AISC_PART 16_Spec.1_A:14th Ed.

_ 2/17/12 2:34 PM Page 16

16.1–16 MEMBER PROPERTIES [Sect. B4.

TABLE B4.1a
Width-to-Thickness Ratios: Compression Elements
Members Subject to Axial Compression
Limiting
Case

Width-to- Width-to-Thickness
Description of Thickness Ratio ␭r
Element Ratio (nonslender/slender) Examples
1 Flanges of rolled
I-shaped sections,
plates projecting
from rolled I-shaped
sections; outstanding
E
legs of pairs of b/t 0.56
angles connected Fy
with continuous
contact, flanges of
channels, and
flanges of tees
Unstiffened Elements

2 Flanges of built-up [a]

I-shaped sections
and plates or angle kcE
b/t 0.64
legs projecting from Fy
built-up I-shaped
sections

3 Legs of single
angles, legs of
double angles with
separators, and all E
b/t 0.45
other unstiffened Fy
elements

4 Stems of tees E
d/t 0.75
Fy

5 Webs of doubly-
symmetric I-shaped E
h/tw 1.49
sections and Fy
channels

6 Walls of rectangular
HSS and boxes of E
b/t 1.40
uniform thickness Fy
Stiffened Elements

7 Flange cover plates

and diaphragm E
plates between lines b/t 1.40
Fy
of fasteners or welds

8 All other stiffened

elements E
b/t 1.49
Fy

9 Round HSS
E
D/t 0.11
Fy

Specification for Structural Steel Buildings, June 22, 2010

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION
AISC_PART 16_Spec.1_A:14th Ed._ 2/17/12 2:18 PM Page 17

Sect. B4.] MEMBER PROPERTIES 16.1–17

TABLE B4.1b
Width-to-Thickness Ratios: Compression Elements
Members Subject to Flexure
Limiting
Width-to-Thickness Ratio
Case

Width-to- ␭p ␭r
Description of Thickness (compact/ (noncompact/
Element Ratio noncompact) slender) Examples
10 Flanges of rolled
I-shaped sections, E E
channels, and tees b/t 0.38 1.0
Fy Fy

11 Flanges of doubly [a] [b]

and singly symmet- E k E
Unstiffened Elements

ric I-shaped built-up b/t 0.38 0.95 c

sections Fy FL

12 Legs of single
angles E E
b/t 0.54 0.91
Fy Fy

13 Flanges of all
I-shaped sections E E
and channels in b/t 0.38 1.0
flexure about the Fy Fy
weak axis
14 Stems of tees E E
d/t 0.84 1.03
Fy Fy
15 Webs of doubly-
symmetric I-shaped E E
h/tw 3.76 5.70
sections and Fy Fy
channels
16 Webs of singly- hc E [c]
symmetric I-shaped hp Fy E
hc /tw ⎛ ⎞
2
≤ λr 5.70
sections Mp
⎜ 0.54 M − 0.09⎟
Fy
⎝ y ⎠

17 Flanges of
Stiffened Elements

rectangular HSS E E
b/t 1.12 1.40
and boxes of Fy Fy
uniform thickness
18 Flange cover plates
and diaphragm E E
plates between b/t 1.12 1.40
Fy Fy
lines of fasteners
or welds
19 Webs of rectangular
E E
HSS and boxes h/t 2.42 5.70
Fy Fy

20 Round HSS
E E
D/t 0.07 0.31
Fy Fy

[a] kc = 4兾 h / t w but shall not be taken less than 0.35 nor greater than 0.76 for calculation purposes.
[b] FL = 0.7Fy for major axis bending of compact and noncompact web built-up I-shaped members with Sxt /Sxc ≥ 0.7;
FL = Fy Sxt /Sxc ≥ 0.5Fy for major-axis bending of compact and noncompact web built-up I-shaped members with Sxt /Sxc < 0.7.
[c] My is the moment at yielding of the extreme fiber. Mp = plastic bending moment, kip-in. (N-mm)
E = modulus of elasticity of steel = 29,000 ksi (200 000 MPa)
Fy = specified minimum yield stress, ksi (MPa)

Specification for Structural Steel Buildings, June 22, 2010

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION
Final _SeismicProvisions Spec.:Sept. 6, 2011 9/6/11 1:28 PM Page 12

9.1–12 MEMBER REQUIREMENTS [Sect. D1.

TABLE D1.1
Limiting Width-to-Thickness Ratios for
Compression Elements For Moderately Ductile
and Highly Ductile Members

Limiting Width-to-Thickness Ratio

Width-to- ␭hd ␭md
Description Thickness Highly Moderately
of Element Ratio Ductile Members Ductile Members Example

Flanges of rolled
or built-up
I-shaped sections,
channels and
tees; legs of single
angles or double
angle members
with separators; b/t 0.30 E / Fy 0.38 E / Fy
Unstiffened Elements

outstanding legs
of pairs of angles
in continuous
contact

Flanges of H-pile
sections per b/t 0.45 E / Fy not applicable
Section D4

⎡⎣ a ⎤⎦
Stems of tees d/t 0.30 E / Fy 0.38 E / Fy

Walls of
b/t
rectangular HSS

Flanges of boxed
I-shaped sections
b/t
and built-up box ⎡⎣b ⎤⎦ ⎡⎣ c ⎤⎦
Stiffened Elements

sections 0.55 E / Fy 0.64 E / Fy

Side plates of
boxed I-shaped
sections and walls
h/t
of built-up box
shapes used as
diagonal braces

Webs of rolled
or built-up
I-shaped sections h/tw 1.49 E Fy 1.49 E Fy
used as diagonal
braces

Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings, June 22, 2010

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION
Final _SeismicProvisions Spec.:Sept. 6, 2011 9/6/11 1:28 PM Page 13

Sect. D1.] MEMBER REQUIREMENTS 9.1–13

TABLE D1.1 (CONTINUED)

Limiting Width-to-Thickness Ratios for
Compression Elements For Moderately Ductile
and Highly Ductile Members

Limiting Width-to-Thickness Ratio

Width-to- ␭hd ␭md
Description Thickness Highly Moderately
of Element Ratio Ductile Members Ductile Members Example
Webs of rolled or
built-up I-shaped For Ca ≤ 0.125 For Ca ≤ 0.125
h/tw
sections used as 2.45 E Fy (1− 0.93Ca ) 3.76 E Fy (1− 2.75Ca )
beams or columns[d]

Side plates of For Ca > 0.125 For Ca > 0.125

boxed I-shaped h/t 77 E Fy (2.93 − Ca ) 1.1
0.7 12 E Fy (2.33 − Ca )
sections used as
Stiffened Elements

beams or columns ≥ 1.49 E Fy ≥ 1.49 E Fy

where where
Webs of built-up Pu Pu
Ca = (LRFD) Ca = (LRFD)
box sections used φc Py φc Py
h/t
as beams or Ωc Pa Ωc Pa
columns Ca = (ASD) Ca = (ASD)
Py Py

Webs of H-Pile
h/tw 0.94 E Fy not applicable
sections

Walls of round ⎡e ⎤⎦
D/t 0.038 E Fy 0.044 E Fy ⎣
HSS
Composite Elements

Walls of
rectangular filled
b/t 1.4 E Fy 2.26 E Fy
composite
members

Walls of round
filled composite D/t 0.076 E Fy 0.15 E Fy
members

[a]
For tee shaped compression members, the limiting width-to-thickness ratio for highly ductile members for
the stem of the tee can be increased to 0.38 E Fy if either of the following conditions are satisfied:
(1) Buckling of the compression member occurs about the plane of the stem.
(2) The axial compression load is transferred at end connections to only the outside face of the flange of
the tee resulting in an eccentric connection that reduces the compression stresses at the tip of the stem.
[b]
The limiting width-to-thickness ratio of flanges of boxed I-shaped sections and built-up box sections of
columns in SMF systems shall not exceed 0.6 E Fy .
[c]
The limiting width-to-thickness ratio of walls of rectangular HSS members, flanges of boxed I-shaped
sections and flanges of built-up box sections used as beams or columns shall not exceed 1.12 E Fy .
[d]
For I-shaped beams in SMF systems, where Ca is less than or equal to 0.125, the limiting ratio h/tw shall
not exceed 2.45 E Fy . For I-shaped beams in IMF systems, where Ca is less than or equal to 0.125, the
limiting width-to-thickness ratio shall not exceed 3.76 E Fy .
[e]
The limiting diameter-to-thickness ratio of round HSS members used as beams or columns shall not
exceed 0.07E/Fy.

Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings, June 22, 2010

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION