CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

CE-515: Design of Steel Structures

M. Engg. (Civil), Fall 2013
Lecture 3

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

Behavioural Characteristics of steel

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

Behavioural Characteristics of steel

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

Behavioural Characteristics of steel

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

Behavioural Characteristics of steel

Though steel is generally described as an elastic
material, elastic behaviour only exists over a small
portion of the stress-strain relationship.
In actuality, the perfectly elastic behaviour range only
exists until a strain is reached that causes the specimen
to be stressed to about one half of its nominal yield
stress (Fy).
The upper limit of elastic behaviour region is
associated with the proportional limit (Fp) of the
materials.

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

Behavioural Characteristics of steel

When the average stress imposed on a member
exceeds the proportional limit, some parts of the
member will yield. This localized yielding is
referred to as constrained plastic flow.
The upper limit of constrained plastic flow is
associated with yield strength.
Now, the material experiences unrestricted
plastic flow.

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

Material Behaviour in Structures

(a) Biaxial Stress Considerations
It is seldom possible that a purely axial load path
exists in a structure.
Uniaxial behaviour must be extended to include
biaxial conditions of stress and strain.
For ductile materials like steel, a number of
failure theorems include the generalized loading
conditions.

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

Biaxial Stress Considerations

The maximum energy due to
distortion theorem (Huber-Mises) is
the most commonly accepted triaxial
relationship between principal
stresses.

The variables f1, f2 and f3 are the

principal stresses acting on the cube
and Fy is the stress associated with
yielding.

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

Biaxial Stress Considerations

Triaxial conditions of stress are commonly not

considered in the design process.
Biaxial stresses affect the design process.

The cube shown is

subjected to biaxial stresses
in the form of pure shear.

When rotated through 45o

the applied shear is
converted to principal
stresses.

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

Biaxial Stress Considerations

The shear stresses that will cause the cube to yield can
be determined as:

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

Biaxial Stress Considerations

If flexural and shear stresses are combined:
When shear stresses are high, they will
significantly affect the flexural stress at which the
element will yield.
When an element is subjected to compression
and shear, the principal stress in compression can
be much larger than anticipated based on flexural
stresses alone.
Biaxial stresses can have a significant effect on
the behaviour of plate girders.

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

Thermal considerations
Structural steels lose strength and stiffness
quickly when subjected to temperatures in
excess of 800o F.
From a design perspective, it is not necessary
to quantify this loss, only guard against
likelihood of its occurrence.
This is usually done by insulating steel (fire
proofing) or by reducing heat produced in
fires (sprinklers).

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

Thermal considerations
Anticipated thermal variations must also be
considered, specially for long buildings.
Expansion joints are typically provided at 200250 ft intervals.
The thermal expansion coefficient for
structural steel is 0.0000067/oF. A 100 ft long
beam subjected to a 100 degree (oF) increase
in temperature will expand 0.8 in.

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

Strain and deformation compatibility

When steel sections are loaded, they will

deform. These deformations must be
understood and appropriately accounted for.

The ductility inherent in steel allows the designer

to overlook many analytically significant
deformations.

AISC design specifications recognize the

plasticity available in steel and suggest to the
designer the need for accommodating rotations.

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

Fatigue

Fatigue is not a problem in steel used to construct most

buildings.

Fatigue is a function of induced stress level and the number

of cycles of load that the member experiences.

Cyclic stresses in buildings is usually caused by machinery

and induced cyclic stresses are typically low.

Steel can withstand an infinite number of load reversals at

low stress.

Cyclic stresses and strains caused by wind or earthquake are

infrequent and, though high, never approach fatigue limits.

CE -515: Design of Steel Structures

2014
CE -515: Design of Steel Fall
Structures

Energy absorption

Steel absorbs a significant amount of energy if subjected to

cyclic behaviour in the post-yield range.

Few structural materials exhibit such a reliably repeatable

hysteresis loop.

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