International Journal of Steel Structures 15(1): 31-38 (2015)

DOI 10.1007/s13296-014-1104-3

www.springer.com/journal/13296

A Simple Formula for Estimating the Column Ultimate Load

with Effect of Semi-rigid Connections
Dia Eddin Nassani1,* and Abdul Hakim Chikho2
1
Department of Civil Engineering, Hasan Kalyoncu University, Gaziantep, Turkey
2
Department of Civil Engineering, Aleppo University, Aleppo, Syria

Abstract

Calculating the ultimate load of a framed column in sway structures involves, in the currently used design method, the
calculation of the column effective length and utilizing the interaction formulae or tables. Therefore no allowance is made for
the presence of semi-rigid connections in the currently used design method. In this paper, a new formula to calculate the column
ultimate load is proposed using simple model to simulate the behavior of practical steel columns in sway structures. This
formula takes into account the effect of semi-rigid connections, the column rotational end restraints and the ratio of the applied
horizontal to vertical loads. Moreover, the proposed method has the advantage of allowing for the influence of the column end
moments resulted from the presence of the externally applied loads. In order to verify the accuracy of the proposed formula,
several examples are presented in which the column ultimate load have been calculated using the proposed formula and the
well known computer program STAAD.Pro. Comparing the obtained results of the proposed method with those obtained from
STAAD.Pro has shown good correlation and therefore the accuracy of the proposed method to predict the behavior of practical
columns has been verified.

Keywords: connection, ultimate load, semi-rigid, steel beams, steel structures

1. Introduction and the beams requires the existence of a bracing system

In the design of framed columns, two classes of steel
structures are recognized as found in (BS5950, 2000) and
these are:
• ‘Simple construction’ where the columns are usually
designed as axially loaded elements with nominal
moments transferred from beams to columns to
account for the eccentricities between the center line
of the column and the assumed center of bearing at
the connection.
• ‘Continuous construction’ in which a similar procedure
for design columns in ‘simple construction’ is normally
used, except that the bending moments transmitted to
the column ends are defined by a frame analysis
(linear or nonlinear analysis as appropriate).
The former class is almost inevitably non-sway structures
since the rotational discontinuity between the columns
Received December 19, 2013; accepted July 5, 2014;
published online December 12, 2014
© KSSC and Springer 2014
*Corresponding author
Tel: +90-342-2118080 Ext. 1218; Fax: +90-342-2118081
E-mail: diaeddin.nassani@hku.edu.tr
to resist lateral loading while the second is sway
structures since lateral loading is resisted by the framed
elements, i.e. the beams and the columns as found in (The
Steel Construction Institute, 2003).
To calculate the ultimate load of a framed column in
sway structures involves, in the currently used design
method, the calculation of the column effective length
and utilizing the interaction formulae or tables (Salmon et
al, 2009; AISC LRFD, 2005). In this paper, a simple
model has been adopted to calculate the ultimate loads of
framed columns in sway structures without the need to
calculate neither the maximum bending moments of the
column nor the effective length factor.
2. The Proposed Model
A previous study conducted by (Chikho and Kirby,
1995; Chikho, 2002; Chikho and Nassani, 2009) has
shown that the behavior of framed columns in sway
structures is influenced by:
• The rotational end restraints provided at the column
ends,
• The ratio of horizontal to the vertical loads applied to
the column and
• Initial imperfection of the column.
32 Dia Eddin Nassani and Abdul Hakim Chikho / International Journal of Steel Structures, 15(1), 31-38, 2015

EIbu ⎛ 1 ⎞
- 3 ---------------- θ 2
M2C = M2D = --------- (6)
L b ⎝ 1 + 3β2⎠

Equilibrium at joint 2 requires that:

Σ2 M = 0 → M21 + M2C + M2D = 0 (7)

EIc EIc 2EI bu ⎛ 3 ⎞ EIc s ( 1 + c )

-------csθ 1 + -------s + ------------- ⎝ ----------------⎠ θ 2 + ------- -----------------δ = 0
Lc Lc L b 1 + 3β 2 Lc Lc
(8)
Considering the equilibrium of the column:
Figure 1. The simple model used in the proposed analysis.
∑ M = 0 → M12 + M21 – P ( δ + δ 0 ) – HL c = 0 (9)
column

Therefore, the simple model shown in Fig. 1 has been

EI EI 2EI s( 1 + c )
used which consists of a sway column supported by two -------c ( s + sc )θ1 + -------c ( s + sc )θ 2 + ⎛ ----------c ----------------- – P⎞ δ
Lc Lc ⎝ Lc Lc ⎠
beams at each end and subjected at its tip to horizontal
and vertical loads. – Pδ 0 – HL c = 0 (10)
This model has been chosen because it allows for the
main influence factors mentioned above. where
- Calculating end moments of the model assuming E: modulus of elasticity
positive anti-clock wise gives: LC: column Height
• Joint 1: Lb: upper and lower beam span
For column: using the well known equation (Horne and Ibu: upper beams moment of inertia
Merchant, 1965) Ibl: lower beams moment of inertia
θ2, θ1: rotation at upper and lower ends.
EI s( 1 + c) δ0: column initial deflection
M12 = -------c sθ1 + scθ2 + -----------------δ (1)
Lc Lc δ: column sway
P: column vertical load
For beam 1A and 1B: using the equation of member H: applied horizontal load
with Semi-rigid – Hinged ends (Nassani, 2011) R: connection rotational stiffness
s,c: stability functions
EI
M1A = M1B = --------bl- 3 ⎛ ----------------
1 ⎞θ
(2) - By solving equations (4), (8) and (10), the values of
Lb ⎝ 1 + 3β1⎠
1
θ1, θ2 and δ will be obtained. Substituting these values in
Eq. (1) and with series of calculations, the column
where
maximum end moment is:
2
π EIc p π ρ
- ; ρ = ------ ; α = ---------- ;
P E = ------------ H δ
Lc
2 P 2 Mmax = M12 = PL C ⎛ ---- + ----0-⎞ F (11)
E ⎝ P Lc⎠
α ( 1 – 2α cot g ( 2α ) ) 2α – sin ( 2α )
s = ---------------------------------------------- ; c = --------------------------------------------------- ;
tan ( α ) – α sin ( 2α ) – 2α cos ( 2α ) s[ ( A + c) + B(1 + c) ]
where: F = ---------------------------------------------------------------
-,
EI s( 1 + c ) ( 1 + A + 2B ) – ρπ B
2
β1 = ---------
LR1
–1 ----- 6- ⎛ ----------------
1 ⎞ + s ( 1 + cA )
B = -----------------
Equilibrium at joint 1 requires that: s ( 1 + c ) G2 ⎝ 1 + 3β2⎠
Σ 1 M = 0 → M12 + M1B + M1A = 0 (3)
------ ⎛ ----------------⎞ + s( 1 – c )
6 1
G2 ⎝ 1 + 3β2⎠
EIc 2EIbl ⎛ 3 ⎞ EIc EIc s ( 1 + c ) A = ---------------------------------------------------
-------s + ------------ ---------------- θ 1 + -------csθ 2 + ------- -----------------δ = 0
------ ⎛ ----------------⎞ + s( 1 – c )
⎝ ⎠ 6 1
Lc Lb 1 + 3β1 Lc Lc L c
(4) G1 ⎝ 1 + 3β1⎠

• Joint 2: 6EIc 6EIc

---------- ----------
Lc Lc
EI s( 1 + c) G1 = -------------------- , G2 = ---------------------
M21 = -------c sθ2 + scθ1 + -----------------δ (5) 3EI 3EI
Lc Lc 2 ⎛ -----------bl-⎞ 2 ⎛ ------------
bu⎞
-
⎝ Lb ⎠ ⎝ Lb ⎠