4.

Members Subjected to Combined Axial-force and Bending

4.1 Introduction
Structural member may be subjected either combined axial-tension and bending or combined
axial-compression and bending (termed as beam-column). Structural member subjected to
combined axial-tension and bending may be bottom chords of roof trusses when ceiling load is
supported at points between panel joints, bottom chords of bridge trusses where floor-beam is
framed into them different from panel joints and etc. Structural member subjected to combined
axial-compression and bending may be top chords of roof trusses when purlins placed between
panel joints of truss (as means of reducing both the purlin member size and span of roof
covering), columns of rigid building frame (may carry the building load axially as well as end-
moments from the girders that frame into column), column brackets in industrial buildings (that
carry crane runway girders and crane load eccentrically), long vertical members if exposed to
lateral wind pressure, and etc. Moment(s) in beam-column may develop at the ends of member
(as in rigid building frame) or at the interior point of member from a bracket, local beam, cable
attachment. In many situations of members subjected to combined axial-force and bending,
bending stresses are neglected in design when the resulting bending stress is relatively small,
about less than 10% of total combined stresses developed in member.

For structural member subjected to more than one stress mode (mixed modes of stresses), design
stress interaction equation must consider all modes of stresses. Design stress interaction equation
is obtained using the principle of super-position of the stresses. Since allowable stresses for
different modes of stresses may not be the same, design stress interaction equation obtained by
the principle of super-position has to be adjusted that include different allowable stresses of
section for different modes of stresses.

4.2 General Considerations of Members with Axial-force and Bending

When axial tension and bending occur simultaneously, the principle of super-position may be
safely applied. This is because the tension loads tends to reduce bending effect (P- effect) that
will also reduce the compression stress due to bending. P- effects on member subjected to axial
tension and bending is shown in figure below.
Pb

Pt  final Pt

deflection due to bending only

Thus, neglecting the secondary effect (P- effect) would give conservative result. Stress-
interaction equation used in design of member subjected to combined axial tension and bending is
ft f
given as,  b  1.0
Ft Fb
where f t and f b are direct-tension and bending stresses developed in the section due to
service design load
and, Ft and Fb are allowable tension and bending stresses of structural steel section
Ft  0.6 F y and it is constant value, Fb may depends on section geometry and lateral
bracing of compression flanges

1 Chapt.-4: Members subjected to combined Axial-force & Bending by M. Ahmed

When axial compressive load acts together with a bending moment, the deflection is amplified as
shown in figure below and also the compressive stress also increases.
Pb
deflection due to bending only
Pc Pc

 final
Since the allowable compressive stress takes into account possible buckling (lateral deflection),
member design is more sensitive to this loading than one producing tension stresses. Therefore,
design of such member can be made either:
a)For design moments obtained from second-order analysis of frame considering P- effect and
using stress interaction equation determined applying the principle of super-position. But,
iterative procedure is required to make second-order analysis of frame, or
b) For design moment obtained from first-order analysis of frame and using the modified stress-
interaction equation determined from the principle of super-position that amplify the design
moment considering P- effect
If modified stress interaction equation is used to design member, the amplification factor used to
magnify the moment or bending stress that include the P   effect (with sufficient accuracy in
the order of 1 to 2%) according to AISC-specification is given as,
1 1
amplification factor  or
1   P Pe  1   f a Fe '
where Pe and Fe ' are Euler buckling load and Euler buckling stress
P and f a are axial compressive load and compressive stress applied on the member
Depending on end condition and transverse load applied on the member, the amplification factor
is modified using a reduction factor, C m as,
Cm Cm
amplification factor  or
1   P Pe  1   f a Fe '
Therefore, stresses interaction equation used in design of beam-column is given as,
fa Cm . f b
  1.0 --for bending about one
Fa 1  f a Fe ' . Fb
axis
fa C mx . f bx C my . f by
   1.0
and,
Fa 1  f a Fex ' . Fbx 
1  f a Fey ' . Fby  --for bending about both

axes

4.3 Design Stress Interaction Equation of Beam-column (AISC-ASD method)

1) For small axial compression where f a Fa  0.15 , amplification of moment is not
necessary. For such case, a simplified stress interaction equation is used in design neglecting
fa f f by
P   effect as,  bx   1 .0 --for bending about both
Fa Fbx Fby
axes
fa f
 b  1.0 --for bending about one axis
Fa Fb

2 Chapt.-4: Members subjected to combined Axial-force & Bending by M. Ahmed

2) For stability interaction criterion where f a Fa  0.15 , moments are amplified in both axes
Cm
using the amplification factor of,
1   f a Fe '
Thus, stress interaction equation used in design for such case considering P- effect as,
fa C mx . f bx C my . f by
   1.0
Fa 1  f a Fex ' . Fbx  
1  f a Fey ' . Fby
--for bending about both

axes
fa Cm . fb
and,   1.0 --for bending about one
Fa 1  f a Fe ' . Fb
axis
Also, additional check has to be done using yielding stress interaction criterion as,
fa f bx f by
   1.0 --for bending about both
0.6 F y Fbx Fby
axes
fa fb
and,   1.0 --for bending about one
0.6 F y Fb
axis
where f a --axial compressive stress due to service design load
f bx , f by --bending stresses due to service design load about x- & y-axes
Fa --allowable axial compressive stress governed by the maximum k. l r regardless
of plane of bending
Fbx , Fby --allowable bending stresses for x- and y-axes
Fe ' --Euler buckling stress divided by the basic factor of safety governed by k. l r in
12 2 . E
the plane of bending, which is given by Fe '  2 .
23 k . l r 
6
1.03 x10
Using E  200GPa , Fe ' 
 k. l r  2

4.4 Interaction-Reduction Coefficient

1.For members of un-braced frames (where side sway is not prevented), C m  0.85
2.For members of braced frames (where side sway is prevented) and are not subjected to
transverse loading between their ends in the plane of bending, interaction reduction factor is
based on elastic first-order analysis as,
C m  0.6  0.4( M 1 M 2 )  0.4
Where ( M 1 M 2 ) --is ratio of smaller to larger moment at the ends of the un-braced length of
member in the plane of bending under consideration. The ratio is negative if end
moments cause the member to bend in single curvature and positive if they bend the
member in reverse or double curvature.

M2

C m  0 .6

3 Chapt.-4: Members subjected to combined Axial-force & Bending by M. Ahmed

 M2 M2

M1 M1
C m  0.6  0.4 C m  0 .6  0 .4  0 .4
M2 M2

M1 M1

3. For members of braced frames (where side sway is prevented) and are subjected to transverse
loading between their ends in the plane of loading, interaction reduction factor is obtained using
the following equation depending on various end conditions and the transverse loads on
member.
 . fa
C m  1.0 
Fe '
where  --factor depending on end restraint and transverse loading (as given below)
f a --actual column compressive stress
Fe ' --Euler buckling stress divided by the basic factor of safety governed by k. l r in
the plane of bending

 0    0 .3    0.4
C m  1.0 C m  1.0  0.3 f a Fe ' C m  1.0  0.4 f a Fe '

   0.2    0.4    0 .6
C m  1.0  0.2 f a Fe ' C m  1.0  0.4 f a Fe ' C m  1.0  0.6 f a Fe '

Alternatively, the following approximate values of interaction reduction factor may be used:
-When ends of members are restrained against rotation, C m  0.85
-When ends of members are unrestrained against rotation, C m  1.0

4 Chapt.-4: Members subjected to combined Axial-force & Bending by M. Ahmed

4.5 Design of Steel Column Base-Plate (AISC-ASD method)
Column footings are usually made of concrete or other masonry materials. Compressive strength
of footing made of concrete or masonry material is much smaller than it is in a steel column.
Therefore, it is necessary to spread the high intensity of stress in the steel column to sufficient
area of footing to a value of stress that can be carried by the materials of footing. Loads from
steel columns are transferred through a steel base-plate to a fairly large area of the footing below.
Steel column are to be placed on base plate to interface the column and the footing.
The base-plates for steel columns can be welded directly to the columns or they can be fastened
by means of some types of bolted or welded lug-angles. Lug-angles can be on both the flanges
and the web of column.
Lug-angle
anchor concrete
bolt footing

a) shop-welded column base-plate b) column base-plate connected

through lug-angles

The required area dimensions of steel base-plate are obtained by limiting the contact pressure
between the plate and footing to the allowable contact pressure of footing materials. The required
thickness of steel base-plate is obtained by limiting bending stress developed at the critical
section of bending of plate due to contact pressure to the allowable bending stress of steel plate.
AISC-specification suggests that the critical section for bending of plate due to contact pressure
between footing and plate occur at distance 0.8b f and 0.95d apart as shown below.
Proportioning of area of column base-plate is made based on combination of B & C in terms of
location critical section for bending of plate as,
B  0.80b f  2n C  0.95d  2m & mn
B
m

0.95d C
critical section for
bending of plate
m
critical section for
bending of plate

n 0.8b f n

When the column base carry axial column load only, the area of plate dimension is obtained by
P
fp   Fp
B. C

5 Chapt.-4: Members subjected to combined Axial-force & Bending by M. Ahmed

When the column base carry a moment in addition to axial column load, the area of plate
dimension must be adjusted so that
P M
fp    Fp
B. C S
where S  I c --section modulus of rectangular plate area with respect to the axis of bending
F p  0.35 f c ' --allowable contact pressure of concrete footing when the base-plate
covers the entire footing area (AISC)
F p  0.35 f c ' . A2 A1  0.7 f c ' --allowable contact pressure of concrete footing when
the full area of concrete footing not covered by the base plate (AISC)
F p  2.8 MPa --allowable contact pressure of masonry footing made of
sandstone/limestone
f c '  0.8 f cu --cylinder compressive strength of concrete at age of 28 days
P –axial column load due to service design load
M—moment at center line of column due to service design load

The thickness of base-plate is obtained equating the bending stress at the critical section of plate
due to contact pressure to the allowable bending stress of the steel plate.
Taking a unit strip of the plate, the required thickness of steel plate is obtained by,
3 2
Mc I p t p .1 12 t p
fb   Fb where S p   
Sp cp tp 2 6
6M c 6M c
 fb  2
 Fb  tp 
tp Fb
where Fb  0.75 F y --allowable bending stress of the plate
M c --the moment at the critical section of plate due to the contact pressure

6 Chapt.-4: Members subjected to combined Axial-force & Bending by M. Ahmed