DESIGN OF TENSION

MEMBER
DR. SHAHRIZAN BIN BAHAROM
Overview
• Example of Tension members
• Design of tension members
• Examples
Example of Tension Members
Example of Tension Members
 Tension chords and
internal ties in trusses.
 Tension Bracing.
 Hanger supporting
floor beams.
Example of Tension Members
 Ropes supporting a
load or cables in
suspension bridge.
Design Consideration
 The end connections: Bolts holes.
 Reversal load.
 Eccentricity in the end connections or lateral load on member-
moment.
 Example of members,
 Open sections: angles, channels, tees, joists, universal beams
and columns.
 Closed sections: circular, square and rectangular

 Compound and built-up section: Double angles and double

channels.
Plate and Angle in Tension with Bolts
Typical Truss and Frame Connections
Rupture of Net Section
Block Shear Tear-Out
Block Shear Tear-Out
Design of Tension Members
 Concentrically tensile force
 Member without holes
 Member with holes

 Eccentrically tensile force- connected

unsymmetrical or member itself unsymmetrical
such as angles, tees and channels.
 Block tearing
Design of Tension Members
 Axially loaded tension member.
 Simple tension member.
 Tension member with moments
Axially loaded tension members
Eurocode 3 states that tensile resistance
should be verified as follows:

Nt,Ed ≤ Nt,Rd Tension check

Nt,Ed is the tensile design effect

Nt,Rd is the design tensile resistance
Design Tensile Resistance, Nt,rd
Design tensile resistance Nt,Rd is limited either
by:

• Yielding of the gross cross-section Npl,Rd

• or ultimate failure (fracture) of the net cross-section
(at holes for fasteners) Nu,Rd

whichever is the lesser.

Yielding of Gross Cross-Section,
The Eurocode 3 design expression for yielding of the
gross cross-section (plastic resistance) given as:

This criterion is applied to prevent excessive

deformation of the member.
Ultimate resistance of net section
And for the ultimate resistance of the net cross-section
(defined in clause 6.2.2.2), the Eurocode 3 design
expression is:

Anet is the reduced cross-sectional area to account for

bolt holes
Partial Factor, M
Plastic resistance of the gross cross-section Npl,Rd utilises
M0, whilst ultimate fracture of the net cross-section Nu,Rd
utilises M2.

The larger safety factor associated with fracture

reflects the undesirable nature of the failure mode.
Non-Staggered fasteners
For a non-staggered arrangement of fasteners, the total area to be
deducted should be taken as the sum of the sectional areas of the
holes on any line (A-A) perpendicular to the member axis that passes
through the centreline of the holes.

Non-staggered arrangement of fasteners

Non-Staggered fasteners
Net area at bolts holes Anet on any line (AA) perpendicular to
the member axis:

Anet = A - nd0t

A = gross cross-sectional area

n = number of bolt holes
d0 = diameter of bolt holes
t = material thickness
Staggered fasteners
For a staggered arrangement of fasteners, the total area to be
deducted should be taken as the greater of:
1. the maximum sum of the sectional areas of the holes on any line
(A-A) perpendicular to the member axis

where
s is the staggered pitch of two consecutive holes
p is the spacing of the centres of the same two holes measured
perpendicular to the member axis
Staggered fasteners
n is the number of holes extending in any diagonal or zig-
zag line progressively across the section

Staggered arrangement of
fasteners
 Simple tension member- Angles
connected by a row of bolts
Single angles in tension connected by a single row of bolts through
one leg, may be treated as concentrically loaded, but with an effective
net section, to give the design ultimate tensile resistance as below.
 Angle connected by a single row of bolts
where β2 and β3 are reduction factors dependent upon the bolt spacing
(pitch) p1.
Anet is the net area of the angle. For an unequal angle connected by its
smaller leg, Anet should be taken as the net section of an equivalent equal
angle of leg length equal to the smaller leg of the unequal angle. Other
symbols are defined below:
Angles connected by a single row of bolts
Angles with welded end connections
In the case of welded end connections:

For an equal angle, or an unequal angle connected

by its larger leg, the eccentricity may be neglected,
and the effective area may be taken as equal to the
gross area (clause 4.13(2) of EN 1993-1-8).
Block Tearing resistance (Clause 3.10.2)
 For symmetric bolt of groups Veff ,1, Rd  
 
f u Ant 1 / 3 f y Anv
subjected to concentric loading. M2 M0
 For member end with a shear force
acting eccentric relative to the bolt Veff , 2 , Rd  0.5 
 
f u Ant 1 / 3 f y Anv
group. M2 M0

Where,
Ant is the net area subjected to tension
Anv is the net area subjected to shear