Structural Steel Design

Tension Members

Dr. Seshu Adluri

Tension in
Nature
Tension members are the most
efficient and economical of all
structural elements

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Tension Members Used From
Primitive Times
If you want
your grand
kids to play
Tarzan
and the
Tension
Member,
save the
forests!

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

(Wo)Man-made Tension Structures

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Typical
tension
members

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Steel and Tension

Steel in Tension
Excellent in Tension (and compression)
Very ductile (highly desirable structural
property for stress redistribution and safety)
Connections induce loss of effective area
Bolt holes, etc.
Shear lag in outstanding parts (of both bolted and
welded connections)

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Typical
cross-
sections

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Material behaviour

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Material behaviour

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Stresses in tension members
(gross-section)

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Stresses in
net-section

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Basic Failure modes
Yielding of gross c/s
Limiting
the capacity to yield prevents very large
deformations (before strain hardening kicks in)
Rupture (fracture) of net c/s
Localized yielding and strain hardening is permitted
Ultimate stress is the limit for the local c/s in the
connection zone

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Plate in Tension
with Bolts

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Plate in Tension with Bolts

Gusset plate
b Section b-b
b
7/8 in. diameter hole

a a
Section a-a
8 x in. bar

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Angle in Tension with Bolts

L 4 x 4 x 3/ 8
d b = 5/8 in.

Section a-a
a
Gusset plate

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Rupture
of net
section

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Typical Truss Connection

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Typical Frame Connection

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Shear lag
Out-standing parts of rolled sections
Legs of angles, flanges, etc.
Connected parts due to insufficient load
transfer in the connection zone
Singleside welds
Two side welds of insufficient lengths

Cl.12 (effective net areas)

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Shear lag

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Shear lag

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Shear lag effect

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Length of connection (for shear lag)

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Eccentricity of elements

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Staggered bolts
Tear out paths can be inclined
s2/4g rule (Cl. 12)

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Gauge Length

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Block Shear Tear-out
(a)

Cl. 13.11
T

Paths parallel
to load
(b)

Shear failure
(c)

Tension failure

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri

Block Shear Tear-out
Cl. 13.11
Paths parallel & perpendicular to load

Stell Tension -Dr. Seshu Adluri