CE134P-2 Tension Members Gross

Section & Net Area

 CE134P-2
Principles of Steel & Timber Design
Steel Buildings
 CE134P-2
Principles of Steel & Timber Design
Steel Buildings
 CE134P-2
Principles of Steel & Timber Design

In the past, the primary goal for safety was to Load factor design and its offshoots were
provide an adequate margin against the developed to take these considerations into
consequences of overload. account.
Structural Safety & Integrity

In real life, however, many other factors also play a role. These include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Variations of material strength 5. Presence and variation of residual stresses

2. Variations of cross-sectional size and shape 6. Lack of member straightness

3. Accuracy of Method of Analysis 7. Variations of locations of load application points

4. Influence of workmanship in shop and field

 CE134P-2
Principles of Steel & Timber Design

Tension members are structural elements that are subjected to axial tensile forces. They are used in various types of
structures and include truss members, bracing for buildings and bridges, cables in suspended roof systems, and
cables in suspension and cable-stayed bridges.

The stress in an axially loaded tension

Tensile Strength

member is given by

The presence of holes in a member will

influence the stress at a cross section
through the hole or holes.

At these locations, the cross-sectional

area will be reduced by an amount equal
to the area removed by the holes.
 CE134P-2
Principles of Steel & Timber Design

A tension member can fail by reaching one of two

LRFD: In load and resistance factor design, the
limit states: excessive deformation or fracture.
factored tensile load is compared to the design
strength. The design strength is the resistance
To prevent excessive deformation, initiated by factor times the nominal strength.
yielding, the load on the gross section must be small
enough that the stress on the gross section is less
Tensile Strength

than the yield stress Fy.

To prevent fracture, the stress on the net section

must be less than the tensile strength Fu. The resistance factor is smaller for fracture than
for yielding, reflecting the more serious nature of
In each case, the stress P/A must be less than a fracture.
limiting stress or

The nominal strength in yielding is

The nominal strength in fracture is

 CE134P-2
Principles of Steel & Timber Design

ASD: In allowable strength design, the total service load is compared to the allowable strength (allowable load):

Alternatively, the service load stress can be compared to

the allowable stress. This can be expressed as
Tensile Strength

For yielding of the gross section,

For fracture of the net section, the safety factor is

2.00 and the allowable load is
 CE134P-2
Principles of Steel & Timber Design

The net area computation requires computation of a

reduced section due to holes made in the member as
well a failure path for the rupture surface.
Tensile Strength

One way to define the net area is it is the gross cross

sectional area less the cross sectional area of any
holes (effective hole diameter x plate thickness) plus
an increase for any diagonal lines in the failure path.

"the width of a bolt hole shall be taken as 1/16 in.

larger than the nominal dimension of the hole." So, if you specify 3/4" bolts in standard holes, the
effective width of the holes is 7/8" (i.e. 3/4" for the
bolt diameter + 1/16" for the hole diameter +1/16"
damage allowance.)
 CE134P-2
Principles of Steel & Timber Design

For yielding of the gross section,
Ag = 5(1/2) = 2.5 in.2
Tensile Strength
A 1⁄2 × 5 plate of A36 steel is used as a tension member.
It is connected to a gusset plate with four
5⁄8-inch-diameter bolts as shown. Assume that the
effective net area equals the actual net area. (a) What is

and the nominal strength is the design strength for LRFD? (b) What is the allowable
strength for ASD?
Pn = FyAg = 36(2.5) = 90.0 kips

For fracture of the net section,

An = Ag − Aholes = 2.5 − (1⁄2)(3⁄4) × 2 holes = 1.75 in.2

Ae = An = 1.75 in.2

The nominal strength is

Pn = FuAe = 58(1.75) = 101.5 kips

 CE134P-2
Principles of Steel & Timber Design

(a) Design Strength for LRFD Alternative Solution Using Allowable Stress:

The design strength based on yielding is For yielding,

Ft = 0.6Fy = 0.6(36) = 21.6 ksi

The design strength based on fracture is
Tensile Strength

and the allowable load is

FtAg = 21.6(2.5) = 54.0 kips

(b) Allowable Strength for ASD
For fracture,
The allowable strength based on yielding is
Ft = 0.5Fu = 0.5(58) = 29.0 ksi

and the allowable load is

The allowable strength based on fracture is

FtAe = 29.0(1.75) = 50.8 kips

The allowable service load is 50.8 kips.


For yielding of the gross section,
Ag = 5(1/2) = 2.5 in.2
Tensile Strength
and the nominal strength is
Pn = FyAg = 36(2.50) = 90 kips
For fracture of the net section,
The nominal strength is
CE134P-2
Principles of Steel & Timber Design
A single-angle tension member, an L 3 1⁄2 × 3 1⁄2 × 3⁄8, is
connected to a 7⁄8-inch-diameter bolts as shown. A36
steel is used. The service loads are 35 kips dead load and
15 kips live load. Investigate this member for compliance
with the AISC Specification. Assume that the effective net
area is 85% of the computed net area. (a) Use LRFD (b)
Use ASD.
 CE134P-2
Principles of Steel & Timber Design

(a) Design Strength for LRFD (b) Allowable Strength for ASD

The design strength based on yielding is The allowable strength based on yielding is

The design strength based on fracture is

Tensile Strength

The allowable strength based on fracture is

Factored load: 52.4 kips.

When only dead load and live load are present, the Factored load:
only load combinations with a chance of controlling
are combinations 1 and 2. When the only loads are dead load and live load, ASD
load combination 2 will always control:
Combination 1: 1.4D = 1.4(35) = 49 kips
Combination 2: 1.2D + 1.6L = 1.2(35) + 1.6(15) = 66 kips

The second combination controls; Pu = 66 kips.

 CE134P-2
Principles of Steel & Timber Design

Alternative Solution Using Allowable Stress:

For the gross area, the applied stress is

Tensile Strength

and the allowable stress is

For the net section,

 CE134P-2
Principles of Steel & Timber Design

For one angle, the nominal strength based on A double-angle shape is shown. The steel is A36, and
the gross area is the holes are for 1⁄2-inch-diameter bolts. Assume that
Ae = 0.75An.
a. Determine the design tensile strength for LRFD.
b. Determine the allowable strength for ASD.
Tensile Strength

There are two holes in each angle, so the net

area of one angle is

The effective net area is

The notation LLBB means “long-legs back-to-back,” and

The nominal strength based on the net area is SLBB indicates “short-legs back-to-back.”
 CE134P-2
Principles of Steel & Timber Design

(b) Allowable Strength for ASD

(a) Design Strength for LRFD The allowable strength based on yielding is

The design strength based on yielding is

Tensile Strength

and the allowable load is

The design strength based on fracture is

For fracture or net section,

Because 65.86 kips < 78.08 kips, fracture of the

net section controls, and the design strength for
the two angles is 2 × 65.86 = 132 kips. The corresponding allowable load is

Because 43.91 kips < 52.06 kips, fracture of the

net section controls, and the allowable strength
for the two angles is 2 × 43.91 = 87.8 kips.