INELASTIC BUCKLING LOADS FOR NONPRISMATIC COLUMNS

INELASTIC BUCKLING LOADS FOR NONPRISMATIC COLUMNS

Shengmin B. Wu*
ABSTRACT

The buckling load or the stability of axially loaded prismatic columns has been well discussed in both the elastic and the inelastic ranges. Nonprismatic or tapered compression members are often used to achieve economy in many practical applications. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately predict their failure loads. In presentday steel buildings, the member with varied web and constant flanges is used more often, the investigation in this study will focus on this type of nonprismatic member The elastic and inelastic buckling capacity or stabilities of nonprismatic columns are discussed herein by using a modified matrix technique, in which the geometric, mate rial nonlinearities and the effect of the residual stress are included. In this study, the nonlinear response of structures is generated by an incremental load approach with a secant type of iteration method at each load level to satisfy the equilibrium equations The stability functions and the discrete element model are employed in the iteration approach to present the geometric and material nonlinearity, respectively Keywords: Inelastic Analysis, Buckling Load, Nonprismatic(Tapered) Member

*Associate Professor, Dept. of Construction Engineering

263

INELASTIC BUCKLING LOADS FOR NONPRISMATIC COLUMNS

this proposed numerical analysis, the geometric nonlinearity, material nonlinearity, and

I. Introduction

the effect of the residual stress are also considered

It is well known from basic mechanics of materials that only very short columns, or stocky columns, can be loaded to their yield stress. The common situation is that buckling, or sudden bending as result of instability, occurs prior to the full material

II.

Background

Column strength can be considered for either (1) a column with perfect geometry
and perfect central loading, or (2) a column with slightly imperfect geometry and loading The strength of a perfectly straight prismatic column with perfect central loading and well-defined end restraints is the so-called Euler load,
P Jr 2E1)/(KLf,

strength being developed in the member. Therefore a sound knowledge of the stability characteristics of compression members is necessary
structural steel columns

for predicting the strength of

Stability of a structural system may be explained by considering the system stiff0O

Tf

where E is the Yang's Modulus; I is the moment of inertia; and KL is the effective length, as long as the material is still elastic when buckling occurs. Even if an initial
deflection and an initial load eccentricity are present, the maximum axial load will

ness. The stability limit reaches

vanishes. Reduction of stiffness

instability occurs when the stiffness of the system a structural member is due to either the change in

geometry or the change in

of a structural steel which

mechanical properties of material. If a column is made

hl

approach the Euler load gradually as long as the material remains elastic[6}. Many practical columns are in the range of slenderness where at buckling portions of the
columns are no longer elastic, and the Euler column theory is violated. Also, the

ee

an elastic-perfectly plastic stress-strain characteristic

axial load can not exceed the yield load P

ofl,

of the cross section and the shape

column strength curve will be the same as the Euler curve, as shown in Fig

but well

stiffness of the column may he reduced by yielding; e.g, that may be due to partial yield of the cross section where compressive residual stress exists The determination of the maximum strength of columns can be a complicated process, especially when geometrical and material nonlinearities or residual stresses must be considered. Bjorhovde and Tall[3j used the multiple column curves concept to ob tamn the maximum column strength at Lehigh University
A set of column curves was
a-

is cut-off by a horizontal line defined by Fcr/Fy=1.0. Experimental results with

centered loads and relatively straight short-length or intermediate-length steel columns show, however, critical loads which fall below the horizontal line this phenomenon, residual stress in columns is considered as a In order to explain principal factor that

causes the low strength of the column buckling inelastically

Two typical nonprismatic or tapered members are shown in Fig. 1.2, in which one is a member with equal flange widths and linearly-tapered web depth whereas the

generated for a variety of members by a computerized maximum strength analysis,

suming that the initial crookedness was 1/1000 of the column length. The members included roiled and welded shapes from light to heavy. Those curves were divided into three subgroups, each giving an arithmetic average curve for the subgroup
SSRC

P r l( seyP

other is a member with equal web depth and linearly-tapered flange widths. In sent-day steel buildings, the member with varied web and constant flanges is
onor

more often for design practice

ff

investigation in this study will focus elastic and inelastic buckling capacity

this

used these three curves for design purposes. It is doubtful that the multiple column curves as developed for centrally loaded columns are also applicable to the design of members with beam-column behavior. Hall[7] presented the development of empirical column strength criteria based on physical tests of steel columns
equations were based on regression analyses. However, most of

nonprismatic steel member

stabilities

QO

prismatic and nonprismatic columns

discussed by using a modified matrix techdiscrete element model are employed

254 In

nique in which stability functions and

All column design

the tests were for

265

INELASTIC BUCKLING LOADS FOR NONPRISMATIC COLUMNS

columns with pinned ends; thus, the tests

not simulate an actual column

member shall be taken as AISC Formula N4-1, Pc = 1.7AFa. However ,it is to he noted that there are no any plastic design criteria for tapered members Specifications[ 1]

building with end restraints. Chen and Atsuta[5] summarized additional method the deflection method and the curvature method for predicting column strengths Nonprismatic or tapered columns are often used in practice for the purpose of economy; however, compared with prismatic columns, the subject of tapered columns
has been studied much less. Harvey[8] used the string polygon method to study

in the AISC

III. Methodology
The numerical technique used in this study is a modified stiffness matrix analysis
Stability functions and the discrete element model are employed to present the geo metric and the material nonlinear responses[11,l2,13]. The stiffness of an element

symmetrical tapered columns with various end restraints, The string polygon method was used to relate the bending moment at an arbitrary interior cross section of a discrete segment to the bending moments of the two cross sections at the adjacent ends

of the discrete segment giving three moment equations. Modified moment equations then were developed. The characteristic buckling load equation was obtained directly by the method of back substitution. Weisgerber and Salahuddin{1O] used a discrete element modified stiffness method by using stability functions and iterative numerical analysis to study elastic stability of a series of tapered columns with various end re straints. Because the discrete modified stiffness technique was used, the buckling of the tapered column due to the distributed loading along the member can be obtained by this iterative numerical analysis. In those studies by Harvey[8] and Weisgerber and Salahuddin[1OJ, however, only the elastic stability of columns was considered Typical column strength curves, assuming linear distribution of residual stresses across the flange based on the parabolic equation proposed by Bleich[4], are adopted by SSRC. SSRC used Fr=O.5Fy shown as Fig. 1.1, where Fr is the residual stress and Fy is the yield stress on the cross section of the column, so as to give a smooth transition from the Euler curve for elastic buckling to the parabolic curve for inelastic buckling at the point of F0jFy=0.5. And then the basic strength curve of SSRC divided by a factor of safety is used as Formulas E2-l and E2-2 of the ASD of AISC For the nonprismatic or tapered compression members, AJSC F7 gives formulas very similar to Formulas E2- 1 and E2-2 for ASD as well as E2-1, E2-2 and E2-3 for LRFD[ 1,2] In Plastic Design of the compression member, AISC N4 requires that the slender ness ratio shall not exceed C. or kl/r and the maximum strength of this compression
266

conventionally used in the stiffness method is derived on the basis of beam theory which consists of bending and shear influences. But whenever dealing with compression members in second-order analysis, the P-A effect must be considered since its direct effect is to reduce the bending stiffness of the member. Stability functions are
a series of functions expressed by stiffness factor and carry-over factor, in which the

effects of axial thrust in a member are considered. Stability functions of various

types have been suggested by a number of researchers. Functions were retabulated

Livesley in terms of

P/PE.

is represented as a power series in

and a

tional function, as shown in eq. 3.1

.756460p

2)/(64

Op2IA p 2/23n)

where A 1.57973627 A 0.15858587 A3

0.02748899

A4 = 0.00547540

Witht 7T /2)( p)1/2, the other four stability functions, i75:to '75:,may be
pressed as '75 t2/3(1- i),

AA
A7

0.00115381

0.00024908
0.00005452

ex

267

INELASTIC BUCKLING LOADS FOR NONPRISMATIC COLUMNS

3 /4,
q5 3 i)!2, and
1

{6' u} can be obtained by simply using the system stiffness matrix, [K], at the begin ning of the load level {P}The solution, {u}+{a u}, then represents a new config

uration of the system; however, the resulting equilibrium equations do not guarantee Thus, in this study, stability functions, to are employed to formulate
mental stiffness matrix of 6X6 order which includes the P effect, using the iota
tions

the satisfaction at the load level {P The approximate configuration solution is then corrected by a secant type of iteration, utilizing the modified stiffness matrix [K] up dated by stability functions, until the equilibrium equations are satisfied within a pre
scribed tolerance

for degrees of freedom and forces, shown in Fig. 3.1

The stiffness matrix is

obtained as

Based on the nonlinear theory and numerical technique outlined previously, the

effect of shear deformation is not considered in this

prismatic or tapered columns will be analyzed inelastically by employing the modified

stiffness matrix and a discrete element model within an incremental approach. The

numerical technique, show-n graphically

technique using the stiffness method in which the prismatic and nonprisniatic member are each modeled as a series of uniform segments[ll,l3] and each segment is treated
as a cross section and then modeled as the discrete element mode]

-p- It is now to determine the new configuration {u J, corresponding to a load level

{P-} {PI+{c P}, in which-6' P} is an incremental load. Using a linear analysis by {6P)-[K] {6'u}
268

r'
.ll eseses w e e s . eses

r U-e IL1 1 0 l s>1 L 0 IO

lesesese w s e e w s e es ! es )

! ! les , e .s 1 eI sesJ eseseseseses

A/L

C)

EA/ L
0
0

ll

computational steps associated with each load increment are summarized as follows: 1)Assign a value of unity to each stability functions 2)Use the latest available values of all geometric quantities to determine the stiffness
matrix in global coordinates. Assemble the system stiffness matrix [K]

.L

L2EI 5/L3 6E1 2/ L2

EA/L 0

6E1 2//12
4E1/L 0

l2EI 5/L3
GE 2/ /, 2
0

GEl /LZ
2E1 / L 0

UU

It is to be noted that the axial shortening due to curvature is neglected study

When considering the material nonlinearity, two dimensional and in-plane non

For a system, it is assumed that the configuration, {u-,is known for a load level

I eses

EA/L
0 0

12EI 5/L3 GEl 2/L2

GEl 2/LZ
2E1 4/L

l2El 5/L3 GET /12

6EI 2/L2
4E1 /L

3)Determine the stability of the structure. If the determinant of [K] is zero, the structural system is unstable and the ultimate load is obtained

UU

rj

In

Fig. 3.2, is essentially a matrix analysis

4)Solve for-a u} by substituting [K] and{dP} into eq. 3.4 5)IJse the calculated value of-a u} to determine member end forces 6)Determine the new- stability functions for each member by using the latest axial
forces

7)lf the differences between the stability functions resulting from two successive it erations are not sufficiently small, repeat steps 2) through 5) until the differences are within a prescribed tolerance 8)Having the member end forces from the converged solutions, determine the new effective area, Ac, and new moment inertia, le, by discrete element model
9)Update the geometry in global system and update the effective area and moment of inertia for each segment

lO)Consider a new' load increment a P} and repeat steps above Because this method for modelling a structural member uses the concept that the length effect of each segment is neglected, a sufficient number of segments for modelling a structural member is required in the analysis

(3.4)
269

INELASTIC BUCKLING LOADS FOR NONPRISMATIC COLUMNS

Residual stress is the stress that remains in a member after it has been formed
into a finished product Structural steel shapes contain residual stresses that result

tapered member (flange width is constant) is small, it is found that the buckling load

about the weak axis of a tapered member is almost the same as that of a prismatic
member. Therefore, the subject of buckling load web-tapered members s treated the same as that
OO
f

primarily from uneven cooling after rolling; sometimes welding process is the main
f'e

stability about the weak axis of prismatic members and is there

0ar

reason to cause residual stresses in the build-up steel members

Two patterns

residual stress distributions commonly used for analysis of wide flange sections
Ce

fore less significant I or tapered members. On the other hand, since the variation
L

shown in Fig. 3.3 The actual residual stress patterns are

those shown here To apply the discrete element model, residual stress has to be modelled crete elements of the cross section

course, more complex than

the strong axis radius-of-gyration along the length of the tapered member is large,

0
l k

stepped distribution corresponding to those dis-

aa shown in Fig. 3.4. With

elling the distribution of residual stress as stepped distribution, it can be seen that any

pattern of residual stress distribution may be modelled as a stepped one and applied to
this numerical technique

IV. Analysis Results And Discussions

As was stated previously, the member with varied web and constant flanges is where PE

used more often in present-day steel buildings. This study focuses on this type of tapered member for analysis. The geometry of a linearly tapered I-shaped steel member is shown in Fig. 4.1. For this nonprismatic or tapered member, the depth at any distance z from the smaller end can be expressed as d d011 (z/L) r where d0 represents the smallest depth at z 0; 1 represents the tapering ratio, (dt-d0)/d0; and d1 represents the largest depth at z L A nonprismatic or tapered member is modeled as a stepped column, or a series of prismatic segments, and the accuracy of the solution is dependent upon the number of segments modelled in a member. The solutions for the buckling load with respect to the strong axis of an 1-shaped cross section for three tapered columns with different tapering ratio, r 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0, are presented in Fig. 4.2. The plot is P. versus
number of segments. It seems that at least 10 or 11 segments are needed in order to

0h

linear distribution of the

subject of the buckling load about the strong axis of web-tapered members is signifi
HO
LL

cant. Lee et al.[9] proposed an equation for representing the relationship between
elastic buckling load with respect to the strong axis of a tapered member and that

the concept of mod

a prismatic member having a cross section equal to the smaller cross section of the
tapered member:
P'VIEI/L)2 and
g

4la

1.000

0.375 r

0.080:20000 0.0775 i--)

4.lh

is the elastic buckling load about the strong axis of the tapered member

and lx is the moment of inertia about the strong axis of the smaller end cross

of tion. This equation implies that the elastic buckling load for a tapered column 5cclength L can be considered equivalent to that of a prismatic column having a cross
section equal to that of the smaller end of a tapered column and a length equal to

gL. See Fig 4.3. Note that for axially loaded tapered columns the critical stress will
always occur at the smaller end and the stress will decrease toward the larger end

To compare with eqs. 4.lb, the relationships between tapering ratios, r,and equivalent-length factors, g, of a tapered column obtained from the analysis of this study is
shown in Fig. 4.3. A good agreement is obtained

In general, eqs. 4.1 are only applicable for the slenderness ratios greater than a certain limit ratio, gL/r0, where r0 is the radius of gyration of the strong axis. For
members with lesser slenderness values, buckling will occur in the inelastic range when

obtain converged solutions for these three cases Since the variation of the weak axis radius-of-gyration along the length of the

considering the existence of residual stress in the tapered member and eqs. 4.1 will overly predict the critical load
271

270

I()

INELASTIC BUCKLING LOADS FOR NONPRISMATIC COLUMNS

11

In order to illustrate inelastic stability of perfectly straight tapered columns due to the existence of residual stress, several data are analyzed to construct the strength curves(strong axis) shown in Fig. 4.4. The tapering ratios for these columns are 0.0, 025, 0.50, 1.0, and 2.0 respectively. To nondimensionalize this figure, P 0 and L' are introduced. Py0 is the yield force for the smaller end of the tapered member. The term L' defines the length of an equivalent prismatic column with a cross section

Specification. It is believed that more information and design criteria, for ASD
and LRFD are needed for designing structures with tapered members. This matter suggested for further study by using this proposed method

PD
Is

V. References
[1] American Institute of Steel Construction, Specifications for Structural Steel Build

equal to that of the larger end of the tapered column and its elastic buckling load equal to Py0. See Fig. 4.4. The curves in this figure are valuable in that they can be
used to obtain the inelastic critical load of a tapered column for any prescribed length and a certain cross section at the smaller end

ings, ASD, 9th ed,AISC, Chicago, 1989 121 American Institute of Steel Construction, Specifications for Structural Steel Build ings, LRFD,lst ed,A]SC, Chicago, 1986

In AISC, the ASD design formulas for tapered members are based on the concept that the critical stress for an axially loaded tapered column is equal to that of a prismatic column of different length, but the same cross section as the smaller end of the tapered column. This has resulted in the definition of an equivalent effective
length factor Kr for a tapered column. The concept in formulation is just the same as

13] Bjorhovde, R,and Tall, L,"Maximum Column Strength and the Multiple Column Curve Concept, Rep. No. 337.29, Lehigh University, Fritz Eng.Lab,Bethlehem, Pa
Oct. 1971 [4] Bleich, F,Buckling Strength of Metal Structures, New York. McGraw-Hill Book Company. Inc,1952 [Si Chen, W. F,and Atsuta, T,Theory of Beam-Columns, Vol. 1 and Vol. 7, Mc
(iraw- Hill. New York. 1976

that discussed previously and the factor K:is the same as the factor g. Having the equivalent effective length factor, K,the tapered member is treated as a prismatic
member in design

[6] Galamhos, T. V,ed. Guide to Stability Design Criteria for Metal Structures-SSRC 4th Edition. John Wiley&Sons, New York 1988 [71 Hall

AISC states that the effective length factor, K,for a tapered member can he
determined by a rational analysis. Some charts for selection of the value of K r are

provided by AISC Specification. However, those charts are only available for single bay and single-story framed structures and the application of those charts is limited by some restrictions. For example, the properties of top and bottom beams of frames are required for the application of those charts; however, the existence of a bottom beam is not necessary for constructing a frame. Also, those charts are not applicable for multibay and multistory frameworks In Plastic Design (PD) of a prismatic compression member, AISC requires that the slenderness ratio shall not exceed Cc, and the maximum strength of this compression member, due to inelastic behavior, shall be taken as 1.7 AF which has been previously discussed. However, there is no plastic design criteria for tapered members in AISC
272

H Proposed Steel Column Design Criteria,' ASCE J. Struct. Div., Vol

107 No ST4, pp. 649-670, April, 1981

[8] Harvey, .1
90. No S 1
W

Buckling Loads for Stepped Columns," ASCE J. Struct. Div., Vol pp. 201-222, April, 1964

[9] Lee, G.C,Morrell ,M. L, and Ketter, R. U,"Design of Tapered Members,' Weld
ReS (ouncil Bull No. 173 June. 1972

[10] Weisgerber, F. F,and Salahuddin, K

'Elastic Stability of Non-prismatic Columns,

Steel Structures, ASCE Conf. May, 1989 [11] Wu, S. B The Inelastic Stability of Steel Frames with Residual Stress Effect
273

12

INELASTIC BUCKLING LOADS FOR NONPRISMATIC COLUMNS

13

Dissertation, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1991

[12] Wu, S. B,and Weisgerber, F. B,'Inelastic Stability Analysis of Tapered Frames,

9th Nat'l Conf. on Microcomputers in Civil Engineering, Orlando, Florida, Nov 1992

[13]WU, S. B, Material Nonlinearity of Stocky Members,' Proceedings of The Second Nat'l Conf on Structural Engineering, Nantou, Taiwan, Nov. 4-6, 1994

a. Web-tapered
10

b. Flange-tapered

Fig. 1.2

Typical nonprismatic(tapered) column members

' U

axis-linear residuaL stress

EuLer Strong

(c) Weak axis-linear residual stress

SSRC basic sIrenqth

P6. U5

(d)

Pu
lu

P2. U:

P5. u:

ft Fyr

07

Fig. 3.1 Notations for degrees of freedom and forces

IP{
fl S ized inc cerne.nt a S (Dci I inn

F-L

05

Slenderness function,

Fig. 1.1 Column strength curves-SSRC

converged so

Stocky Member
orSeptinnr

Fig. 3.2 Numerical technique and typical member model

275

274

14

INELASTIC BUCKLING LOADS FOR NONPRISMATIC COLUMNS

15

lt

7-

d
.d es 1

Jr
or

3 av
of :::

Fig. 4.1 Geometry of linearly tapered 1-shaped member

U(tw/Bf)(D/tf)-2(tw/bf)

Nn stress in tile web

Fig. 3.3 Residual stress distributions

Fig. 3.4 Discretized stress distribution

- h

d0=8.0 in, Bf=7.995 in tw= =285in, . ti=. =435 in

29,000 ksi, Fy 36ksi L 400in, pin-pin supported

F

m
1 ie s ew se es ese U s ; ee ssjeeJ JeseU s e j e e s J

ki

-v..0 __

J -

7-0. 25

,P l: j

275

Fig. 42 Relationship between no. of segments and solutions 277

TJ
II

iii). it SegilicilEs

16

INELASTIC BUCKLING LOADS FOR NONPRISMATIC COLUMNS

17

PCr

d0=8.0 in tw= =2SSiri . Rf=7.995 in tf= =435 . in

Pcr

d.

-1

do=8.0 in Bf=7,995 in

2RSin

435 in

E=29.000 ksi

Fy= y36ksi

p'r

PCr

pin-pin supported

pin-pin supported

E=29,000 k.si, Fy=36k.si

Proposed, nsin" L - 430 in ce's19!, eq 4

/L

Fig. 4.3 Relationship between equivalent length factors and tapering ratio

1 we es

Fig. 4.4

Strength curves of tapered column with various tapering ratio

including residual stress effect

278

279

--

280