Lecture Notes

Steel Structures
Dr. Eng.

Trnh Duy Khnh

Department of steel and timber structures

April 3, 2016

ii

Contents
I

General

0.1

Fundamental documents for steel design in Viet Nam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0.2

General steel structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0.2.1

Defintion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0.2.2

Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0.2.3

Disavantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0.2.4

Application of steel structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0.2.5

Requirements for steel structure design

II Steel structure design 1

member design

1 Behaviour of material and structure

1.1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11

Steel for construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

1.1.1

Outline of steel structure development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

1.1.2

Categorization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

1.1.3

Micro-structure of steel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

INDEX

23

iii

iv

List of Figures
1

Some steel structures in the world. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Some common material behaviour in mechanics modelling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Examples of steel buildings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Composite (left) and reinforced concrete (right) highrise buildings. . . . . . . . . . . . .

High performance of steel structure in exploitation phase of buildings. . . . . . . . . . .

1.1

The first metal load-bearing structure in the world. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

1.2

The ancient timber houses and bridges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

1.3

The ancient masonry houses and bridges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

1.4

Standard steel process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

1.5

Blast furnace using to produce cast iron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

1.6

Products of steel making process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

1.7

hot rolling process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

1.8

hot rolling process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

1.9

Bessemer furnace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

1.10 Oxygen converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

1.11 Some manufacturing process: drawing, extrusion, casting, forging . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
1.12 Steel micro-structure of low and medium carbon sample . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
1.13 Allotropes of iron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

vi

List of Tables
1

Weight and strength rate of construction materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

vii

viii

Part I

General

Figure 1: Some steel structures in the world.

0.1

Fundamental documents for steel design in Viet Nam

Steel structure design is carried out with these fundamental documents:

TCVN 2737 - 1995.
TCXDVN 338-2005 ! TCVN 5575 - 2012.
Other material standards

In case of guide missing , foreigners standards are permitted to replace Vietnamese ones.

0.2
0.2.1

General steel structure

Defintion

Steel structure is designated as follow: Supporting structure in construction work1 composing of

bars and sheets which are connected together.
1

only available in this manual

Figure 2: Some common material behaviour in mechanics modelling.

0.2.2

Advantages

Good strength
The Vietnamese structural steel CCT34 (a common steel) have the strength properties:
(
fu = 3400 daN/cm2
fy = 2200 daN/cm2

(1)

Compliancy with calculation assumption

Steel is the only material which replies well to the material assumption of discipline "Strength of
Material" (also known as Mechanics of solids, for instance [Lemaitre and Chaboche, 1994]). For most
civil engineering school, the elastic-perfect plastic model is used in teaching. Behaviour of soft steel is
mostly same as this one.

Light weight
Steel is very light in comparison to other construction material if we take into account to their
resistance.
Material
Concrete
Wood
Steel

Coefficient c =

(m1 )
f

24.104
5,4.104
3,7.104

Table 1: Weight and strength rate of construction materials

Highly industrialized process

This character is performed in steel industry, in mechanical workshop and in site erection.

5
Steel is produced in metallurgy factory.
Member is fabricated in workshop and transported to the site in modul.
Structure is erected and connected by qualified workers.

High flexibility in construction

This charater is observed in all phases of construction: transportation, erection, modification,
taking off

Waterproof
The welds process give steel basin a high waterproof therefore basin-like steel structure is irreplaceable role in chemistrical, petrolic industry.

Reuse and recyclablity

The waste material can be recycled. Besides, the used structure may be reuse for another work.

0.2.3

Disavantages

Corrosion resistance
: In humid or agressive environment... this character leads to a high maintenance fee (painting,galvanization...).

Fire resistance
: The expense for fire protection material increases total value for construction work.

0.2.4

Application of steel structures

Steel structure is applied in various construction works; in particular, for the industrial building
and long span building (railway stations, hanger, exposition, museum buildings...) or in some special
structures like reservoir tanks, towers... From some decades, the composite structure of steel-concrete
is expanded all over the world and interests so much Vietnamese engineers community. This type of
structure replace increasingly traditional reinforced concrete highrise buildings.

0.2.5

Requirements for steel structure design

Exploitation phase
The most important requirements of any construction work is good resistance and long expectency.
The steel structure helps architect so much in creating amazing space or facade in buildings. Besides
it maximizes the height from floor to ceilling by allowing the penetration of M&E system in girder or
beam.

Economy
Construction work is a special production which usually requires a great investment. So using
material in an economical way is very important. This leads to increasing the role of structural design
phase where civil engineers can provide economical issues.

Ease of design, fabrication and erection

Ease and of fabrication and erection as well as the compatibility to available fabrication system
helps the owner to select the cheapest solution.

Figure 3: Examples of steel buildings.

Figure 4: Composite (left) and reinforced concrete (right) highrise buildings.

Figure 5: High performance of steel structure in exploitation phase of buildings.

Part II

Steel structure design 1

member design

Chapter 1

Behaviour of material and structure

1.1
1.1.1

Steel for construction

Outline of steel structure development

The first metal structure in the world is Coalbrokedale bridge inaugured in 1779 in England
([Hirt et al., 2006],[Martin and Purkiss, 2008]). This bridge whose span of 31m is designed by Abraham Darby III1 . Before this time, the principal material used for load bearing structure is masonry

Figure 1.1: The first metal load-bearing structure in the world.

and timber. Some other important events in the development of steelworks has been listed below:
Arc welding were invented by
1889: Eiffel tower, the tallest steelwork2 at that time has been constructed as an entrance for
1889 World Fair.
1931: Empire State building3 is the first skycrappers in the world.
1
Hes not a king, he only had the same name as his father and grand father. His grand father was the first British
iron-master who could smelt iron ore with coke.
2
324 metres
3
roofs height is 381 metres plus an antenna make the total height of 443 metres.

11

12

Figure 1.2: The ancient timber houses and bridges.

Figure 1.3: The ancient masonry houses and bridges.

13

1.1.2

Categorization

Manufacture of steel section

The manufacture can be divied into three stages4 as indicated in figure (1.8).

1. Iron production: A process results a melt product called cast iron5 , through a blast furnace using
coke and crushed limestone.
2. Steel production: A process results solid metal called semi-product steel by reducing carbon,
sulphur and phosphorus from cast iron.
3. Rolling: A process results standard steel sections. The steel section shapes are so various:
tee section, I-shape section, H-shape section, hollow sections. Sections dimensions are ordered
following specific standards.

The latest Vietnamese standards of steel sections are "TCVN 5709-1993: Thp cc bon cn nng
dng trong Xy dng". For using in university, students can consult [Phm and Phm, 2009]. In this
book, an older version of standard is included.
4
5

Although now its a continuous process

this metal is very fragile because of high of carbon, sulphur and phosphorus

14

Figure 1.4: Standard steel process.

Figure 1.5: Blast furnace using to produce cast iron

15

Figure 1.6: Products of steel making process

16

Figure 1.7: hot rolling process

17

Figure 1.8: hot rolling process

18
Categorization based on chemical component
The carbon content is used for distinguish cast iron and steel. Cast iron has the carbon content
upper than 1,7%. Steel has a smaller percentage. Its distinguished into three classes: low (< 0, 22%),
medium (< 0, 6%), , high (< 1, 7%) carbon steel6 . In case theres another metal component (Cr, N i,
M n...) adding to process, theyre called alloy steel 7

Categorization based on steel furnace

Its so old classification method which is not used any more. The steel furnace is now replaced by
the oxygen converter.

Figure 1.9: Bessemer furnace.

Categorization based on oxidation level

The liquid steels in melting phase of steelmaking process contains dissolved oxygen inside. In
cooling phase of steel, the solubility of oxygen decreases and the excess oxygen can cause blowholes on
the steel surface. Therefore, the deoxidizing agent have to be added to the melt steel. There are three
types of steel: killed, semi-killed and rimmed steel.
1. Killed steel is steel that has been completely deoxidized8 , so that theres no evolution of gas
during solidification phase. This kind of steel is characterized by a high degree of chemical
homogeneity and freedom from gas porosity.
The main disavantages of killed steel is the shrinkage defects appear in solidification phase in
mold . Thus, the large vertical mold is used.
2. Semi-killed steel is mostly deoxidized, but the carbon monoxide leaves blowhole type porosity in
the ingot .
6

Only low carbon steel is used for construction

Steelwork uses only low alloy steel (percentage of all metal component is less than 2,5%).
8
Common deoxidizing agents include aluminium, ferrosilicon and manganese. Aluminium reacts with the dissolved
gas to form aluminium oxide. Aluminium also has the added benefit of forming pin grain boundaries, which prevent grain
growth during heat treatments. For steels of the same grade a killed steel will be harder than rimmed steel.
7

19

Figure 1.10: Oxygen converter

3. Rimmed steel has a very little deoxidation which causes a rapid evacuation from the melt steel.
The gas leaves blowholes in the surface. Another result is the segregation of elements, almost
carbon, phosphorus and sulfur move to the center of ingot, leaving an almost perfect "rim" of
pure iron on the outside of ingot. "This gives the ingot an excellent surface finish because of
this iron rim, but also forms the most segregated composition. This steel is used in general for
cold-forming, drawing (metalworking).

1.1.3

Micro-structure of steel

Main components of steel is iron and carbon, added tiny amount of other metal: nickel, chrome,
or oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur... The light point in the figure (1.12) is called Ferrite or Ferrit have
the body-centered cubic crystal structure. Other allotropes of iron are presented in figure
Carbon exists in steel solution under the form of iron carbide F e3 C called Cementite.

20

Figure 1.11: Some manufacturing process: drawing, extrusion, casting, forging

Figure 1.12: Steel micro-structure of low and medium carbon sample

21

Figure 1.13: Allotropes of iron

22

INDEX
carbon, 13
cast iron, 13
Cementite, 19

phosphorus, 13

deoxidation, 19
deoxidizing agent, 18

sample, 20
segregation, 19
Semi-killed steel, 18
soft steel, 4
solidification, 18
solubility, 18
steel section, 13
steel structure, 3
steelmaking process, 18
sulphur, 13

Rimmed steel, 19

Ferrite, 19
ingot, 18
Killed steel, 18
M&E, 6
mold, 18

23

24

Bibliography
[Hirt et al., 2006] Hirt, M.-A., Bez, R., and Nussbaumer, A. (2006). Construction mtallique: notions
fondamentales et mthodes de dimensionnement. Presses polytechniques et universitaires romandes.
[Lemaitre and Chaboche, 1994] Lemaitre, J. and Chaboche, J. (1994). Mechanics of Solid Materials.
Cambridge University Press.
[Martin and Purkiss, 2008] Martin, L. and Purkiss, J. (2008). Structural Design of Steelwork. Elservier.
[Phm and Phm, 2009] Phm, V-H. Nguyn, Q.-V. and Phm, V.-T. (2009). Kt Cu Thp - Cu
kin c bn. NXB Xy dng.

25