CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
Design of Steel Compression Members
Structural elements that are subjected to axial compressive forces only are called
columns. Columns are subjected to axial loads through the centroid.
Stress:
The stress in the column cross-section can be calculated as
f = P/A
where f is assumed to be uniform over the entire cross-section.
This ideal state is never reached. The stress-state will be non-uniform due to:
1. Accidental eccentricity of loading with respect to the centroid
2. Member out of –straightness (crookedness), or
3. Residual stresses in the member cross-section due to fabrication processes.
Accidental eccentricity and member out-of-straightness can cause bending moments in the
member. However, these are secondary and are usually ignored.
Bending moments cannot be neglected if they are acting on the member. Members with
axial compression and bending moment are called beam-columns.
63
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
64
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
65
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
COLUMN BUCKLING
Consider a long slender compression member. If an axial load P is applied and increased
slowly, it will ultimately reach a value Pcr that will cause buckling of the column.
Pcr is called the critical buckling load of the column.
Buckling occurs when a straight column subjected to axial compression suddenly undergoes
bending as shown in the Figure. Buckling is identified as a failure limit-state for columns.
66
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
67
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
(a) Cross-section (b) major-axis buckling (c) minor-axis buckling
68
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
EXAMPLE :
Determine the buckling strength of a W 310 x 74 column. Its length is 6 m.
For major axis buckling, it is pinned at both ends.
For minor buckling, it is pinned at one end and fixed at the other end.
Solution:
According to Table C-C2--1 of the AISC Manual (page 6-184):
For pin-pin end conditions about the major axis
Kx = 1.0 (theoretical value); and Kx = 1.0 (recommended design value)
For pin-fix end conditions about the minor axis
Ky = 0.7 (theoretical value); and Ky = 0.8 (recommended design value)
According to the problem statement, the unsupported length for buckling about the major
(x) axis = Lx = 6 m.
The unsupported length for buckling about the minor (y) axis = Lx = 6 m . = 6000 mm.
Effective length for major (x) axis buckling = Kx Lx = 1.0 x 6 = 6 m. = 6000 mm.
Effective length for minor (y) axis buckling = Ky Ly = 0.8 x 6 = 4.8 m. = 4800 mm.
69
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
INELASTIC COLUMN BUCKLING
Let us consider the above example. According to our calculations Pcr = 2004.76 kN .
This Pcr will cause a uniform stress f = Pcr/A in the cross-section
For W310 x 74,
A = 9490 mm2 & Pcr = 2004.76 kN
And f = 2004.76 x1000/ 9490 = 210 N/mm2 ( MPa )
The calculated value of f is within the elastic range for a 345 MPa yield stress material.
70
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
71
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
72
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
Critical Load From Using AISC Tables
73
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
74
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
75
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
76
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
77
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
78
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
79
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
80
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
81
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
82
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
2 6 4
Take K=2.1, Try section A= 9390mm , I=116x10 mm
83
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
2
A= 22800mm , r=95.3mm
84
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
2
A= 22800mm ,
Lx=7.32m,rx=159mm
Ly=3.66m, ry=95.3mm
Kx=Ky=1
85
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
86
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
87
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
88
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
89
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
90
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
91
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
92
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
93
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
94
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
95
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
96
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
97
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
98
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
99
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
100
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
101
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
102
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
Problem
103
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
104
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
105
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
106
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STEEL DESIGN FALL SEMESTER 2025-2026
107
