1 Built-­‐up

 compression  members  
 
The  built-­‐up  members  can  be  classified  according  to  several  categories,  which  will  be  
analyzed  in  the  following  sections.  
 
We  can  classify  the  compound  struts  by  means  of:  
• Distance  between  struts  
• Connection  between  chords  
 

1.1 Distance  between  struts  

 
Where  ℎ!  is   the   distance   between   the   centroids   of   the   chords   and  𝑖!  is   the   radius   of  
gyration  of  the  chord  along  the  axis  where  the  element  is  compounded,  we  can  classify  
the  elements  such  that:  
• If  ℎ!  >   6𝑖! :   Strut   with   distant   chords,   typically   used   as   columns   to   sustain  
vertical  compression  loads  
• If  ℎ!  <  3𝑖! :  Strut  with  close  chords,  typically  used  for  the  chords  of  both  trusses  
or  for  the  struts  in  case  of  elevated  axial  loads.  
 

1.2 Connection  between  chords  

• Laced  members:  Lacing  members  are  interested  by  axial  forces.  Each  chord  is  
considered   as   a   simple   strut.   Shear   deformability   depends   on   axial  
deformability  of  lattice  members.  
 

 
 
 
 
 
  
• Strut   with   batten   plates:   Chords   rigidly   connected   by   batten   plates.   Chords   are  
compressed  and  bent  with  a  linear  distribution  of  bending  moments  null  at  the  
middle   of   each   panel.   Vertical   buckling   effects   are   considered   balanced   by  
equal  and  opposite  axial  forces.    
 

 
 
• Buttoned   struts:   Each   chord   is   compressed   and   bent   with   a   bending   moment  
distribution   that   cannot   be   approximated   as   linear.   Shear   deformability  
depends  mainly  on  the  flexural  deformability  of  the  chords.  
 

 
 
 1.3 Connection  
 
Connections  represent  a  critical  element  on  the  built-­‐up  section  since  they  must  suffer  
from   an   excessive   deformation   to   allow   an   adequate   performance   of   the   chords,   on  
the  other  hand,  and  excessive  deformation  decreases  the  load  carrying  capacity.  
 
The  types  of  connection  are  the  following:  
• Connection   with   static   function:   Able   to   resist   sliding   force   between   isolated  
members.  
• Connection   with   kinematic   function:   Able   to   prevent   the   buckling   of   the  
isolated  member  in  the  weakest  direction.  
 

1.4 Design  approach  of  chord  members  

 
The   elastic   critical   load,   𝑁!",!" ,   can   be   defined   on   the   basis   of   Eulerian   load,  
considering  only  the  flexural  contribution:  
𝑁!" 𝜋 ! 𝐸𝐴
𝑁!",!" = 𝜒! = !  
1 + 𝐺𝐴 𝑁!" 𝜆!"
We  can  calculate  the  maximum  axial  load  on  the  chord  with  the  second  order  effects.  
The  deflection  at  midspan  is  computed  by:  
𝑒!
𝑣=  
𝑁
1−𝑁
!",!"
 
1
𝑁!",!" =  
1 1
𝑁!" + 𝑆!
 
𝑒! 𝑁
𝑀=  
𝑁
1−𝑁
!",!"
 
The  maximum  axial  load  is  then  computed  as:  
 
𝑁 𝑀
𝑁! = +  
2 ℎ!
 

1.5 Shear  stiffness  Sv  

The  resistant  of  the  built-­‐up  member  depends  mainly  also  on  the  shear  deformability  
of   the   panel   element.   Therefore,   we   need   to   evaluate   this   value   in   two   different  
configurations.  
 
 1.5.1 Laced  compound  struts  
 
The  shear  displacements  on  this  configuration  are  due  to  lengthening  of  the  diagonal  
lacing  and  to  the  shortening  of  the  batten.  
 

 
 
The  elongation  of  the  diagonal  element  can  be  evaluated  as:  
 
𝑁!
𝛥 = 𝑒𝐿! = 𝐿  
𝐸𝐴! !
𝑇 1 𝑎
𝛥=  
cos 𝛷 𝐸𝐴! sin 𝛷
 
The  corresponding  lateral  displacement  𝛿!  of  the  panel  is:  
 
𝛥 𝑇 𝑎
𝛿! = =  
cos 𝛷 𝐸𝐴! sin 𝛷 cos ! 𝛷
 
The  shortening  of  the  batten  is  therefore:  
 
𝑇𝑏
𝛿! =  
𝐸𝐴!
 
 
The  total  angular  displacement  produced  by  the  horizontal  force  T  is:  
 
𝛿! + 𝛿!
𝛾=  
𝑎
 
Finally,  the  shear  stiffness  𝑆! :  
𝑇
𝑆! =  
𝛾
 1 1 𝑏
= !
+  
𝑆! 𝐸𝐴! sin 𝛷 cos 𝛷 𝑎𝐸𝐴!
 
Finally,  
 
1
𝑁!",!! =  
1 1 𝑏
+ +
𝑁!" 𝐸𝐴! sin 𝛷 cos ! 𝛷 𝑎𝐸𝐴!
 

1.5.2 Battened  compound  struts  

 
The   chords   are   subjected   to   bending,   shear   and   axial   load,   while   battens   are   mainly  
affected   by   shear   and   bending   moments.   Reference   has   to   be   made   to   an   internal  
panel  delimited  by  m-­‐n,  m1-­‐n1:  
 

 
 
The  total  displacement  can  be  obtained  as:  
 
𝛿!"! = 𝛿!,!"# + 𝛿!,!"# + 𝛿!,!"#  
 
Flexure  of  the  chords:  Considering  a  cantilever  beam    
 
𝑇 𝑎 ! 1 𝑇𝑎!
𝛿= =    
2 2 3𝐸𝐼!"# 48𝐸𝐼!"#
 
𝛿!,!"# = 2𝛿  
 
Flexure  of  the  batten:  Due  to  the  rotation  𝜃  at  the  chord-­‐to-­‐batten  node.  The  moment  
!! !"
of   the   chord   is  ! !    and   therefore   the   moment   at   the   end   of   each   batten   is   ! .   The  
rotation  is:  
 
𝑇𝑎 1 𝑏 𝑇𝑎𝑏
𝜃= =  
2 3𝐸𝐼!"! 2 12𝐸𝐼!"#
𝑎 𝑇𝑎! 𝑏
𝛿!,!"# = 2𝜃 =  
2 12𝐸𝐼!"#
 
Shear   deformation   of   the   batten:   The   displacement   𝛿!,!"#  is   evaluated   under   a  
!"
constant  shear  load  of   !  and  the  shear  strain  is:  
𝜒! 𝑇𝑎
𝛾=  
𝑏𝐺𝐴!"#
and  the  displacement  is  therefore  
𝑎
𝛿!,!"# = 2𝛾  
2
Finally,  the  shear  stiffness  is:  
1 𝛿!,!"# + 𝛿!,!"# + 𝛿!,!"# 𝑎! 𝑎𝑏 𝜒! 𝑎
= = + +  
𝑆! 𝑎𝑇 24𝐸𝐼!"# 12𝐸𝐼!"# 𝑏𝐴!"# 𝐺
 
And  the  elastic  critical  load  for  battened  struts  is:  

𝜋 ! 𝐸𝐼 1
𝑁!",!" =  
𝐿! 𝜋 ! 𝐸𝐼
1 + !  𝑆!
𝐿
 

1.6 Design  in  accordance  with  the  European  approach  

 
!
Initial  deformation  𝑒! = !""  
The  ideal  critical  load,  considering  the  shear  deformability:  
1
𝑁!",!" =  
1 1
𝑁!" 𝑆! +
Also,  the  shear  angular  deformation:  
𝑇
𝛾 =  
𝑆!
And  the  ideal  critical  load  can  be  defined  as:  
𝜋!𝐸
𝑁!",!" = !  
𝑘! 𝐿
 
Where  𝑘!  depends  on  the  shear  deformability.  
 
By  the  imperfection  there  would  be  an  bending  action  M,  that  can  be  decomposed  in  a  
force  F:  
 
𝑀 𝑒! 𝑁 1
𝐹= =  
ℎ! 1 − 𝑁 ℎ!
𝑁!",!"
 
So  one  of  the  chords  will  be  subjected  to  the  compression  of  F/2:  
 
𝑀!" ℎ! 𝐴!!
𝑁!!,!" = 0.5𝑁!" +  
2𝐼!""
 
Where,  
𝐼!"" :  Inertia  of  the  built-­‐in  section  
𝐴!! :  Channel  area  
 
The  acting  bending  moment  is:  
 
!
𝑒! 𝑁!" + 𝑀!"
𝑀!" =  
𝑁 𝑁
1 − 𝑁!" − 𝑆!"
!" !
 
Where,  
𝜋 ! 𝐸𝐼!""
𝑁!" =  
𝐿!
 
 
The  lacings  should  be  verified  to  shear  force:  
𝜋 ! 𝑀!"
𝑉!" =  
𝐿
 
For  laced  struts:  
𝐼!"" = 0.5ℎ!! 𝐴!!  
 
For  battened  struts:  
𝐼!"" = 0.5ℎ!! 𝐴!! + 2𝐼!! 𝜇  
 
For  buttoned  struts,  we  can  neglect  the  influence  of  the  shear  stiffness  𝑆! = ∞