CHAPTER 3

Design of Compression Members

3.1 Introduction
Those elements of structures that carry compression are termed as compression members. Compression
members may be top chords and some of web members of trusses, interior column of buildings, bracing
system of multi-story buildings, and etc. Because of buckling phenomena present in compression
member, compression member is more critical member in structure than beam or tension member.
Section used by compression members are single angles for web members and double angles placed back
to back for top chord members of roof truss, W-shapes for columns of buildings and compression
members of high way bridges. The space between back of double angles is left for the insertion of gusset
plate used to connect to other member. In welded roof trusses, structural tees may be used for top chord
compression members; since web members can be welded directly to the stem of the tee without gusset-
plat. If connections of members are made by welding, square and rectangular tube sections can be used
for column of buildings and compression members of trusses. Tubular sections are the most economical
section for compression members since they have the same or nearly the same radius of gyrations about
the centroid of the section in all directions. For compression member of very large structures, it may be
necessary to use built-up section. Built-up sections are needed when the members are long and support
very heavy loads and/or when there are advantages of connection. A built-up of section well suited for top
chords of bridge trusses is a pair of channels with a cover-plate on top and with lacing on the bottom.
Some of the various type of compression members in general use are illustrated as shown below.

Angles Double angles Structural tee W- sections Channels Square tube Rectangular tube
(some times)

Box-section built-up Box-section built-up Built-up channels

of channels Built-up channels W-section with W- & channel
of angles section section cover plate sections

3.2 Design of Compression Members

Compression members made of structural steel fail in three modes depending on its relative length or
slenderness ratio of member. These are:
1 Long column:- long column fails by elastic buckling not by the yielding of steel. Euler formula predicts
very well the strength of long columns where the axial buckling stress remains below the yield strength
of steel.
2 Short column:- very short columns fails by the yielding of steel, the failure stress will equal to the yield
strength of steel and no buckling will occur. For a column to fall into this class it would have to be so
short as to have no practical application in steel columns.
3 Intermediate column:- for intermediate columns some of the fibers of section will reach the yield stress
and some will not when member subjected to the maximum load. This is because of the inherent
presence of residual-stresses in any rolled section. Residual-stresses in rolled section may be caused by
uneven cooling of rolled section in steel mill or by improper handling of rolled section while
transporting to the field. Thus, the section of intermediate column members will fail by both yielding
and buckling, and their behavior is said to be inelastic. Most columns fall into this range. For Euler
formula to be applicable for such columns it would have to be modified according to the reduced
modulus concept or the tangent modulus concept to account for the presence of residual stress in rolled
section.

1 Chapt.-3: Design of Axial-force members by Haftom G.

3.3 Euler Elastic Buckling Column Formula
This formula was first derived by Leonhard Euler. It is strictly applicable to long column, under ideal
conditions of homogeneity, isotropy, axially loaded, perfect straightness of columns and perfect elasticity.
To derive the formula, consider an ideal pin-connected column, initially straight and concentrically loaded
as shown below.
Pcr
y

x x dy

dx
y
l
dy

dx

Fig : Buckled column with first mode shape

Writing the fundamental equation of moment-curvature,
d2y
EI . M
dx 2
(change of slope is negative)
x ( P . y)
Moment at distance from origin is
2
d y
EI . P. y
dx 2
then,
2 P EI
Let Then, rewriting the equation,
2
d y
2
2 . y 0
dx
General solution of differential equation is,
y A . sin . x B . cos . x

With boundary conditions,

B0
y = 0 at x = 0
l A0 sin . l 0
and, y = 0 at x = or
sin( . l ) 0
With A = 0, there is no deflected shape, so the solution must be in . Thus, the possible
(n. ) l P EI
solutions are when . Substituting , we obtain the critical column buckling load
as,

2 Chapt.-3: Design of Axial-force members by Haftom G.

 n 2 . 2 . EI
Pcr
l2
The minimum critical buckling load is obtained when the deflection curvature is single, i.e when n=1.
Therefore, the minimum critical column buckling load is obtained as,
2 . EI
Pcr
l2

Pcr 2 .E
Fcr
I Ag .r 2 Ag l r 2
In terms of compressive stress, with (1)
This equation gives the minimum critical stress of pinned column. Eq.(1) indicates that very large values
Fcr l r 0
of can be obtained using . However, in deriving the equation, stress is assumed proportional
Fcr Fcr Fy
to strain. Thus, the upper limit of is the proportional limit, .
Derivation of critical buckling load for columns with various end restraints can be done in similar way of
Euler case. The same Euler column stress formula can be obtained with adjustment of column length for
various end-restrained conditions, as given below.
2 .E 2 .E
Fcr
le r 2 k .l r 2
le
where is effective length of column, or the length between inflection points of buckled column
k
is effective length or equivalent pinned length factor
AISC specification recommended the following table of effective length factor used for design of any
column when ideal end conditions are approximated as shown in table. As no column ends are perfectly
fixed or perfectly hinged, the designer may interpolate between the values given in the table. The table
may be satisfactorily used for design of isolated column and also be used for preliminary design of
column in framed-structure.
End (a (b) (c) (d) (f) (g)
conditions )
buckled shape
of column

Theoretical 0.5 0.7 1.0 1.0 2.0 2.0

k value
Recommended 0.65 0.8 1.0 1.2 2.1 2.0
design k Braced frame member Un-braced frame member
value

3 Chapt.-3: Design of Axial-force members by Haftom G.

 For rigid frames, effective length factor may be determined either using the alignment-chart or codes
empirical formula given in terms of relative stiffness of columns to relative stiffness of beams at both
ends of the column.

3.4 Allowable Compressive Stresses of Steel Column

The Euler column stress formula is used to develop the allowable compressive stress of steel column
Fy
taking in to account the limiting value of yield stress of steel . It is evident from Euler equation to
l e r (k . l ) r
note that slenderness ratio of column, would be one of the significant parameters that
determine the allowable strength of column.
AISC specification provides allowable compressive stresses based on Euler column stress formula
depending on slenderness ratio of column as follow:

k .l r C c
a For Intermediate column where :- the allowable stress is given by

Fa
Fy
. 1
k .l r
2

2
FS 2C c

Fy
where --yield stress of steel
2 2 . E
Cc
Fy
--limiting slenderness ratio dividing long and intermediate column
5 3 k .l r 1 k .l r
3
23
FS
3 8 Cc 8 Cc 3 12

Here, variable safety factors were applied on modified Euler column stress formula depending on
l e r (k . l ) r
values.
k .l r C c
b For long column where :- the allowable stress is the Euler column stress formula with
FS 23 12
given as
12 2 . E
Fa
23 k .l r
2

4 Chapt.-3: Design of Axial-force members by Haftom G.

Equation given in (a) and (b) are used for main compression members. Secondary compression members
k .l r 120
may be designed for an allowable stress based on the following amplification factors using ,
1

l r
1.6
200

We obtain the allowable design stress either using Eq(a) or Eq(b)

Fa ' Fa *

To reduce length of calculation of allowable stresses of steel column made of A-36 & A-50 steel, table 3
may be used as given below.

Table 3: Allowable stress values on gross area due to axial compression (ASD-AISC)
Fa in MPa , C c ( A 36) 126.1 C c ( A 50) 107.0

k.l 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
r

A 36 147. 145. 144. 142. 139. 137. 135. 132. 129. 126. 123. 120.2
F y 248 .2 MPa 5 9 0 0 8 5 0 3 5 5 4

A 50 204. 201. 198. 195. 191. 187. 182. 178. 173. 167. 162. 156.6
F y 344 .7 MPa 4 7 6 1 3 2 8 1 1 9 4

k.l 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120

r

A 36 116.8 113.3 109.6 105.9 102.0 97.9 93.8 89.5 85.0 80.5 75.8 70.9
F y 248 .2 MPa

A 50 150.6 144.3 137.8 131.1 124.1 116.8 109.2 101.4 93.3 85.1 77.9 71.5
F y 344 .7 MPa

k.l 125 130 135 140 145 150 155 160 165 170 175 180
r

A 36 65.9 60.9 56.5 52.5 49.0 45.8 42.9 40.2 37.8 35.6 33.6 31.8
F y 248 .2 MPa

A 50 65.9 60.9 56.5 52.5 49.0 45.8 42.9 40.2 37.8 35.6 33.6 31.8
F y 344 .7 MPa

5 Chapt.-3: Design of Axial-force members by Haftom G.

 The design of compression member using design formulas involves a trial and error procedure since the
allowable compressive stress is not known until a column size is selected. Once a trial section is assumed,
the values radius of gyration of that section can be obtained and substituted into the appropriate column
equation to determine the load carrying capacity of assumed section. If the load carrying capacity of
assumed section of column is slightly greater than or equal to the compressive load developed in member
due to the service design load on structure, assumed trail section can be selected for member. Otherwise,
other larger trail section needs to check for adequacy. To determine the load carrying capacity of
compression member made of any section, it is necessary to calculate slenderness ratio in both principal
axes of section; and the larger slenderness ratio will controls the capacity of member. Compression
le r (k . l ) r
members should preferably design with slenderness ratio, not exceeding 200.
For very long columns, bracing is supplied perpendicular to the weak axis of section thus reducing the
slenderness ratio of column. This may be accomplished by framing braces or beams into the side of a
column. Bracing members must be capable of providing the necessary lateral forces without buckling
themselves. The lateral forces to be taken by bracing are quite small and are conservatively estimated to
0.02 times the column design compressive load.

3.5 AISC Specification for Built-up Compression Members

a Built-up from sections in continuous contact or separated by a small distance:-The different component
of built-up section must be connected at their ends with bolts or welds. If welds are used the weld
lengths must at least equal the maximum width of the member. If bolts are used they may not be spaced
longitudinally more than 4 times diameters of bolt on center and the connection must extend for a
distance at least equal to 1.5
P times the maximum width of the member.
Slip resistance
Connection at ends

Slip resistance
Connection at ends
P
When the component of built-up section consists of outside plate, AISC specification provides specific
maximum spacing for fastening. If intermittent welds are used along the edges of the components, or if
bolts are provided along the gage lines at each section, their maximum spacing may not be greater than
334 Fy
times the thickness of the thinner outside plate or 300mm. If these fasteners be staggered on
500 Fy
each gage line, however, they may not be spaced farther apart on each gage line than times
the thickness of thinner part or 450mm.
b Built-up sections with components not in contact with each other:-Parts of such sections need to
connected or laced together across their open sides. The connection may be made by lacing and tie
plates (or by batten plates). The purpose of the lacing and tie plates is to hold the individual sections
parallel and at the correct distance apart; and to equalize the stress distribution between individual
sections. In addition to lacing, it is necessary to have additional tie-plates at near the ends of the
member and at intermediate points if lacing interrupted.

6 Chapt.-3: Design of Axial-force members by Haftom G.

 AISC specification for tie plates and lacing shall have a thickness at least equal to 1/50 of distance
between the connection lines of fasteners or welds. Lacing may consist of flat bars, angles, channels.
These pieces must be spaced so that the slenderness ratio of individual section will not exceed the
governing value of slenderness ratio of the entire built-up member. Lacing is assumed to be subjected to
a shearing force normal to the member equal to not less than 2% of the compressive design load of the
member. Slenderness ratios of the lacing bars are limited to 140 for single-lacing and 200 for double-
lacing. Double lacing or single lacing made with angle sections should preferably be used if the
distance between the connection-lines greater than 380mm.

IS-800/84 Specification for Built-up Compression Members:-built-up section composed

of two angles or two channels placed back-to-back in contact or separated by small distance should be
connected together by riveting, bolting or welding so that the slenderness ratio of each component
between the connections is not greater than 40 nor greater than 0.6 times the most unfavorable
slenderness ratio of the built-up compression member. In no case should the spacing of the taking rivets in
a line exceed 600mm for such built-up section.
For built-up section where cover plates are used, the pitch of taking rivets (bolts) should not exceed 32
times the thickness of thinner outside plate or 300mm, whichever is less. When plates are exposed to
weather, the pitch should not exceed 16 times the thickness of thinner outside plate or 200mm, whichever
is less.
The different components of built-up section if separated by distance between them are to be connected
together by lacing so that they act as a single column. Flat bars are generally used for lacing. Angles and
channels are also used for lacing of very heavy columns. Single-laced systems on opposite sides of the
main components should preferably be in the same direction so that one will be the shadow of the other.
Laced compression members should be provided with tie-plates at the ends of the lacing system and at
points where lacing system are interrupted.
The followings are design specification of lacing (IS-800/84):
a The angle of inclination of the lacing bar with the longitudinal axis of the column should be between
40 0 to 70 0
.
b Slenderness ratio of lacing bars should not exceed 145.
c Lacing bars are spaced so that the slenderness ratio of individual component of built-up section will not
exceed 50 or 0.7 times the maximum slenderness ratio of the entire built-up member, whichever is less.
d Minimum width of lacing bars in bolted/riveted construction should be at least 3 times the diameter of
bolts.
l 40 l 60
e Minimum thickness of lacing bars should not be less than for single-lacing, for double-lacing
l
where is length of lacing bar between center of connection.
f The lacing of compression member should be designed to resist a transverse shear about 2.5% of axial
force in the member.

7 Chapt.-3: Design of Axial-force members by Haftom G.