STR2601

STRUCTURAL STEEL
DESIGN
Table of
Contents
1. General considerations of structural steel
design
2. Design of tension members
3. Design of compression members
4. Design of beams and plate girders
5. Design of beam columns
6. Steel work connections
7. Bracing
8. Trusses and lattice girders
9. Introduction to fire design
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
OF STRUCTURAL STEEL
DESIGN
Introduction
• As an engineer it is necessary to have knowledge and understand how steel behaves
as element (tension members, beams columns and beam columns). This knowledge
can be broadened to understand how the material will behave when two or more
elements are combined through connections to function as a system of elements.

• The purpose of this modules is to equip students with basic knowledge of steel
design or introductory level to the basic principles and practice of design of steel
structures. With the aim to stimulate further interest on this field of study.
Structural design
• This is a rigorous process that design engineer must follow to produce optimal design that caters for the need of the
structure.

• Objectives of design of steel structures.

• To determine the optimal form which ensures safety and complies with client and regulatory requirements.

• Design activity is grouped into three consecutive phases.

• Conceptual
• Structural
• Detail design.

• Selection of the appropriate structural system

• Depends on the overall geometry.
• Structural use.
• Properties of different structural elements and combined elements into subsystems
Figure 1: The overall design process (NS TRAHAIR, 2008)
• Overall behavior of structures.
• Determined by structural analysis based on theory of structures.
• Structural analysis can also be used to determine optimal structural system layout and
overall geometry.

• Design requirements are directly related to the function of the facility which
are;
• Space.
• Layout.
• Elevation of protected areas.
• Support of equipment.
• Degree of protection against adverse environment.
• Standard of aesthetics.
Codes and standards
• Codes of practice for structural steel design engineers are set of rules derived from years
of research and captured experience of good practice from studying the limitation of the
material (steel) and the function of the element or a system of elements.

• To understand design of steel structures one need to understand how the material fails
at local, elemental and global level.

• Codes and standards are created to give necessary formulae, coefficients, limits and
requirements which an acceptable structure must satisfy.

• All uncertainties which the structure will be exposed to will be considered.

Basis for design codes
• Allowable Stress Design (ASD) codes are design practices necessary to give conservative
and safety design by limiting the maximum stress in the structure through the
relationship.

𝑦𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠
• 𝐴𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 =
𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑎𝑓𝑒𝑡𝑦

• Variations in the conditions and failure mechanism are considered by making the factor
of safety sufficiently large and prescribing a range of factors.
Code application for reliability theory
• Structural performance is classified in two categories, namely:

1.Ultimate Limit State (ULS) : This limit state reflects the safety performance of the
structure; low failure probabilities are reflected by partial safety factors deviating
substantially from the value of 1.0; Plastic reserve capacity is integrated into the
conservatism.

2.Serviceability Limit State (SLS): The limit state is related to the functional
performance of the structure; failure probabilities are in the range of 5% to 10%.
Limit state design applied in South African codes
for structural steel design.
• Two limit states are defined in Clause 4.3 of SANS 10160 as follows;

(a) The ultimate limit state concerns safety and corresponds to the maximum load-
carrying capacity. SANS 10162 specifies the following failure mechanisms to be
considered:
- Clause 6.3.1 Strength
- Clause 6.3.2 Overturning and uplift
- Clause 6.6 Fatigue
(a) The serviceability limit state is defined as the state which restricts normal
use and occupancy or affects durability. SANS 10162 specifies the following
serviceability limits to be considered.
- Clause 6.3.1 Deflections
- Clause 6.3.2 Camber
- Clause 6.2.3 Dynamic effects
A number of typical load combinations derived from the tabulated load
factors 𝛾 and load combination factors 𝜑 , as given in the loading code,
are tabulated in Table 1.1.
Load Case Design load combination Dominant load
Ultimate limit state
U1 1.5𝐷𝑛 Self-weight

U2 1.2𝐷𝑛 + 1.6𝐿𝑛 Imposed

U3 1.2𝐷𝑛 + 0.3 × 1.6𝐿𝑛 + 1.3𝑊𝑛 Wind

U4 1.1𝐷𝑛 + 1.3𝑊𝑛 Wind-uplift

Serviceability limit state
S1 1.1𝐷𝑛 + 1.0𝐿𝑛 Imposed

S2 1.1𝐷𝑛 + 0.3𝐿𝑛 + 0.6𝑊𝑛 Wind

Table 1: Load combination (MAHACHI, 2004)
Stability considerations
• Slenderness of steel elements.
• The effects of buckling need to be considered when considering the strength
capacity of section.
• For members under compression

• Compressive forces acting across the element.

• A classification system, based on w/t ratio of flange and web components of profile ,
is applied to account for local buckling.
• Effective lengths use in element design (see, Clause 10 SANS 10162).
• Supports and end conditions need to be considered in the determination of
Effective lengths.
• Destabilization loads must be considered for simple supported beam.

• The whole structure.

• Lateral stability should be provided for wind loading and side sway.
• Provision of lateral loading can be done by bracing, shear walls or continuous
frame construction.
References
MAHACHI, J., 2004. DESIGN OF STRUCTURAL STEEL WORK TO SANS 10162. PRETORIA: CSIR
Building and Construction Technology.

NS TRAHAIR, M. B. D. N. &. L. G., 2008. THE BEHAVIOUR AND DESIGN OF STEEL

STRUCTURES TO EC3. 4th ed. LONDON AND NEW YORK: TAYLOR & FRANCIS.