Steel Design Examples: Block Shear and
Flexural Buckling
1. Block Shear Examples
Example 1:
Problem:
A steel angle is connected using three bolts (18 mm diameter). The angle thickness is 10
mm. Material properties are Fy = 250 MPa, Fu = 410 MPa. Determine the block shear
strength.
Given:
- t = 10 mm
- d = 18 mm
- Fy = 250 MPa
- Fu = 410 MPa
Areas:
- Agv = 2(50)(10) = 1000 mm²
- Anv = 2(50-18-0.5×2)(10) = 640 mm²
- Agt = (50)(10) = 500 mm²
- Ant = (50-18-0.5×2)(10) = 320 mm²
Block Shear Strength (smaller of two formulas):
φRn = 0.75 × (0.6 × 410 × 640 + 250 × 500) = 0.75 × (157440 + 125000) = 211580 N =
211.58 kN
Example 2:
Problem:
A gusset plate 8 mm thick connected with 4 bolts of 22 mm diameter. Fy = 275 MPa, Fu =
430 MPa. Find block shear strength.
Given:
- t = 8 mm
- d = 22 mm
- Fy = 275 MPa
- Fu = 430 MPa
Areas:
- Agv = 2(70)(8) = 1120 mm²
- Anv = 2(70-22-0.5×2)(8) = 736 mm²
- Agt = (70)(8) = 560 mm²
- Ant = (70-22-0.5×2)(8) = 368 mm²
Block Shear Strength:
φRn = 0.75 × (0.6 × 430 × 736 + 275 × 560) = 0.75 × (190368 + 154000) = 258276 N =
258.28 kN
Example 3:
Problem:
A connecting plate is attached with 6 bolts (16 mm diameter) and is 6 mm thick. Material
properties: Fy = 240 MPa, Fu = 380 MPa. Determine block shear strength.
Given:
- t = 6 mm
- d = 16 mm
- Fy = 240 MPa
- Fu = 380 MPa
Areas:
- Agv = 2(40)(6) = 480 mm²
- Anv = 2(40-16-0.5×2)(6) = 288 mm²
- Agt = (40)(6) = 240 mm²
- Ant = (40-16-0.5×2)(6) = 144 mm²
Block Shear Strength:
φRn = 0.75 × (0.6 × 380 × 288 + 240 × 240) = 0.75 × (65664 + 57600) = 92598 N = 92.6 kN
2. Flexural Buckling Examples
Example 1:
Problem:
A column pinned at both ends, 3 m long, W200x42 (Area = 53.6 cm², r = 5.01 cm), Fy = 300
MPa. Find critical buckling load.
Step 1:
λ = 3000/50.1 = 59.88
Step 2:
Fe = π²(200000)/(59.88)² = 55088 MPa
Step 3:
Since Fe > Fy, Fcr ≈ Fy
Fcr = 300 MPa
Step 4:
Pcr = 300 × 53.6 = 16080 kN
Example 2:
Problem:
A steel column 6 m long, fixed at both ends, using HSS 152x152x6.4 section (A = 34.1 cm², r
= 4.27 cm), Fy = 350 MPa. Find the critical load.
Effective length factor K = 0.7
λ = (0.7×6000)/42.7 = 98.36
Fe = π²(200000)/(98.36)² = 20446 MPa
Fcr = 0.658^(350/20446) × 350 ≈ 346.3 MPa
Pcr = 346.3 × 34.1 = 11809 kN
Example 3:
Problem:
A steel column 5 m long, pinned at both ends, made of L-section (Area = 20.4 cm², r = 2.5
cm), Fy = 250 MPa. Determine flexural buckling load.
λ = 5000/25 = 200
Fe = π²(200000)/(200)² = 4937.5 MPa
Fcr = 0.658^(250/4937.5) × 250 ≈ 246.7 MPa
Pcr = 246.7 × 20.4 = 5033 kN