$

EXAMPLE A-6.2 POINT STABILITY BRACING OF A WT-SHAPE COLUMN

Given:

Determine the strength and stiffness requirements for the point braces and select a W-shape brace based on x-axis
flexural buckling of the ASTM A992 WT7u34 column with loading and geometry as shown in Figure A-6.2-1. The
unbraced length for this column is 7.5 ft. Bracing about the y-axis is provided by the axial resistance of a W-shape
connected to the flange of the WT, while bracing about the x-axis is provided by the flexural resistance of the same
W-shape loaded at the midpoint of a 12-ft-long simple span beam. Assume that the axial strength and stiffness of the
W-shape are adequate to brace the y-axis of the WT. Also, assume the column is braced laterally and torsionally at
its ends and is torsionally braced at one-quarter points by the W-shape braces.

(a) Plan (b) Elevation

Fig. A-6.2-1. Column bracing geometry for Example A-6.2.

Solution:

From AISC Manual Table 2-4, the material properties of the column and brace are as follows:

ASTM A992
Fy = 50 ksi
Fu = 65 ksi

Required Compressive Strength of Column

From ASCE/SEI 7, Chapter 2, the required strength is:

LRFD ASD
Pu 1.2  25 kips   1.6  75 kips  Pa 25 kips  75 kips
150 kips 100 kips

Available Compressive Strength of Column

Interpolating between values, from AISC Manual Table 4-7, the available axial compressive strength of the
WT7u34 with Lcx = 7.5 ft is:

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LRFD ASD
Ic Pn 357 kips ! 150 kips o.k. Pn
238 kips ! 100 kips o.k.
:c

Required Point Brace Size

From AISC Specification Appendix 6, Section 6.2.2, the required point brace strength is:

LRFD ASD
Pr Pu Pr Pa
150 kips 100 kips

Pbr 0.01Pr (Spec. Eq. A-6-3) Pbr 0.01Pr (Spec. Eq. A-6-3)
0.01150 kips  0.01100 kips 
1.50 kips 1.00 kips

From AISC Specification Appendix 6, Section 6.2.2, the required point brace stiffness is:

LRFD ASD
I 0.75 : 2.00

Pr Pu Pr Pa
150 kips 100 kips

1 § 8 Pr · § 8P ·
Ebr ¨ ¸ (Spec. Eq. A-6-4a) Ebr :¨ r ¸ (Spec. Eq. A-6-4b)
I © Lbr ¹ © Lbr ¹
1 ª 8 150 kips  º ª 8 100 kips  º
« » 2.00 « »
0.75 «¬  7.50 ft 12 in./ft  »¼ ¬«  7.50 ft 12 in./ft  ¼»
17.8 kip/in. 17.8 kip/in.

The brace is a simple-span beam loaded at its midspan. Thus, its flexural stiffness can be derived from Case 7 of
AISC Manual Table 3-23 to be 48EI/L3, which must be greater than the required point brace stiffness, Ebr. Also, the
flexural strength of the beam, IbMp, for a compact laterally supported beam, must be greater than the moment
resulting from the required brace strength over the beam’s simple span, Mbr = PbrL/4.

Based on brace stiffness, the minimum required moment of inertia of the beam is:
Ebr L3
I br
48 E
17.8 kip/in.12.0 ft 3 12 in./ft 3
48  29, 000 ksi 
38.2 in.4

Based on moment strength for a compact laterally supported beam, the minimum required plastic section modulus
is:

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LRFD ASD
M br :M br
Z req Z req
IFy Fy
1.50 kips 12.0 ft 12 in./ft  1.67 1.00 kip 12.0 ft 12 in./ft 
0.90(50 ksi)  4   50 ksi  4 
1.20 in.3 1.20 in.3

From AISC Manual Table 3-2, select a W8u13 member with Zx = 11.4 in.3 and Ix = 39.6 in.4

Note that because the live-to-dead load ratio is 3, the LRFD and ASD results are identical.

The required stiffness can be reduced if the maximum permitted unbraced length is used as described in AISC
Specification Appendix 6, Section 6.2, and also if the actual number of braces are considered, as discussed in the
Commentary. The following demonstrates how this affects the design.

Interpolating between values in AISC Manual Table 4-7, the maximum permitted unbraced length of the WT7u34
for the required strength is as follows:

LRFD ASD
Lcx = 18.6 ft for Pu = 150 kips Lcx = 18.6 ft for Pa = 100 kips

From AISC Specification Commentary Appendix 6, Section 6.2, determine the reduction factor for three
intermediate braces:

2n  1 2(3)  1
2n 2(3)
0.833

Determine the required point brace stiffness for the increased unbraced length and number of braces:

LRFD ASD
I 0.75 : 2.00

Pr Pu Pr Pa
150 kips 100 kips

ª 1 § 8P ·º ª § 8P · º
Ebr 0.833 « ¨ r ¸» (Spec. Eq. A-6-4a) Ebr 0.833 «: ¨ r ¸ » (Spec. Eq. A-6-4b)
¬ I © Lbr ¹¼ ¬ © Lbr ¹ ¼
­° 1 ª 8(150 kips) º ½° ­° ª 8(100 kips) º ½°
0.833 ® « »¾ 0.833 ®2.00 « »¾
°¯ 0.75 ¬« 18.6 ft 12 in./ft  ¼» °¿ °¯ ¬« 18.6 ft 12 in./ft  ¼» ¿°
5.97 kip/in. 5.97 kip/in.

Determine the required brace size based on this new stiffness requirement.

Based on brace stiffness, the minimum required moment of inertia of the beam is:

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Ebr L3
I br
48 E
 5.97 kip/in.12.0 ft 3 12 in./ft 3
48  29, 000 ksi 
12.8 in.4

Based on the unchanged flexural strength for a compact laterally supported beam, the minimum required plastic
section modulus, Zx, was determined previously to be 1.20 in.3 From AISC Manual Table 1-1, select a W6u8.5
noncompact member with Zx = 5.73 in.3 and Ix = 14.9 in.4

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EXAMPLE A-6.3 POINT STABILITY BRACING OF A BEAMCASE I

Given:

A walkway in an industrial facility has a span of 28 ft as shown in Figure A-6.3.1. The walkway has a deck of
grating which is not sufficient to brace the beams. The ASTM A992 W12u22 beams along walkway edges are
braced against twist at the ends as required by AISC Specification Section F1(b) and are connected by an L3u3u4
strut at midspan. The two diagonal ASTM A36 L5u5uc braces are connected to the top flange of the beams at the
supports and at the strut at the middle. The strut and the brace connections are welded; therefore, bolt slippage does
not need to be accounted for in the stiffness calculation. The dead load on each beam is 0.05 kip/ft and the live load
is 0.125 kip/ft. Determine if the diagonal braces are strong enough and stiff enough to brace this walkway.

Fig. A-6.3-1. Plan view for Example A-6.3.

Solution:

Because the diagonal braces are connected directly to an unyielding support that is independent of the midspan brace
point, they are designed as point braces. The strut will be assumed to be sufficiently strong and stiff to force the two
beams to buckle together.

From AISC Manual Table 2-4, the material properties are as follows:

Beam
ASTM A992
Fy = 50 ksi
Fu = 65 ksi

Diagonal braces
ASTM A36
Fy = 36 ksi
Fu = 58 ksi

From AISC Manual Tables 1-1 and 1-7, the geometric properties are as follows:

Beam
W12u22
ho = 11.9 in.

Diagonal braces
L5u5uc
A = 3.07 in.2

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Required Flexure Strength of Beam

From ASCE/SEI 7, Chapter 2, the required strength is:

LRFD ASD
wu 1.2  0.05 kip/ft   1.6  0.125 kip/ft  wa 0.05 kip/ft  0.125 kip/ft
0.260 kip/ft 0.175 kip/ft

Determine the required flexural strength for a uniformly loaded simply supported beam using AISC Manual Table
3-23, Case 1.

LRFD ASD
2 2
wu L wa L
Mu Ma
8 8
 0.260 kip/ft  28 ft 2  0.175 kip/ft  28 ft 2
8 8
25.5 kip-ft 17.2 kip-ft

It can be shown that the W12u22 beams are adequate with the unbraced length of 14 ft. Both beams need bracing in
the same direction simultaneously.

Required Brace Strength and Stiffness

From AISC Specification Appendix 6, Section 6.3, determine the required point brace strength for each beam as
follows, with Cd = 1.0 for bending in single curvature.

LRFD ASD
Mr Mu Mr Ma
25.5 kip-ft 17.2 kip-ft

§M C · §M C ·
Pbr 0.02 ¨ r d ¸ (Spec. Eq. A-6-7) Pbr 0.02 ¨ r d ¸ (Spec. Eq. A-6-7)
© ho ¹ © ho ¹
ª  25.5 kip-ft 12 in. / ft 1.0  º ª 17.2 kip-ft 12 in. / ft 1.0  º
0.02 « » 0.02 « »
¬ 11.9 in. ¼ ¬ 11.9 in. ¼
0.514 kip 0.347 kip

Because there are two beams to be braced, the total required brace strength is:

LRFD ASD
Pbr 2  0.514 kip  Pbr 2  0.347 kip 
1.03 kips 0.694 kip

There are two beams to brace and two braces to share the load. The worst case for design of the braces will be when
they are in compression.

By geometry, the diagonal bracing length is

L 14 ft 2   5 ft 2
14.9 ft
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The required brace strength is:

LRFD ASD
§ 5 ft · § 5 ft ·
Pbr cos T Pbr ¨ ¸ Pbr cos T Pbr ¨ ¸
© 14.9 ft ¹ © 14.9 ft ¹
1.03 kips 0.694 kip

Because there are two braces, the required brace Because there are two braces, the required brace
strength is: strength is:

1.03 kips 0.694 kip

Pbr Pbr
2  5 ft 14.9 ft  2  5 ft 14.9 ft 
1.53 kips 1.03 kips

The required point brace stiffness, with Cd = 1.0 for bending in single curvature, is determined as follows:

LRFD ASD
I 0.75 : 2.00

Mr Mu Mr Ma
25.5 kip-ft 17.2 kip-ft

1 § 10 M r Cd · § 10 M r Cd ·
Ebr Ebr :¨ ¸ (Spec. Eq. A-6-8b)
I ¨© Lbr ho ¸¹
(Spec. Eq. A-6-8a)
© Lbr ho ¹
1 ª10  25.5 kip-ft 12 in./ft 1.0  º ª10 17.2 kip-ft 12 in./ft 1.0  º
« » 2.00 « »
0.75 «¬ 14 ft 12 in./ft 11.9 in. »¼ ¬« 14 ft 12 in./ft 11.9 in. ¼»
2.04 kip/in. 2.06 kip/in.

Because there are two beams to be braced, the total required point brace stiffness is:

LRFD ASD
Ebr 2  2.04 kip/in. Ebr 2  2.06 kip/in.
4.08 kip/in. 4.12 kip/in.

The beams require bracing in order to have sufficient strength to carry the given load. However, locating that brace
at the midspan provides flexural strength greater than the required strength. The maximum unbraced length
permitted for the required flexural strength is Lb = 18.2 ft from AISC Manual Table 6-2. Thus, according to AISC
Specification Appendix 6, Section 6.3.1b, this length could be used in place of 14 ft to determine the required
stiffness. However, because the required stiffness is so small, the 14 ft length will be used here.

For a single brace, the stiffness is:

AE cos 2 T
E
L
 3.07 in.   29, 000 ksi  5 ft 14.9 ft 
2 2

14.9 ft 12 in./ft 
56.1 kip/in.

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Because there are two braces, the system stiffness is twice this. Thus,

E 2  56.1 kip/in.
112 kip/in.

LRFD ASD
E 112 kip/in. ! 4.08 kip/in. o.k. E 112 kip/in. ! 4.12 kip/in. o.k.

Available Strength of Braces

The braces may be called upon to act in either tension or compression, depending on which transverse direction the
system tries to buckle. Brace compression buckling will control over tension yielding. Therefore, determine the
compressive strength of the braces assuming they are eccentrically loaded using AISC Manual Table 4-12.

LRFD ASD
Interpolating for Lc = 14.9 ft: Interpolating for Lc = 14.9 ft:

Ic Pn 17.2 kips ! 1.53 kips o.k. Pn

11.2 kips ! 1.03 kips o.k.
:c

The L5u5uc braces have sufficient strength and stiffness to act as the point braces for this system.

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