Example Problems for Tension Members

1) A tension member made of an angle L160x100x12mm is connected at end by two rows of

12mm diameter bolts in the 160mm leg and one row of 12mm diameter bolts in the
100mm leg as shown below. Assume bolt holes are made by drilling.
2 1

100 mm
60 mm

108 mm
60 mm T T 248 mm
160 mm
70 mm 70 mm

2 1
s s? s s
a) Determine the pitch distance between the adjacent bolts ‘s’ for the same net-area of an
angle section .
-diameter of bolt holes,
d  b  1.5mm 12  1.5  13.5mm
-Gross area of an angle section,
Ag  160  100  12  12  2976 mm2
-Net area of critical section through bolt holes is determined using
si2

An  Ag  n . d . t  t .
4 gi
and, AISC also requires, An  0.85Ag  0.85  2976  2529.6 mm2
Section 1-1: An1  2976  2  13.5  12  2652mm2  2529.6 mm2
 An1  2529.6mm2
s2 s2
Section 2-2: An 2  2976  3  13.5  12 12   12   2490 0.0706 s 2
4  70 4  108
By equating An1 with An 2 ,
2490  0.0706 s 2  2529.6
 s 2  560.9 mm2
 s  23.68 mm take s  25 mm
b) Determine the net area of an angle section if the pitch distance between the adjacent bolts
‘s’ is 40mm.
Section 1-1: An1  2976  2  13.5  12  2652mm2
402 402
Section 2-2: An 2  2976  3  13.5  12 12   12   2603mm2
4  70 4  108
and, AISC also requires, An  0.85Ag  0.85  2976  2529.6 mm2
 An  2529.6mm2 --take the smallest value

1
2) Determine the maximum allowable tensile load that can be carried by tension member made
of an angle section L160x100x12mm connected at the end to gusset plate by two rows of
22mm diameter bolts as shown below. Angle section is made of A50 steel

Fy  345MPa & Fu  485MPa . 
100 mm

2
1

Ta ? 60 mm
50 mm 160 mm

1
2
50 50 50 50 mm
50

-diameter of bolt holes,

d  b  1.5mm  22  1.5  23.5mm
-Gross area of an angle section,
Ag  160  100  12  12  2976 mm2
-Net area of critical section through bolt holes,
Section 1-1: An1  2976  1  23.5  12  2694mm2
502
Section 2-2: An 2  2976  2  23.5  12 12   2562mm2
4  50
and, AISC also requires, An  0.85Ag  0.85  2976  2529.6 mm2
 An  2529.6mm2 --take the smallest value
-Net effective area of critical section,
Ane  0.9 An --since connection is made through one leg only
 Ane  0.9 2529.6  2276.64mm2

then, allowable tension load capacity is obtained as,

For yield failure through gross area,
Ta  0.6Fy   Ag  0.6  345  2976 616.032  103 N
or, For fracture failure through bolt holes,
Ta  0.5Fu   Ane  0.5  485  2276.64  552.085 103 N
 Ta  552.085kN

2
3) Select the lightest single angle section for a tension member supporting a service design axial
tension load of 210 kN. The member is to be connected at the end to gusset plate by two
rows of 22mm diameter bolts in a pattern as shown below. The length of member is 1.9m.
Assume the member as main tension member with limiting slenderness ratio of l r  240

where r  I A . Angle sections are made of A36 steel Fy  250MPa & Fu  400MPa . 
Select among a) Equal leg angles, and b) Unequal leg angles

1
2

T  210 kN
g

1 2
s s

-diameter of bolt holes,

d  b  1.5mm  22  1.5  23.5mm
-From minimum stiffness criteria of main tension members,
l 1900
l r  240  rmin    7.92mm
240 240
-Trial gross area of section from yield failure criteria,
T 210  103
Ag    1400mm2
0.6Fy  0.6  250
-select a trail angle section from table with Ag 1400mm2
a) If selected among equal leg angles,
1st trail: L64x64x12.7
Ag 1452mm2 , t=12.7mm, & rmin  rz 12.4 mm  7.92 mm  ok!
-Net area of trial section through bolt holes,
Section 1-1: An1 1452  2  23.5  12.7  855.1mm2
s2 s2
Section 2-2: An 2 1452  2  23.5  12.7  12.7   855.1mm2  12.7 
4 g 4 g
and, AISC also requires, An  0.85Ag  0.85  1452  1234.2 mm 2

 An  855.1 mm2 --take the smallest value

-Net effective area of critical section,
Ane  0.9 An --since connection is made through one leg only
 Ane  0.9855.1 769.59mm2
then, checking adequacy of trial section for fracture failure,
Ta  0.5Fu   Ane  0.5  400  769.59 153.918 103 N
 Ta  153.918 kN  T ( given)  210kN
therefore, first trial is not adequate!

3
2nd trail: L102x102x7.9
Ag 1548mm2 , t=7.9mm, & rmin  rz  20.1mm  7.92 mm  ok !
-Net area of trial section through bolt holes,
Section 1-1: An1 1548  2  23.5  7 .9 1176.7 mm2
s2 s2
Section 2-2: An 2 1548  2  23.5  7.9  7.9   1176.7 mm2  7.9 
4 g 4 g
and, AISC also requires, An  0.85Ag  0.85  1548  1315.8 mm 2

 An  1176.7 mm2 --take the smallest value

-Net effective area of critical section,
Ane  0.9 An --since connection is made through one leg only
 Ane  0.91176.7  1059.03mm2
then, checking adequacy of trial section for fracture failure,
Ta  0.5Fu   Ane  0.5  400  1059.03 211.806 103 N
 Ta  211.806 kN  T ( given)  210kN  ok !
therefore, L102x102x7.9 can be selected as lightest angle section.

b) If selected among unequal leg angles,

Ans: L102x89x9.5 can be selected as lightest angle section.

4
 Exercise Problems
1) Select the lightest double angles section placed back to back for a tension member supporting
a service design axial tension load of 400 kN. The member is to be connected at the end to
12mm thick gusset plate between back of the angles by one row of 22mm diameter bolts in
a pattern as shown below. The length of member is 3.2m. Assume the member as main
tension member with limiting slenderness ratio of l r  240 where r  I A . Angle sections

are made of A50 steel Fy  345MPa & Fu  485MPa . 
Select among a) Equal leg angles, and b) Unequal leg angles (for unequal leg angles,
connection is made through longer leg of angles)

t gusset  12 mm
plate

T  400 kN

2) Design a tension member of bridge truss subjected to a service design tensile force of
1130kN made of W-310 section connected at end to two gusset-plates of 16mm thick by two
lines of 22mm diameter bolts on each flange of W-section (total four lines of bolts on two
flanges). Connection is made through flanges of W-section. The length of the member is
8.5m. There will be at least three bolts in each line. Check selected section for minimum
stiffness criteria assuming as main tension member. Select among W-310 sections.
W-section and gusset-plates are made of A-36 steel ( Fy  250MPa & Fu  400MPa ).