4 Prof. Ing. Josef Machek, DrSc.

OK3 1
4. Torsion
Open and closed cross sections, simple St. Venant and warping torsion,
interaction of bending and torsion, Eurocode approach.
Common is elastic solution (nonlinear plastic analysis e.g. Strelbickaja)
Eurocode 3 enables combination of plastic bending moment and elastic torsion.
Should be distinguished:
- simple torsion: only shear stresses arise,
- warping torsion: both shear and direct (normal) stresses arise.
1. Open cross sections (e.g. I, U, L)
a) Simple (Saint Venants) torsion (occurs only exceptionally, see later)

i
T
t
t
b
i = 1
i = 2
i = 3
Only shear arises:
3
/
0 M y
(i)
t
t
t(i)

f
t
I
T
=
(maximal in t
max
)

=
i
3
i i t
3
1
t b I
(influence of rounding of rolled sections,
otherwise = 1)
4 Prof. Ing. Josef Machek, DrSc.
OK3 2
b) Warping torsion (according to Vlasovs theory)
one part of a torsion moment T is transmitted by simple torsion T
t
,
other part by bending torsion T
w
: T = T
t
+ T
w
Assumptions:
1. Rigid cross section,
2. Null shear deformation
(shear lag ignored).
moment of simple
torsion
moment of bending
torsion
bimoment
bending torsion
T
S shear centre
(bending centre)

t

w
= + +
+
+
-
-
in warping torsion everything
is related to central line
internal forces: T
t
T
w
B
4 Prof. Ing. Josef Machek, DrSc.
OK3 3
Shear stresses:
simple torsion
t
bending torsion
e.g.:
Direct (normal) stress:
Resulting stresses:
w w
w
W
B
I
w B
= =
w
w w
w
I t
S T
=
first sectorial moment
warping constant
t

w,max

t
t
stress through thickness t
sectorial section modulus
Applies bending analogy : B M or
w

T
w
V or
w

4 Prof. Ing. Josef Machek, DrSc.
OK3 4
Sectorial characteristics
Rolled sections see tables.
In general from sectorial coordinate:
I cross section:
4
ds
s
hb
r w =

=
z
2
A
2
w
4
dA I
h
w I = =

U cross section:
a = a
w S
w
in this position
no torsion !!
G S
The main sectorial coordinate:
First sectorial moment:
16
dA
2
A
w
t b h
w S =

=
Second sectorial moment
(warping constant):
w, S
w
, I
w
... see tables
0 dA dA
A A
=

w z w y
Position of S:
(product sectorial moments)
t
h
b
w
S
w
r
G S
z
4 Prof. Ing. Josef Machek, DrSc.
OK3 5
Determination of internal forces due to torsion:
solution of Vlasovs differential equations, or directly from formulas,
based on bending analogy.
Distribution of torsion moment:
e
F
V
simple support in torsion (couple of forces)
M
A
bending
torsion
T = Ve
B
Distribution of torsional moment due to eccentrical force
corresponds to distribution of transverse force at
eccentricity.
Part transmitted by simple torsion is set aside:
e V T
t
( ) 1
w
e V T
( ) 1 e M B
Me
Superposition for more complex loading is necessary:

... see table of Eurocode

Czech NA
e
2
e
1
- e
3
4 Prof. Ing. Josef Machek, DrSc.
OK3 6
Simplified (conservative) solution neglects simple torsion:
bending of flanges only = bimoment
(often adequate: it is conservative
from
w
point of view)
Important notes:
1. Large direct stresses, they can not be ignored!!
2. Direct stresses (warping torsion) do not arise:
a) for loading by stresses
t
, roughly also due to end
T loading (simple torsion arises only):
b) in sections composed of radiating outstands
(because of w = I
w
= 0):
3. In practice usually occurs torsion about enforced axis (V):
T
0
T
T/h
T/h
h
(shear centre S is in cross point)
moreover, torsion is usually restricted by cladding rigidity torsion may often be ignored.
analysis about original shear centre S
is uneconomical !!!
S
S V e
4 Prof. Ing. Josef Machek, DrSc.
OK3 7
a) Simple torsion (shear stresses only, usual design)
2. Closed cross sections (e.g. )
Bredts shear flow (
t
t ) = const.
(i)
t(i)
t
T
t

=
b) Warping torsion: - Umanskijs theory (rigid cross section),
- Vlasovs theory with non rigid cross section,
- FEM (including influence of bevelled cross section,
gives also transversal bending moments in plates).
The stresses are the same as in open cross sections:
t
,
w
,
w
.
However,
w
,
w
are very small, commonly ignored even for bridges.
= 2 A
s
A
s

t
t
i
d
i
T
t
Contrary to open cross section the maximal shear
t
is in the thinnest plate and along thickness constant !!
4 Prof. Ing. Josef Machek, DrSc.
OK3 8
3. Interaction of bending and torsion ( M
y
+ T )
e
Direct stresses (open cross sections only):
M1 y w My
/ f + =
M1 y
w
Ed
y LT
Ed y,

/ f
W
B
W
M
+
Shear stresses:
i.e.
( ) ( )
Rd pl,
M y
Ed w,
M0 y
Ed t,
Rd T, pl,
V
/ / f / / f ,
V

=
0
3 3 25 1
1

1
Rd T, pl,
Ed
V
V
V
pl,T,Rd
is design plastic shear resistance of the cross section.
For open sections I and U
For closed sections
( )
Rd pl,
M y
Ed t,
Rd T, pl,
V
/ / f
V

=
0
3
1

in U sections only
In general, bending and torsion stresses may be summed and von Mises criterion
applied:
1 3
2
0 0 0
2 2
0

M y
Ed
M y
Ed z,
M y
Ed x,
M0 y
Ed z,
M y
Ed x,

/ f / f / f / f / f