Civil Engineering Department

FIRST SEMESTER
2021 –2022

STEEL DESIGN

CHAPTER THREE
DESIGN OF TENSION
MEMBERS
   CHAPTER THREE
DESIGN OF TENSION MEMBERS

3.1 Introduction
The design of a tension member involves finding a
member with adequate gross and net areas. If the member has
a bolted connection, the selection of a suitable cross section
requires an accounting for the area lost because of holes. A
secondary consideration in the design of tension members is
slenderness. If a structural member has a small cross section in
relation to its length, it is said to be slender. A more accurate
measure is the slenderness ratio, L/r, where L is the member
length and r is the minimum radius of gyration of the cross-
sectional area. The minimum radius of gyration is the one
corresponding to the minor principal axis of the cross section.
This value is tabulated for all rolled shapes in the properties
tables in Part 1 of the Manual.

Although slenderness is critical to the strength of a

compression member, in many situations, it is good practice to
limit the slenderness of tension members. AISC D1 suggests a
maximum slenderness ratio of 300. This limit does not apply to
cables.

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 The central problem of all member design, including tension
member design, is to find a cross section for which the required
strength does not exceed the available strength.

 For tension members designed by LRFD, the

requirement is

Ø 

To prevent yielding,

.  

 
.  

To avoid fracture,

.  

 
.  

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 For allowable strength design, if we use the allowable
stress form, the requirement is

corresponding to yielding is

    

  
 

  
.  

For the limit state of fracture, the required effective area is

  
 

  
  .  

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 The slenderness ratio limitation will be satisfied if

    

Where :
r : is the minimum radius of gyration of the cross section.
L : is the member length.

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Example 1 :
A tension member with a length of 5 feet 9 in must resist
a service dead load of 18k and a service live load of 52k. Select
a member with a rectangular cross section. Use A36 steel and
assume a connection with one line of ⅞in diameter bolts. Use
LRFD

Solution
Fy = 36 ksi (Table 2-3)
Fu = 58 ksi (Table 2-3)
= 1.4D = 1.4 × 18 = 25.2 k

= 1.2D + 1.6L = 1.2 × 18 + 1.6 × 52 = 104.8 k

take = 104.8 k
104.8
    3.235in
0.9 f 0.9  36
104.8
    2.409  
0.75  0.75  58
Try t = 1in
3.235
    3.235  
1
Try PL 1× 3½
   

= 1× 3.5 – ( + ) ×1 = 2.5       2.409 

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slenderness ratio:
3.5    1
   0.291  
12
1 3.5  3.5  
     

0.291
        0.2887
3.5
5.75   12
     239  300   
0.2887

Use PL 1× 3½

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Note :
If an angle shape is used as a tension member and the
connection is made by bolting, there must be enough space for
the bolts. Space will be a problem only when there are two lines
of bolts in a leg. The usual fabrication practice is to punch or
drill holes in standard locations in angle legs. These hole
locations are given in Table 1-7 in Part 1 of the Manual. This
table is located at the end of the dimensions and properties
table for angles.

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Example 2 :
Select an unequal-leg angle tension member 15 feet long
to resist a service dead load of 35k and a service live load of
70k. Use A36 steel and LRFD method. The connection is
shown in Figure

Solution
Fy   36 ksi    Table 2‐3  
Fu   58 ksi    Table 2‐3  
Pu  1.4×D  1.4 × 35  49k 
Pu  1.2×D   1.6×L   1.2 × 35   1.6 × 70   154k 
 take P    104.8 k 
154
    4.75in
0.9 f 0.9  36
154
    3.54  
0.75  0.75  58
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The radius of gyration should be at least
L  
r            0.6in 

There are two lines of bolts, so the connected leg must be at

least 5 in long

 Try L6 × 4 × ½. 
 

   4.75 – 2 ×           ×½   3.875 in    

 
U 0.8    case 8 Table D3‐1 
A  3.875  0.8   3.1in   3.54in    Not OK 

 Try L5 × 3½  × 5⁄8 
4.93in
 

         4.93 – 2                 3.836 in    

A  3.836  0.8   3.07in   3.54in    Not OK 

 

 Try L8 × 4 × ½  
A 5.8in  
A  A A  

         5.8 – 2              1⁄2   4.925 in    

A  4.925  0.8   3.94in   3.54in    OK 

Use L8 × 4 × ½  

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Example 3 :
Select an S shape for the tension member shown in
Figure. The member shown will be connected between two
plates with eight 7⁄8-in. diameter bolts. The service dead load is
216k, the service live load is 25k, and the length is 22 ft. Use
A36 steel and LRFD method.

Solution
Fy   36 ksi    Table 2‐3  
Fu   58 ksi    Table 2‐3
P    1.4D    1.4 × 216   320.4k 
P  1.2×D   1.6×L   1.2 × 216   1.6 × 25   299.2k 
 take P    320.4 k 
P 320.4
A     9.33in  
0.9 f 0.9  36
P 320.4
A     6.95in  
0.75 f 0.75  58
The radius of gyration should be at least 
L  
r            0.88in 
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  Try S10   35 

A 10.3 in   9.33in   OK     Table 1‐7

r 0.899 in  0.88      OK    Table 1‐7  
  tw   0.594in   Table 1‐7  
 A  A A  

 10.3 – 2              0.594   9.11 in   

A  A U 
U 0.7               Case 7  Table D3‐1 
A  9.11  0.7   6.38in 6.95in    Not OK 
 
 Try S12   40.8 

A 11.9 in   9.33in   OK     Table 1‐7

r 1.06 in  0.88      OK    Table 1‐7  
  tw   0.462in   Table 1‐7  
 A  A A  

 11.9 – 2              0.462   10.98 in   

A  A U 
U 0.7               Case 7  Table D3‐1 
A  10.98  0.7   7.69in   6.95in    OK 
 
 Use S12   40.8 

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3.2 Tables for the Design of Tension Members
Part 5 of the Manual contains tables to assist in the
design of tension members of various cross-sectional shapes,
These tables give values of Ag and Ae for various shapes
based on the assumption that Ae = 0.75Ag. In addition, the
corresponding available strengths based on yielding and
fracture are given.

Example 4 :
Design a member to carry a factored maximum tension
load of 100k. The member is a single angle section connected
through one leg using four 1in. diameter bolts. The center-to-
center distance of the bolts is 3in. The edge distances are 2in.
Steel material is A36

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Solution
Fy   36 ksi    Table 2‐3  
Fu   58 ksi    Table 2‐3
   100 k 
Select  L4   3   ½   Table 5‐2  
Gross  yielding  strength    105k,  and  net  section  fracture 
strength 106 k  
A  3.25in  
A 2.44in  
A  A A  

        3.25 – 1     1        0.5   2.6875 in    

U 1         Case 2 Table D3‐1   

x   0.822 in      Table 1‐7  
0.822
U 1 0.9 
9
U 0.8     Case 8 Table D3‐1   
Take U 0.9 
A  A U 
A  2.6875  0.9   2.41in  
Ø  P 0.75  f A    
Ø  P 0.75  58 2.41 104.8  100       OK 

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Check the block shear rupture strength  
The shear areas are 
Agv   ½ 11    5.5 in2 
Anv    5.5 ‐   3.5     1   1/8     ½    3.53 in2 
The tension area is 
Agt    2   0.5   1 in2 
Ant      1 –  0.5     1   1/8     ½  0.72 in2 
Ubs   1.0  
Rn   0.6Fu Anv   Ubs Fu Ant   
       0.6   58   3.53   1   58   0.72   164.6.5K  
with an upper limit of 
Rn   0.6Fy Agv   Ubs Fu Ant    0.6   36   5.5   1  58   0.72 
                                                     160.56 K  
 Rn   160.56 K 
ØRn   0.75   160,56   120.4K    100 K    OK 
 Use L4   3   ½  

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