Basis of section classification
Rolled or welded
Some are outstand sections may be
- flanges of I beams considered as an Some are internal
- legs of angles and Tees assembly of - webs of open beams
individual plate - flanges of boxes
elements
Outstand Outstand
Internal Internal
Internal
Web Web Internal
Web
Flange
Flange Flange
Rolled I-section Hollow section Welded box section
Faculty of Engineering Steel Structures EN 1993 -1 38
Basis of section classification
Simply supported
b
edge
Local
buckling
L (c) [Link]
L Free
t edge
(a )
b
S im p ly s u p p o r t e
a ll f o u r e d g e s (b)
Faculty of Engineering Steel Structures EN 1993 -1 39
Basis of section classification
• As the plate elements are relatively thin, when loaded in
compression they may buckle locally
• The tendency of any plate element within the cross section to buckle
may limit the axial load carrying capacity, or the bending resistance
of the section, by preventing the attainment of yield.
• Avoidance of premature failure arising from the effects of local
buckling may be achieved by limiting the width-to-thickness ratio for
individual elements within the cross section.
Outstand Outstand
Internal Internal
Internal
Web Web Internal
Web
Flange Flange Flange
Rolled I-section Hollow section Welded box section
Faculty of Engineering Steel Structures EN 1993 -1 40
Section classification
• EC3 defines four classes of cross section.
• The class into which a particular cross section
falls depends upon
– slenderness of each element (defined by a width-to-
thickness ratio)
– the compressive stress distribution
• Classes are defined in terms of performance
requirements for resistance of bending moments
Faculty of Engineering Steel Structures EN 1993 -1 41
Class 1 cross sections
Plastic moment Class 1 cross-
Moment on gross section sections are those
fy which can form a
plastic hinge with
the required
M pl rotational capacity
for plastic analysis.
Local
Buckling M
Mpl
Sufficient
rot
pl
1 pl
Faculty of Engineering Steel Structures EN 1993 -1 42
Class 2 cross sections
Class 2 cross-sections
Plastic moment are those which,
Moment on gross section although able to develop
fy a plastic moment, have
limited rotational capacity
and are therefore
Mpl unsuitable for structures
designed by plastic
Local analysis.
Buckling
M
Mpl Limited
1 pl
Faculty of Engineering Steel Structures EN 1993 -1 43
Class 3 cross sections
Class 3 cross-sections are
Elastic moment those in which the
Moment on gross section calculated stress in the
fy extreme compression fibre
can reach yield but local
Mpl buckling prevents the
Mel development of the plastic
Local moment resistance.
Buckling
M
Mpl None
1 pl
Faculty of Engineering Steel Structures EN 1993 -1 44
Class 4 cross sections
Plastic moment on Class 4 cross-sections are
Moment effective section those in which local
fy buckling limits the moment
resistance (or compression
Mpl resistance for axially
Mel loaded members). Explicit
allowance for the effects of
Local local buckling is necessary.
Buckling
M None
Mpl
1 pl
Faculty of Engineering Steel Structures EN 1993 -1 45
Cross section classification
Faculty of Engineering Steel Structures EN 1993 -1 46
Cross Section classification
Design
Global
(Calculation of the Section Class
analysis
section)
Plastic (P) Plastic (P) 1
Elastic (E) Plastic (P) 2
Elastic (E) Elastic (E) 3 (and 4)
Faculty of Engineering Steel Structures EN 1993 -1 47
a. Webs: (internal elements perpendicular to axis of bending) b. Internal flange elements: (internal elements parallel to axis of bending)
tf
b
tw tw tw d tw h
Axis of d d
Bending b tf tf tf b
b tf
axis of
bending
d = h-3t (t = tf = t w)
Web subject to Web subject to Web subject to bending Section in bending
Class Class Type Section in compression
bending compression and compression
Stress + fy + fy + fy Stress distribution + fy + fy
distribution in in element and - -
d across section
element d d d h
h h (compression
(compression
positive) positive)
fy fy fy -
- -
when - + - +
_ d/t w _ Rolled hollow section (b - 3t f )/ t f _ (b - 3t f)/ t f _ *
1 d/t w < d/t w <_ 33 1
when Other b / tf _ b / tf _
d/t w _ Rolled hollow section (b - 3t f )/ t f _ (b - 3t f)/ tf _ *
2
Other b/tf _ b / tf _
when
d/t w _ Stress distribution + fy + fy
2 _ 83
d/t w < _ 38
d/t w < - -
when in element and
d/t w _ across section fy
(compression
+ fy + fy +fy positive)
Stress
distribution in d/2 - + - +
element h d h d h *
Rolled hollow section (b - 3t f)/ t f _ (b - 3t f)/ t f _
(compression d/2 3
Other b /tf _ b / tf _
positive)
fy - + fy - fy 275
235 335
235/ f y
when 1 0,92 0,81
d/t w _ * For a cross section in compression with no bending the classification 1,2,3 are irrelevant
3 d/t w _ _ 42
d/t w <
when _ and hence the limit is the same in each case.
d/t w _ )
fy 235 275 355
235 / fy
1 0,92 0,81
Faculty of Engineering Steel Structures EN 1993 -1 48
d. Angles: h (Does not apply to
c. Outstand flanges: Refer also to c. angles in continuous
c 'Outstand flanges' contact with other
c c (Table 6) components).
t b
tf tf tf c
tf
t
Class Section in compression
fy
+
Rolled sections Welded sections - fy
Flange subject to Stress distribution
Class Type of section Flange subject compression and bending across section
to compression Tip in Tip in +
(compression positive)
compression tension
+ c c
Stress distribution
in element
- + + t
c - -
(compression positive) c c
3 h b h
15 : 11,5
t 2t
Rolled _ _
c/t f < _
c/t f <
c/t f < e. Tubular sections:
1
Welded _
c/t f < _ 9e
c/t f < _
c/t f <
t d
11
Rolled _
c/t f < c/t f _
< _
c/t f <
2
Welded _
c/t f < c/t f <
_ _ 10
c/t f <
Class Section in bending and/or compression
Stress distribution + + + 1 d / t 50 2
in element - - -
c c c 2 d/t 70 2
(compression positive)
2
3 d/t 90
Rolled c/t f <_ _ 23
c/t f < k fy 235 275 355
3 For k see figure 2d
and table 8 235/ f y 1 0,92 0,81
Welded _
c/t f < c/t f <
_ 23 k 2
1 0,85 0,66
fy 235 275 355
= 235/ f y
1 0,92 0,81
Faculty of Engineering Steel Structures EN 1993 -1 49