c,Rd , that is:
where: A and A eff represent the gross area and the effective cross sectional area, respectively,
fy is the yield strength, and
γM0 = 1.0 representing the material partial safety factor
▪ Local instability phenomena only penalize the axial force-carrying capacity for cross-sections belonging to class 4
because failure occurs at a stress level considerably smaller than the yielding stress.
▪ When the cross-section of the compression member is characterized by a single axis of symmetry, an additional flexural
action ΔM Ed may arise, due to the eccentricity between the gross cross-section centroid (on which the axial force is
nominally applied) and the centroid of the resisting cross-section.
▪ For class 4 cross-sections, it is assumed that parts of the area under compression due to local instability phenomena do not
have any resistance (lost area).
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Design for Resistance According to ES EN-3/EC3: Effective area Ac,eff
Typically, the compressed portions of the cross-sections, which have to be
neglected for the resistance checks, are the parts close to the free end of
an outstand flange or the central part of an internal compressed element.
Gross and effective cross-sections in the case of axial load.
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Design for Resistance According to ES EN-3/EC3: Effective area Ac,eff
From the design point of view, it is necessary to evaluate the effective cross-section (i.e. gross section minus all the
lost parts) in accordance with the procedures specified in EN 1993-1-5 (Design of steel structures – Part 1–5:
Plated structural elements)
For circular hollow sections with class 4 cross sections see EN 1993-1-6.
The effective area of a compressed plate A eff can be obtained from the gross area, A g , as
A c eff = ρAc
Reduction factor “ρ” is defined as:
Internal compression elements: Outstand compression elements:
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Design for Resistance According to ES EN-3/EC3: Effective area Ac,eff
Rules for the evaluation of the effective width of internal compression elements
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Design for Resistance According to ES EN-3/EC3: Effective area Ac,eff
Rules for the evaluation of the effective width of outstand compression elements
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Example 3.1
A 254 x 254 x 73 UKC is to be used as a short ( λ ≤ 0.2) compression member.
Calculate the resistance of the cross-section in compression, assuming grade
S355 steel.
254 x 254 x 73 UKC Cross S Properties: Material Properties:
h = 254.1mm S 355 for t ≤ 16mm
b
b = 254.6mm fy = 355 MPa
tw= 8.6mm fu = 510 MPa
r
tf = 14.2mm E = 210 GPa
h tw r = 12.7mm
A = 9310mm2
tf
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Example 3.1
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Elastic Compression Members: Buckling
Buckling of straight members:
The load Ncr at which a straight compression member buckles laterally can be determined by finding a
deflected position. Euler has done this assuming half sinusoidal buckling curve and came up with the
expression for Ncr which is Pcr as below;
where A and B are constants determined from the
boundary conditions.
The boundary conditions are y=0 at x=0 and x=L.
This produces the following differential equation The first boundary condition, y=0 at x=0, leads to
the conclusion that B=0. And this leaves
which has the solution
From second boundary condition
In the first case, A=0 and the second case is the interesting one, and the one directly related to
column buckling note that sin(π)=0
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Elastic Compression Members: Buckling
The buckling load varies inversely as the square of the
slenderness ratio L/i, as shown in Figure, in which the
• Moment of inertia, I could be expressed in
dimensionless buckling load Ncr/Ny is plotted against the
terms radius of gyration, generalized slenderness ratio is shown below
where, = is the measure of slenderness
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Elastic Compression Members: Buckling
Bending of members with initial curvature:
Real structural members are not perfectly straight, but have small initial curvatures,
which causes it to bend from the commencement of application of the axial load, and
this increases the maximum stress in the member.
As the deflections v increase with the load N, so also do the bending moments and the
stresses.
The limiting axial load NL at which the compression member first yields (due to a
combination of axial plus bending stresses) is given by;
in which
For stocky members, the limiting load NL approaches the squash load Ny, while for
slender members the limiting load approaches the elastic buckling load Ncr.
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Elastic Compression Members: Draw Back of Euler Theory
The Euler theory gives insight into behaviors of slender column but it ignores consideration of
some important factors which are grouped under imperfections such as,
➢ Initial lack of straightness
➢ Accidental eccentricities of loading
➢ Residual stresses that remain in a member after it has been formed into finished product.
Causes can be uneven cooling, cold bending, cumbering, punching of holes, cutting and welding.
➢ Variation of material properties over the cross-section
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Elastic Compression Members: Columns Test Data Vs Euler Theory
Therefore columns are distinguished as
– Stocky Columns with characteristics of
• Very low slenderness, unaffected by
overall buckling and failure results
from rupture of cross-section.
–Slender Columns
• Large slenderness with characteristics
of, Unaffected by imperfection,
ultimate failure load ≈ Euler Load and
independent of yield stress.
– Medium slenderness
• with characteristics of which affected
by imperfection and failure load is less
than Euler Load
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Design for Instability According to ES EN-3/EC3: Approach
Compression members subject to
• Axial compression only
• No bending
However in practically real columns are subject to
• Eccentricities of axial loads
• Transverse forces
The treatment distinguishes between
• Stocky columns, and
• Slender columns
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Design for Instability According to ES EN-3/EC3: Slender Columns
The characteristics of slender columns are
▪ Columns of medium slenderness are very sensitive to the effects of imperfections
▪ Inelastic buckling occurs before the Euler buckling load due to various imperfections
➢ Initial out-of-straightness
➢ Residual stresses
➢ Eccentricity of axial applied loads
➢ Strain-hardening
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Design for Instability According to ES EN-3/EC3: Resistance
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Design for Instability According to ES EN-3/EC3: Resistance
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Design for Instability According to ES EN-3/EC3: Elastic buckling load & buckling Length
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Design for Instability According to ES EN-3/EC3: European design buckling curves
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Design for Instability According to ES EN-3/EC3: European design buckling curves
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Design for Instability According to ES EN-3/EC3: European design buckling curves
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Example 3.2
Design the column BD of the steel structure represented in the figure below, using a HEB cross section in
S355 steel, according to EC1993-1-1. The column is fixed at the base and hinged at section B (with respect to
the two principal axis of the cross section). Cross section B is restrained for translation in both horizontal
directions, in the plane of the structure (due to the beam itself) and in the perpendicular plane (because of
secondary bracing members). Loadings already factored for ULS.
Material Properties:
S 355 for t ≤ 40mm
fy = 355 MPa
fu = 510 MPa
E = 210 GPa
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Example 3.2
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Example 3.2
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Example 3.2
Alternatively and conservatively the reduction factor, x ,for each buckling axis can be
calculated from the buckling curve provided in EC1993-1-1
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Example 3.3
The 457 × 191 UB 82 compression member of S275 steel of is simply supported about
both principal axes at each end (Lcr,y = 12.0 m), and has a central brace which prevents
lateral deflections in the minor principal plane (Lcr,z = 6.0 m). Check the adequacy of the
member for axial compressive load corresponding to a nominal dead load of 160 kN
and a nominal imposed load of 230kN.
457 × 191 UB 82
Cross Sectional Properties: Material Properties:
S 275 for t ≤ 40mm
fy = 275 MPa
fu = 430 MPa
E = 210 GPa
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Example 3.3
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Example 3.3
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Example 3.3
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Thank You!
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