Patch load resistance of steel plated members

according to EN 1993-1-5
Calculation sheet prepared by: Gaetano Della Corte
Numerical example 2.6-1
from "Design of plated structures", ECCS Eurocode Design Manual

Introductory note:
The load is supposed to be introduced into the web through a flange. The calculation of critical force using a FE software is
not allowed, since the method has inherent approximations which make it applicable only if the critical force is calculated
using the simplified equations provided with it.
Input data
Material properties
E 210 GPa

Young modulus

fy.f 345 MPa

Yield strength of flanges (assumed to be the same for

the two flanges in this calculation sheet)

fy.w 355 MPa

Yield strength of web

Partial safety factors

M1 1.1

Cross section geometry

bft 400 mm

tft 25 mm

Width and thickness of top flange

bfb 400 mm

tfb 25 mm

Width and thickness of bottom flange

hw 1500 mm

tw 10 mm

Heigth (clear between flanges) and thickness of web

Stiffeners
Load_through Top flange

This is a text variable which can take one of the

following three values: (i) "Top flange"; (ii) "Bottom
flange"; (iii) "Both flanges".

Load_at Stiffened ends

This is a text variable which can take one of the

following two values: (i) "Stiffened ends"; (ii)
"Unstiffened end". The first case refers to a load in
between two adjacent stiffeners. The second case is for a
load close to the end of the beam and without a stiffener.

a 2500 mm

Distance between two adjacent transverse stiffeners (in case of stiffened ends).

c 0 mm

Distance between the unstiffened end of the beam and the starting point of load
introduction (i.e., the load resultant is applied at a distance equal to c+ss/2 from
the unstiffened end).

Longitudinal_stiffeners Yes

This is a text variable that can take one of the following two
values: (i) "No", (ii) "Yes". If value is "Yes", then specify
values of b1 and Isl, which are needed to calculate the critical
force resistance. Otherwise, there is no need to specify
values of such parameters.

b1 300 mm

This is clear distance between the longitudinal stiffener (the

one closest to the loaded flange) and the loaded flange.
7

Isl.1 2.354 10 mm

This is the second moment of area of one longitudinal

stiffener, the one closest to the loaded flange. If both flanges
are loaded, then two checks are required, one for the
subpanel at the top flange and one for the subpanel at the
bottom flange. The most severe check should be the one
with the larger b1.

b1

b1
Check_b1 if 0.3 0.05 0.3 = b1 ok
a

hw

b1 ok

else
b1 out of range

This is a check on geometrical

limits to the calculation method
implemented into this sheet. If
there are no longitudianl stiffeners,
then the check can be disregarded.

Length of the loaded zone

ss 500 mm

This is the length, along the beam axis, of the loaded area onto the flange.
In case of load applied through rollers, the resistance check needs to be
carried out two times: (i) considering the resultant force applied through
both wheels (ss = distance between the two wheels), and (ii) considering half
of the resultant applied through one wheel only (ss = 0).
In case of load applied through a rigid body, load is generally assumed to
spread with angles of 45.

Elastic critical force

kF if Longitudinal_stiffeners No

if Load_at Stiffened ends
if Load_through Top flange Bottom flange
2

hw
6 + 2

else if Load_through Both flanges

2
hw

3.5 + 2

a

else if Load_at Unstiffened end

ss + c
min 2 + 6 , 6
hw

else
check input regarding load at and load through

else

Isl.1
s1 10.9
3
hw tw

3

b1
a

13
+
210
0.3

s2

h
a

w

s min s1 , s2
2

hw

b1

6 + 2
+ 5.44 0.21 s
a
a

tw
= 1399.0 kN
Fcr 0.9 kF E
hw

= 11.1

Yield force resistance

tf if Load_through Top flange

tft
else if Load_through Bottom flange

t
fb
else if Load_through Both flanges
min t , t
ft fb

In case of load through both flanges, the

smallest of the two flange thicknesses is
used in this calculation sheet

bf if Load_through Top flange

bft
else if Load_through Bottom flange

b
fb
else if Load_through Both flanges
min bft , bfb

In case of load through both flanges, the

smallest of the two flange widths is used
in this calculation sheet

fy.f bf
m1
= 38.9
fy.w tw
F.trial 1.65

The length over which yielding is assumed to spread (ly) depends on the slenderness
(OF), which in turn depends on the yield force. Therefore, an iterative calculation is
needed. OF.trial is a trial value, which is manually corrected after calculations.

m2 if F.trial < 0.5

0
else

2
hw
0.02


tf

= 72.0

m1 + m2
ly0 ss + 2 tf 1 +

This is the length over which yielding is assumed to

spread in case of load applied in between two adjacent
transverse stiffeners

= 1076.5 mm
Load_at Stiffened ends
l
y0
else

k Et 2

F
w
le min
, ss + c

2 fy.w hw

m1 le
l l + t
+ + m2
y1
e
f

2
tf

m1 + m2
ly2 le + tf

y if

min ly0 , ly1 , ly2

In case of load applied at unstiffened

beam end, the length over which
yielding spread is taken as the
minimum of three values.

Yield force resistance:

Fy fy.w ly tw = 3821.5 kN

Slenderness and buckling resistance factor

Slenderness
F

Fy
= 1.65

Fcr

Buckling factor
0.5
, 1 = 0.303
F min
F

Patch load design resistance

Fy
FRd F
= 1051.00 kN
M1

Repeat the calculations considering half of the resultant force applied through one wheel only
ss 0 mm

Yield force resistance

F.trial 1.209
m2 if F.trial < 0.5 = 72.0

0
else

2
hw
0.02


tf

m1 + m2
ly0 ss + 2 tf 1 +
ly if Load_at Stiffened ends
= 576.5 mm
l
y0
else

k Et 2

F
w
le min
, ss + c

2 fy.w hw

m1 le
l l + t
+ + m2
y1
e
f

2
tf

m1 + m2
ly2 le + tf
min ly0 , ly1 , ly2

Slenderness and buckling resistance factor

Slenderness
F

Fy
= 1.209

Fcr

Buckling factor
0.5
F min
, 1 = 0.413
F

Patch load design resistance

Fy
FRd F
= 769.12 kN
M1

Yield force resistance:

Fy fy.w ly tw = 2046.5 kN