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Chapter Three: Design of Compression Members

Chapter Three: Design of Compression Members
3.1 Introduction

Compression members are perhaps the most common structural elements in an ordinary
structure and are variously termed as columns, posts, struts or stanchions, all of which primarily
resist axial load. A structural member is considered to be a compression member if it is
designed primarily to resist axial compression, though some bending may also be present and
accounted for in the design. If the bending action is quite significant, the member is termed as a
beam-column and designed in a different way.
Structural action of columns, stanchions, struts and posts is identical; but due to difference in
their usage different names are used. Columns are vertical members supporting oors, roofs and
cranes in buildings and transmit some actual load or beam reaction to another column or
foundation. Stanchions are steel columns made of rolled steel sections (usually built up) and
carry heavy loads. Struts on the other hand are not necessarily vertical and are used as
compression members in roof trusses, bracings and bridge trusses. The term post is loosely used
for a column but the end member of a bridge truss is known as the end-post. Similarly, the main
compression members of a roof truss are known as rafters.
Under the general category of compression members could be included columns, compression
members in a trussed structure.
The two main differences between tension and compression members are:
A. Tension members are held straight by
means of tensile loads, while in the case
of
compression
members,
the
compressive loads tend to bend the
member out of the plane of loading.
B. For riveted or bolted connections, the
net area will govern the strength of a
tension member, while for compression
members the rivets are assumed to fill
the holes.
This Chapter will present the assessment and
design of structural members that are acted
upon by pure compression forces; i.e., direct
loads
with
no
moments
acting
simultaneously.
The main kinds of compression members are
as shown in Fig. 3.1. and 3.2
Fig. 3.1 Simple compression members (Columns)

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Chapter Three: Design of Compression Members

Fig. 3.2 compression members

Rolled, compound and built-up sections are used for columns. Universal columns are used in
buildings where axial load predominates, and universal beams are often used to resist heavy
moments that occur in columns in industrial buildings. Single angles, double angles, tees,
channels and structural hollow sections are the common sections used for struts in trusses,
lattice girders and bracing.

Fig. 3.3 typical application of compression member

Compression members can fail by yielding, or elastic buckling depending on the slenderness
ratio of the members as well as in local buckling that is usually influenced by the relative
thickness of the component elements that constitute the cross section. Members with low
slenderness ratios(short columns) generally tend to fail by yielding (crushing or squashing),
whereas members with high slenderness ratios (slender columns) tend to fail by elastic
buckling. Most compression members used in construction have intermediate slenderness
ratios, and so the predominant mode of failure is inelastic buckling.

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Chapter Three: Design of Compression Members

Fig. 3.4

3.2. Critical load of a pin ended strut(Euler formula).

Consider a pin-ended straight column. The critical value of axial load P is found by equating
disturbing and restoring moments when the strut has been given a small deection y, as shown
in Figure below.
The theory is based on the differential equation of the elastic bending of a pin-ended column
which relates the applied bending moment to the curvature along the length of the column, i.e.

Fig. 3.5 Euler buckling

The equilibrium equation is: The bending moment at position x along the column is equal to

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Chapter Three: Design of Compression Members

Substituting for M it becomes

This is a second order equation of the form

The solution of this equation can be shown to be:

When x = 0; y = 0
When x = L; y = 0

To write the Euler formula in terms of stress, divide the critical load over the area.

A lower limit to the slenderness for which the Euler Equation is applicable can be found by
substituting the stress at the proportional limit p( proportional or elastic limit) for Euler as
shown in the following example with a steel column. The Structural Stability Research Council
(SSRC) of the USA accept for p = 0.5 y, that is 0.5 times the value for the yield limit to
ensure perfectly elastic behaviour. Then for mild steel like A 36, y= 24.82 kN/cm2 and E = 2
x 104kN/cm2:

Therefore, for values of the slenderness ratio

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Chapter Three: Design of Compression Members

Fig.3.6. Lower Slenderness limit to Euler failure mode

As we see, the Eulers buckling load can only represents column behaviour at higher values of
the slenderness ratio. For lower values of the , empirical formulae are used.
The SSRC of the USA recommended the following formula, which is accepted by the
AISC (American Institute for Steel Construction) code.

Ethiopian Building Code Standard EBCS 3 1995 design criteria

3.3. Effective area (width) calculation for class 4 sections
The properties of Class 4 cross-sections may be established by calculation using the effective
widths of the component elements in compression. The effective widths of flange elements may
be based on the stress ratio determined for the gross cross-section. The effective width of a
web element should be based on the stress ratio determined for a cross-section comprising the
effective area of the compression flange but the gross area of the web and tension flange. it is
recommended to determine the reduction factor as follows:

Where

1
for p 0.673

p 0.22
for p 0.673
2

p
p is the element slenderness defined as,

fy

cr

b/t
28.4 k

t = the relevant thickness

k = the buckling factor corresponding to the stress ratio from Table 4.3 or 4.4 of EBCS 3.

b = the relevant width (see Fig 2.2) and given as follows:

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Chapter Three: Design of Compression Members

Webs and Internal flanges b = d

Box elements:

b = b-3t

Outstand flanges

b=c

Equal-legged angle:

b = (b + h)/2

Unequal-legged angle: b = h or (b + h)/2

Fig. 3.7 Gross and effective cross sections of class 4 section subjected to compression and
bending

To determine the effective widths of flange and web elements, the stress ratio used in
Table 4.3 or Table 4.4 may be based on the properties of the gross cross-section.

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Chapter Three: Design of Compression Members

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Chapter Three: Design of Compression Members

3.4. Effective Length Factor

The effective length factor K is a factor which, when multiplied by the actual un braced length
L of an end-restrained compression member, will yield an equivalent pinned-ended member
whose buckling strength is the same as that of the original end-restrained member. For a
prismatic member, the effective length factor can be determined from Fig. 2.4. The actual
column is replaced by an equivalent pin-ended column of the same strength that has an effective
length:
Le = KL
where L is the actual length, and K the effective length ratio and K is to be
determined from the end conditions.
An alternative method is to determine the distance between points of contra exure in the
deected strut. These points may lie within the strut length or they may be imaginary points on
the extended elastic curve. The distance so dened is the effective length.

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Chapter Three: Design of Compression Members

Fig. 3.8 K factor table

Figure 2.4 is used when the support conditions of the compression members can be closely
represented by those shown in the figure. On the other hand, Fig. 3.5 is used for members that
are parts of a framework.
The effect of end restraint is quantified by the two end distribution factors 1 and 2 where the
subscripts 1 and 2 refer to the joints at the two ends of the member being considered and is
defined as:

sum of flexural stiffness of all columns meeting at the jo int

sum of flexural stiffness of all columns and beams meeting at the jo int

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Chapter Three: Design of Compression Members

Fig. 3.9 effective length factor alignment

Fig.3.10 Buckling of a) non sway frame k1 and b) sway frame k>1

3.5. Slenderness
The slenderness is dened as:

The values of the slenderness ratio shall not exceed the following:
For members resisting loads other than wind loads
For members resisting self weight and wind loads only
For any member normally acting as a tie but subject
to reversal of stress resulting from the action of wind
3.6 Design Criteria for Compression Members

180
250
350

A number of design checks are required for compression members. In all cases, it is
recommended that the forces and moments in the members are derived from an elastic global
analysis.

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Compression members are to be designed in such a way that both the cross-sections resistance
to applied loads be established and member capacity verified against possible buckling failures.
These will be presented for EBCS 3 1995 Specification as follow.
3.6.1. Resistance of Cross section to Compression
According to the EBCS 3 specification, axially loaded compression members designed to resist
a factored axial force of Nc.sd, calculated using appropriate load combinations, must satisfy the
condition:
Nc.sd, Nc.Rd

(2.4)

Where Nc.Rd = design compression resistance of the cross-section, taken as a smaller of either
the design plastic resistance Npl, RD of the gross section or the design local buckling resistance
N0,Rd of the gross section where, again, Npl,Rd and N0,Rd are determined as in the following
expressions:
Ag x f y

N p1, Rd
N o ,Rd

for Class 1, 2 or 3 cross sec tions

(2.4a)

MO

Aeff x f u

M1

for Class 4 cross sec tions

(2.4b)

The partial safety factors are MO = 1.1 and M1 = 1.1.

3.6.2. Resistance of Cross section to Flexural Buckling
Axially loaded compression members designed to resist a factored axial force of Nc.sd, calculated
using appropriate load combinations must also satisfy the condition:
Nc.Sd Nb, Rd

(2.5a)

Where Nb, Rd = design flexural buckling resistance of the cross-section

A fy
N b, Rd A

M1

(2.5b)

Where:
A = 1 for Class 1,2,3 cross-sections
= Aeff/ A for Class 4 cross-sections
Where Aeff is the effective cross-section for Class 4 cross-sections
A = gross area
= a reduction factor accounting for buckling
= 1.0 for 0.2
1

1
for 0.2
2 0.5
2
In which:

0.5 1 0.2

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Chapter Three: Design of Compression Members

Leff 1
r

fy A
E

A Af y / N cr

0.5

;
1 A

E / f

93.9 ; 235

fy

Leff = effective length of member

Ncr = the elastic critical force for the relevant buckling mode
r = radius of gyration of the gross section
= an imperfection factor as in the following table:
Buckling curve a
b
c
d
0.21
0.34
0.49
0.76

Values of the reduction factor can easily be obtained for the appropriate non-dimensional
slenderness from Table 4.9 while for flexural buckling, the approximate curve shall be
determined from Table 4.11
Table:4.11 Selection of buckling curve for a cross section

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Table:4.9. Reduction factors

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Design steps for buckling resistance of axially loaded compression members according to
EBCS 3 1995
1. Determine the axial load, Nsd.
2. Determine the buckling length, Le
3. Select a trial section (take into consideration economy, i.e. least weight per unit length).
4. Determine the Class of the section according to Section 4.3.2 and Table 4.1. If the crosssection is classified as Class 4, determine Aeff according to Section 4.3.4 and Table 4.4
(Sec 4.5.4.3) of EBCS -3
5. Determine the non-dimensional slenderness ratio l (Section 4.5.4.3)
6. Determine the appropriate buckling curve, Table 4.11
7. Determine the value of . Interpolation must be used to determine more exact values,
Table.4.9
8. Calculate the design buckling resistance Nb,Rd of the member. Buckling about both
principal axes must be checked.
9. Check the computed buckling resistance against the applied load. If the calculated value
is inadequate or is too high, select another section and go back to Step 4.

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