G-13

Example G.8a Built-up Plate Girder with Transverse Stiffeners

Given:
A built up ASTM A36 I-shaped girder spanning 56 ft. has a uniformly distributed dead load of
0.92 klf and a live load of 2.74 klf in the strong direction. The girder is 36 in. tall with 12 in.
1 in. flanges and a c in. web. Determine if the member has sufficient available shear
strength to support the end shear, without and with tension field action. Use transverse
stiffeners, as required.
User note: This built-up girder was purposely selected with a thin web in order to illustrate the
design of transverse stiffeners. A more conventionally proportioned plate girder would have at
least a in. web and slightly smaller flanges.
Solution:
Material Properties:
Built-up girder ASTM A36 F
y
= 36 ksi F
u
= 58 ksi Manual
Table 2-3
Geometric Properties:
Built-up girder t
w
= 0.313 in. d = 36.0 in. b
ft
= b
fc
= 12.0 in.
t
f
= 1.50 in. h = 33.0 in.
Calculate the required shear strength at the support
LRFD ASD
R
u
=[1.2(0.92 klf) + 1.6(2.74 klf)](28.0 ft)
= 154 kips
R
a
= (0.92 klf + 2.74 klf)(28.0 ft)
= 102 kips
Determine if stiffeners are required
A
w
= dt
w
= (36.0 in.)(0.313 in.) = 11.3 in.
2
h/t
w
= 33.0 in. / 0.313 in. = 105
105 < 260 Therefore, k
v
= 5
1.37 /
v
k E F
y
= 1.37 5(29, 000 ksi) /(36 ksi) = 86.9
105 > 86.9 therefore, use Specification Eqn. G2-5 to calculate C
v
Section G2.1b
G-14
C
v
=
2
1.51
( / )
v
w y
Ek
h t F
=
2
1.51(29, 000 ksi)(5)
(105) (36 ksi)
= 0.547
Calculate V
n
V
n
= 0.6F
y
A
w
C
v
= 0.6(36 ksi)(11.3 in.
2
)(0.547) = 134 kips
Check the available shear strength without stiffeners
Eqn. G2-5
Eqn. G2-1
LRFD ASD
|
v
= 0.90
|
v
V
n
= 0.90(134 kips) = 120 kips
120 kips < 154 kips not o.k.
Therefore, stiffeners are required.
O
v
= 1.67
V
n
/O
v
= 134 kips / 1.67 = 80.0 kips
80.0 kips < 102 kips not o.k.
Therefore, stiffeners are required.
Section G1
Manual Tables 3-16a and 3-16b can be used to select stiffener spacings needed to develop the
required stress in the web.
Limits on the Use of Tension Field Action:
Consideration of tension field action is not permitted if any of the following are true:
a) end panels in all members with transverse stiffeners
b) members when a/h exceeds 3.0 or [260/(h/t
w
)]
2
c) 2A
w
/(A
fc
+A
ft
) > 2.5
d) h/b
fc
or h/b
ft
> 6.0
Select stiffener spacing for end panel
Tension field action is not permitted for end panels, therefore use Table 3-16a.
Section G3.1
LRFD ASD
Use V
u
=|
v
V
n
to determine the required
stress in the web by dividing by the web area
v n
w
V
A
|
=
u
w
V
A
=
2
154 kips
11.3in.
= 13.6 ksi
Use V
a
= V
n
/O
v
to determine the required
stress in the web by dividing by the web area
n
v w
V
A O
=
a
w
V
A
=
2
102 kips
11.3 in.
= 9.03 ksi
Use Table 3-16a from the Manual to select the required stiffener ratio a/h based on the h/t ratio
of the girder and the required stress. Interpolate and follow an available stress curve,
v n
w
V
A
|
=
13.6 ksi for LRFD,
n
v w
V
A O
= 9.03 ksi for ASD, until it intersects the horizontal line for a h/t
w
value of 105. Project down from this intersection and take the maximum a/h value of 1.80
from the axis across the bottom. Since h = 33.0 in., stiffeners are required at (1.80)(33.0 in.) =
59.4 in. maximum. Therefore, use 59.0 in.
Manual
Table 3-16a
Select stiffener spacing for the second panel
Tension field action is allowed, but not required, since the second panel is not an end panel. Section G3.1
G-15
Calculate the required shear strength at the start of the second panel, 59 in. from end
LRFD ASD
| |
| |
=
|
\ .
59.0in.
154k 1.2(0.92klf)+1.6(2.74klf)
12in./ft
u
V
= 127 kips
| |
|
\ .
59.0 in
= 102 - (0.92klf + 2.74klf)
12 in./ft
a
.
V k
= 84.0 kips
Check the available shear strength without stiffeners
LRFD ASD
|
v
= 0.90
From previous calculation
|
v
V
n
= 0.90(134 kips) = 120 kips
120 kips < 127 kips not o.k.
Therefore additional stiffeners are
required.
Use V
u
=|
v
V
n
to determine the required
stress in the web by dividing by the web area
v n
w
V
A
|
=
u
w
V
A
=
2
127 kips
11.3in.
= 11.2 ksi
O
v
= 1.67
From previous calculation
V
n
/O
v
= 134 kips / 1.67 = 80.0 kips
80.0 kips < 84.0 kips not o.k.
Therefore additional stiffeners are
required.
Use V
a
= V
n
/O
v
to determine the required
stress in the web by dividing by the web area
n
v w
V
A O
=
a
w
V
A
=
2
84.0 kips
11.3 in.
= 7.43 ksi
Section G1
Use Table 3-16b from the Manual to select the required stiffener a/h ratio based on the h/t ratio
of the girder and the required stress. Interpolate and follow an available stress curve,
v n
w
V
A
|
= 11.2 ksi for LRFD,
n
v w
V
A O
= 7.43 ksi for ASD, until it intersects the horizontal line for
a h/t
w
value of 105. Because the available stress does not intersect the h/t
w
value of 105, the
maximum value of 3.0 for a/h may be used. Since h = 33.0 in., an additional stiffener is
required at (3.0)(33.0 in.) = 99.0 in. maximum from the previous one.
Manual
Table 3-16b
Select stiffener spacing for the second panel
Tension field action is allowed, but not required, since the next panel is not an end panel. Section G3.1
Calculate the required shear strength at the start of the third pane, 158 in. from end
LRFD ASD
V
u
= 154 kips
- [1.2(0.920 klf) + 1.6(2.74 klf)]
158.0in.
12 in./ft
| |
|
\ .
= 81.7 kips
V
a
= 102 kips
- (0.920 klf + 2.74 klf)
158.0in.
12 in./ft
| |
|
\ .

= 53.8 kips
G-16
Check the available shear strength without stiffeners
LRFD ASD
|
v
= 0.90
From previous calculation
|
v
V
n
= 0.90(134 kips) = 120 kips
120 kips > 81.7 kips o.k.
Therefore additional stiffeners are not
required.
O
v
= 1.67
From previous calculation
V
n
/O
v
= 134 kips / 1.67 = 80.0 kips
80.0 kips > 53.8 kips o.k.
Therefore additional stiffeners are not
required.
Section G1
The four Available Shear Stress tables, Manual Tables 3-16a, 3-16b, 3-17a and 3-17b, are
useful because they permit a direct solution for the required stiffener spacing. Alternatively,
you can select a stiffener spacing and check the resulting strength, although this process is
likely to be iterative. In the proof below, the stiffener spacings that were selected from the
charts in the example above are used.
Manual
Table 3-16
G-17
Example G.8b Built-up Plate Girder with Transverse Stiffeners
The stiffener spacings from Example G.8a, which were easily determined from the tabulated
values of the Steel Construction Manual, are verified below by directly applying the provisions
of the Specification.
Verify the shear strength of end panel
k
v
=
( )
2
5
5
/ a h
+ =
( )
2
5
5
1.80
+ = 6.54

h/t
w
= 33.0 in. / 0.313 in. = 105
Check a/h limits
a/h = =
59 in.
1.80
33 in.
s 3.0
a/h = 1.80 <
2
260
( / )
w
h t
(
(

=
2
260
105
(
(

= 6.13
Therefore, use k
v
= 6.54.
Tension field action is not allowed since the panel is an end panel.
Since /
w
h t > 1.37 ( ) ( ) ( ) / 1.37 6.54 29, 000 ksi / 36ksi 99.5
v y
k E F = = ,
C
v
=
2
1.51
( / )
v
w y
Ek
h t F
=
( ) ( )
2
1.51 29, 000 ksi 6.54
(105) 36 ksi
= 0.721
V
n
= 0.6F
y
A
w
C
v
= 0.6(36ksi)(11.3 in.
2
)(0.721) = 176 kips
Calculate the available shear strength
Section G2.1b
Eqn. G2-5
Eqn. G2-1
LRFD ASD
|
v
= 0.90
|
v
V
n
= 0.90(176 kips) =159 kips
159 kips > 154 kips o.k.
O
v
= 1.67
V
n
/O
v
= (176 kips) / 1.67 = 106 kips
106 kips > 102 kips o.k.
Section G1
Verify the shear strength of the second panel

a/h for the second panel was 3.0
k
v
=
( )
2
5
5
/ a h
+ =
( )
2
5
5
3.0
+ = 5.56
Check a/h limits
a/h = =
99 in.
3.00
33 in.
s 3.0
a/h = 3.00 <
2
260
( / )
w
h t
(
(

=
2
260
105
(
(

= 6.13
Therefore use k
v
= 5.56
Section G2.1
G-18
Since /
w
h t > 1.37 ( ) ( ) ( ) / 1.37 5.56 29, 000 ksi / 36ksi 91.7
v y
k E F = = ,
C
v
=
2
1.51
( / )
v
w y
Ek
h t F
=
2
1.51(29, 000 ksi)(5.56)
(105) (36 ksi)
= 0.613
Since /
w
h t > 1.10 /
v y
k E F =1.10 5.56(29, 000ksi) /(36ksi) = 73.6, use Eqn. G3-2
2
1
0.6
1.15 1 ( / )
v
n y w v
C
V F A C
a h
(

= +
(
+ (

=
2
2
1 0.613
0.6(36 ksi)(11.3 in. ) 0.613
1.15 1 (3.0)
(

+
(
+

V
n
= 176 kips
Calculate the available shear strength
Eqn. G2-5
Section G3.2
Eqn. G3-2
LRFD ASD
|
v
= 0.90
|
v
V
n
= 0.90(176 kips) =158 kips
156 kips > 127 kips o.k.
O
v
= 1.67
V
n
/O
v
= (176 kips) / 1.67 = 105 kips
105 kips > 84.0 kips o.k.
Section G1