ELASTIC DESIGN

I. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Until a few years ago, almost all steel beams were designed based on
in elastic theory. The maximum load that a structure could support was
It was assumed to be equal to the load that first generated a stress equal to that of yielding.
of the material. The members were designed so that the stresses of
bending calculated for service loads did not exceed the stress of
flow divided by a safety factor (for example, 1.5 to 2.0). The
engineering structures were designed over many decades using this
method with satisfactory results. However, the designers know
for many years the ductile members do not fail until they
a significant plastic deformation occurs after the stress is reached
fluency. This means that such members have greater margins of
safety against failure that what seems to indicate elastic theory.

Most of the steel structures that currently exist were

designed using elastic methods. In this method, the designer estimates
the workload or service, that is, the loads that the structure has to
support, and design the structural members based on certain stresses
permissible. These are usually a certain fraction of the minimum effort of
specified yield for steel.

The term elastic design is commonly used to describe the method

mentioned earlier, although the terms 'design by efforts
"permissibles" or "design by working stresses" are more appropriate. Many
the specifications for this method are based on behavior
elastic.

INDEX OF ACCEPTABILITY OF DUCTILITY IN DESIGN

STRUCTURAL, IN ELASTIC DESIGN

The design acceptability index in elastic theory is the stress at

workload, having these efforts with predetermined values that must not be
exceed in any specific section of the structure. But, what not
We know how accurate this criterion can be; although if
we know that: under working conditions many sections will be above
strained, while the others will be subjected to very
lower than the set thresholds.

This shows us that if we follow the rules of elastic theory, we

we are faced with a problem worthy of consideration, which is the
next:
That through experiences it has been proven that there are many and
notable differences between actual efforts and calculated efforts. The reasons
for which we will classify them into two branches (a) and (b):

a) Factors that are omitted by the compensation effect of the

ductilidad:

Residual stresses caused by rapid cooling during the

manufacturing.
2) Efforts caused by settlement and assembly.
3) Over-efforts at points of stress concentration (holes,
etc.).
4) Uneven stress distribution in rivet connections,
bolts and welds.
Residual efforts due to beam buckling before use.

b) Factors that depend on corrections made to the values

previously prefixed:

Bending effort of 30,000 pounds/inch2for round pins.

Support effort of 40,000 pounds per inch2for double laces
letter.
Bending effort of 24,000 pounds per inch2for framed structures
in interior support points.

From the acceptance of the aforementioned factors, we can summarize three

important conclusions:

That there are actually differences in the values of efforts

calculated and actual efforts.
There is a tactical acceptance of the ductility of steel, knowing that
oh no that this is how it is in elastic design.
3) What is inappropriate to use a fixed stress value as a design basis
previously, which in general is nothing other than the effort
the yield strength of a certain steel affected by a safety factor 'x'.

Elastic Section Module

Within the elastic range, we know that the deformation in the internal fibers of
A beam subjected to a system of external loads is proportional to the distance.
from the neutral axis of the beam; consequently, the intensity of the effort due to
the existence of a bending moment is therefore proportional to the distance to
the distance from the neutral axis, where the relationship is given by the expression
next, which is well known to all:
 f times I
Mp= =M
c

Being in said expression:

f = Stress at the distance 'C' from the neutral axis.

M = Bending moment.

I = Moment of inertia of the section with respect to its neutral axis.

c = Distance of the furthest fiber from the section to its neutral axis.

But, it is also known to us that in said expression, the moment

it can be represented in another form which is the following:

f×I
M=
c

In which:

I
S=
c

What the elastic section modulus is, so our formula for the
the moment will remain like this:

M =f×S

But, to try to better visualize the previously stated concept,

we will demonstrate graphically the elastic behavior of a section.

Figure. Elastic Behavior of a Rectangular Section.

h 2 bh2
M =f × ×b×h=f ×
4 3 6

bh 2
S=
6

M =f×S
FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ELASTIC THEORY AND
PLASTIC.

Elastic Design

The elastic moment that can act on a section under the loads of
work is limited by the specified work efforts.

The basic criterion is to keep work efforts in the structure without

exceed the limit, placing it within the elastic portion of the 'Stress-
Deformation of Hooke's law, therefore, we will see that it will never exist.
a plastic joint, when the loads for which it was designed are being applied
designed the structure.

The difficulty in the design process increases as the degree of

indeterminacy of the considered structure.

It does not take into account the possibility of harnessing the redistribution of moments.
what occurs in the following hyperstatic systems when planning the
sections where the maximum moments act

The elastic theory is essentially a set of geometric relationships.

necessary to make continuity possible.

Plastic Design

In plastic design, the maximum moment is limited by the plastic moment.

and the load factor. The formation of plastic joints is possible under the
workload, always in a number less than needed to convert the
structure in a collapse mechanism.

Calculation methods are generally based on the principle of the

energy conservation, with the graphic method being the only exception.

The increase in calculation difficulties, due to or caused by the higher degree

the indeterminacy in the structures is minimized.

By properly harnessing the ductility of structural steel, one can

they obtain faster and more economical designs therefore.

The aforementioned can be better illustrated through a study on

awareness of carefully selected examples that focus on the
problem of fullness and in them the differences between both can be appreciated
designs in a clear way and leaving no room for doubt.
GENERAL COMPARATIVE BETWEEN ELASTIC DESIGN VS. PLASTIC DESIGN

ELASTIC DESIGN PLASTIC DESIGN

Linear range of efforts Non-linear stress range
More robust sections Slimmer sections
Anti-economical design Reasonably economical design
Less control of failure mechanisms Better control of failure mechanisms
Load combinations (live + dead) Better representation of the
without factors (statistical) of variability load combinations

II. APPLICATION
The sizing of the steel sections has been carried out.
traditionally in an elastic regime, so that, once
obtained the stresses that apply to each bar, the
maximum tension that such efforts generated on the section
most requested and were compared with the maximum allowable tension.
If the maximum stresses in the most stressed section of the bar do not
the allowable tensions were exceeded, the sizing was given by
valid. Otherwise, the profile was resized (the dimensions decreased).
tensions in the section) or the quality of the steel was improved
(increased the maximum allowable tension) This is the method
recommended by the Basic Building Code, Structures of
Steel, known as NBE-EA 95, a mandatory standard
until March 2006, the date on which the Technical Code is published
the Building and the Basic Building Standards are repealed.
In order to compare the results obtained with the elastic method
and plastic calculation of steel sections and Global Analysis of the
Estructura, se considera una viga empotrada apoyada, de longitud L
with uniformly distributed load of value qdas indicated in the
figure 1. The solicitation diagrams - bending moments and
shear efforts - corresponding to the said loading scheme,
They are obtained with the help of a guide, and are represented in the figure.
2.
If the beam is to be sized, it is necessary to know the value of
the load that weighs upon it and its length, in such a way
that, knowing the maximum moment that requests it, a profile is sought
of steel that is capable of supporting it.
Another way to approach the problem is to, knowing the profile of
steel and its length, obtain the maximum load that the beam can support. It is
what is known as the assessment of a constructed structure.
In the following headings, the maximum capacity of will be calculated.
load of the beam in figure 1, assuming it is an IPE 300 profile
of S 275 steel and 8 meters in length, considering first of all
an elastic behavior of the section, below a
plastic behavior to finally carry out the global analysis of
the structure following the plastic method.
Given the beam in figure 3, the maximum load will be calculated.
exhaustion considering an elastic behavior and a
plastic behavior of the section.

Sizing of the section in elastic regime.

The distribution of normal stresses in figure 4 is obtained,
obtained for the IPE 300 from the Navier-Bernoulli equation
(equation 1)
In that figure, it can be observed that the maximum tension (equation
2) correspond a the fiber more distant (zmax)
The value of the elastic modulus of resistance of the different rolled profiles is
find in any steel profile handbook. For the profile of
example, the IPE 300, its value is 557 · 103mm3

At the limit, when the maximum tension in the furthest fiber is equal to the limit
reduced elastic modulus of the steel profile, we will have the following expression
(result of substituting σ)maxfor fyd)

The elastic resistant moment of a section is defined as that which generates

a maximum tension in the fiber farthest from the section equal to fyd. It
represents by MRd,el,yand its value is obtained by clearing the request moment
in the equation 4.

For the studied profile, an IPE 300 made of S 275 steel, the Moment
resistente elástico respecto el eje y será igual a:

That is, the maximum moment that the IPE 300 of steel S 275 can withstand, in
the elastic regime is approximately 145 kN·m

Considering the reflector diagram in figure 1, and taking into account that
the length of the beam is 8 meters, the maximum moment in the beam occurs
in the embedding, and its value is equal to:
Equating the maximum applied moment with the elastic resisting moment
from the profile, the maximum load that the beam can support is obtained
considering an elastic behavior of the section.

That is, the maximum load that the IPE 300 made of S 275 steel can support.
Considering an elastic behavior is 18,225 kN/m, which is equivalent to
1882 kg/m.

III. REFERENCES BIBLIOGRAPHIES, BASE DE DATA

SPECIALIZED
1. Steel Structure Design, 5th Edition. Jack C. McCormac
Stephen F. Csernak.
[Link] Design of Steel Structures, THESIS of the Faculty of
Engineering at the University of San Carlos of Guatemala. Oscar Emilio
Cheves Escobar.
3. Notebook of Notes, Steel Structures of the Faculty of
Engineering, Architecture and Design of the Autonomous University of Baja
California. M.I. Joel Melchor Ojeda Ruiz M.C. Alberto Parra Meza M.I.
Ricardo Sánchez Vergara.
4. Steel Construction Manual, Sixth Edition. New York – 1965. Editorial de
the A.I.S.C.
5. Constructor Engineer's Manual, Labor Editorial, Madrid, Spain
1960.F. Schleicher.
6. Plastic Design in Steel, New York – 1965. Editorial of the A.I.S.C
American Institute of Steel Construction
[Link] design of steel [Link]ías Plus.
[Link]
steel-structures-F3L4HENPL9CF
[Link] calculation and plastic calculation of steel beams subjected to
flexion. Polytechnic University of Valencia. Arianna Guardiola Villora.