Assignment 3

1 Determination of the effective length of columns and beams:

1.1 Compression effective length for central and right columns:

The assumption here is that this frame with a slightly pitched roof can be treated as a rectangular frame
to simplify the calculation.

Height of the column shall be taken as the height of the external column that is 3.12m and the length of
a bay is calculated to be 12.94m which is the same as the length of the rafter.

For the sake of analysis, assuming all the members functioning ass rafters and columns along grid 4 are
exact the members shown in TTW drawings. This gives out all the members except for the central
(/) (1/)
column in the frame is 360UB57. So formulae = (/)
can be simplified as = (1/)
for the
calculation of Lex of the external columns.

1.1.1 External Column on Grid F:

Lex(Unbraced):

Lb = 12.94m, Lc = 3.12m
(1/)
Top End: = (1/)

The beam connected to the top end of the external column restrains a sway member and the far end of
the beam is pinned connected to a column. So = 0.5 according to AS4100 Table 4.6.3.4.
1 3.12
= = 8.29
0.5 1 12.94

Bottom End: Bottom end of the external column is designed to connect the base and the frame through
a pin so = 10.

According to AS4100 FIGURE 4.6.3.3 (b), ke = 2.8. For in-plane flexural buckling the purlins, fly brace and
girts cant strengthen the column so L here should be the original height 3.12m.

,, = 2.8 3.12 8.74

Ley(Braced):

Lb = 7.32 m, Lc = 3.12m, Beam: Ibx = 39.2 106 4 , Column: = 11.0 106 4

(/)
=
(/)

Top end:

The beam connected to the top end of the external column restrains a braced member and the far end
of the beam is rigidly connected to a column. So = 1.0 according to AS4100 Table 4.6.3.4.
 11.0 3.12
= = 0.33
2 1.0 39.2 7.32
Bottom End: Bottom end of the external column is designed to connect the base and the frame through
a pin so = 10.

According to AS4100 FIGURE 4.6.3.3 (a), ke = 0.78. And out-of-plane flexural buckling can be prevented
by the purlins, girts and fly braces at the same time. So the segment length here should be taken as 1.2
m as the same dispersion distance as purlins and girts.

,, = 0.78 1.2 0.94

1.1.2 Central Column:

Since both ends are pinned connections so according to AS4100 Figure 4.6.3.2, ke = 1.0. So Lex = Ley = keL
= 1.0 3.12m = 3.12m.

1.2 Determination of the effective length Leb for rafters and columns

1.2.1 Combination Load Case 0.9G + Wu up

1.2.1.1 Right Column:

As it can be viewed from the figure above, the critical flange of the column is actually the interior side of
the frame since by default, Microstran draws the BMD on tension side. The critical flange is
strengthened by the fly brace located at every second girt on the column. So the most critical case
would be the situation when the fly brace is placed closer to the column base and leaves the remaining
column with a sub-segment length of L = 2.4m.
Kt: The connection between the rafter and the column should be considered as a fully restrained. Fly
brace provides a laterally restraint. So the restraint arrangement for the critical sun-segment is FL.
According to AS4100 Table 5.6.3(1), kt is 1.0.

Kl: Wind imposes force on the top flange with the segment(interior flange in this case). So AS 4100 Table
5.6.3(2) gives out a kl value of 1.4.

Kr should be taken as 1.0 under the assumption of none of the restraints involved in this assignment can
resist lateral rotation.

So in accordance with AS4100 Clause 5.6.3, = = 1 1.4 1 2.4 = 3.36

Left Column:

Resembling what has been done for the right column, it can be seen from the figure below that the
critical flange is the interior flange that is under compression.

So the sub-segment length L should be L = 2.4m for the left column. Ultimately, the effective length =
= 1 1 1 2.4 = 2.4 since the wind imposes forces on the bottom flange(exterior
flange) and consequently kl =1.0.

As shown in the figure above the end moment acting on the left column is smaller than the right column
but it is still necessary to consider both columns because the compression force in the left column is
larger than that in right column.

Rafter:

Rafter- Column Connection:

 Left Column-Rafter Connection Right Column-Rafter Connection

There are few distinct positions needed to be checked in rafters.

The above two figures illustrate the moment distribution at the left and right end connections between
external columns and rafters. Therefore, it can be concluded that the critical flange for both column-
rafter connections are the interior flanges which is braced by the fly braces. Here the influence of
uniform stress comprising part of the G load cannot be neglected since the magnitude is relatively large.
So the restraint arrangement is FL, longitudinal position of the load shall be taken as within segment,
Shear Centre. And of course the lateral rotation restraint is not presented here, which gives out =
1.0, = 1.0, = 1.0, effective length = = 1 1 1 2.4 = 2.4 .
Middle Bit of Left Rafter:

The above figure illustrates the moment distribution close to the middle part of the rafter. This situation
the top flange is the critical flange and sub-segment length L is the distance between the purlins that is
1.2m. Restraint arrangement here is LL, longitudinal position of the load is within segment, shear
centre, no lateral rotation restraint presented. So = 1.0, = 1.0, = 1.0, effective length =
= 1 1 1 1.2 = 1.2 .
Rafter-Rafter Connection:
The above figure shows the bending moment diagram of the rafter-rafter connection. It can be asserted
that the interior flange is in compression and the critical flange is strengthened by fly braces. Hence the
sub-segment length here should be taken as L = 2.4m. Restraint arrangement here is FL, longitudinal
position of load is within segment, shear centre without any lateral rotation restraints. This gives =
1.0, = 1.0, = 1.0, effective length = = 1 1 1 2.4 = 2.4 .
1.2.2 Combination Load Case 1.2G + 1.5Q

The BMD of both load cases seem to be similar in their slope patterns as shown below:

BMD under 0.9G + Wu up

 BMD under 1.2G + 1.5Q

So it can be concluded that the effective lengths given for the critical positions along the rafters are the
same in both cases. However, the effective length for the columns might differ since there is no uniform
pressure acting along the column and the forces left are imposing on the end restraints of the columns.

Columns:

Having considered that the longitudinal position of the load is at the end of the segment, it can be
summarized that the kl is 1 no matter the load is acting on the top flange or shear centre. The critical
flange is the interior flange that is under compression and braced by the fly braces without any lateral
rotation restraints. So restraints arrangement is FL and entire sub-segment length is L = 2.4m. This
reveals that kt = 1.0, kr = 1.0. Effective length = = 1 1 1 2.4 = 2.4 .