CENG 

453‐ Design of Steel and Timber Structures     Chapter 5‐Beam Columns 

5 Beam columns
5.1 Introduction
Most columns are subjected to bending moment in addition to axial load. These members are called
‘beam columns’, represent the general load case of an element in a structural frame. The beam and
axially loaded column are limiting cases.
Consider the following rectangular cross section subjected both normal force and flexural stress.

From fig (c), the moment is computed using the following equation:
M = f y (2a(b − e))(b + e) = 2 f y ab 2 (1 − (e / b) 2 )
M
M = M pl (1 − (e / b) 2 ) = = (1 − (e / b) 2 ) . . . (1)
M pl

From fig (d), the compression force is computed using the following equation:
N = f y 2a ( 2e) = 4aef y = 4abf y (e / b)

N
N = N pl (e / b) = = (e / b) . . . (2)
N pl
2
M ⎛⎜ N ⎞⎟
From (1) and (2); + =1
M pl ⎜⎝ N pl ⎟⎠

Any combination of axial load and moments is represented by a point on the diagram and an increasing
set of loads with fixed between the components corresponds to a straight line starting from the origin.
Points that fall inside the boundary given by the design condition are safe, those that fall on the
boundary just meet the design condition and those that lie outside the boundary represent an unsafe
load combination.
The interaction curves for uniaxial bending and interaction surface for biaxial bending are shown in the
following figures.

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CENG 453‐ Design of Steel and Timber Structures     Chapter 5‐Beam Columns 

5.2 Behavior classification

The behavior depends on the column length, how the moments are applied and the lateral support, if
any, provided. The behavior can be classified into the following five cases:
Case 1: A short column subjected to axial load and uniaxial bending about either axis or biaxial
bending. Failure generally occurs when the plastic capacity of the section is reached.
Case 2: A slender column subjected to axial load and uniaxial bending about the major axis x–x. If the
column is supported laterally against buckling about the minor axis y–y out of the plane of
bending, the column fails by buckling about the x–x axis. This is not a common case. At low
axial loads or if the column is not very slender, a plastic hinge forms at the end or point of
maximum moment.
Case 3: A slender column subjected to axial load and uniaxial bending about the minor axis y–y. The
column does not require lateral support and there is no buckling out-of-the-plane of bending.
The column fails by buckling about the y–y axis. At very low axial loads, it will reach the
bending capacity for y–y axis.
Case 4: A slender column subjected to axial load and uniaxial bending about the major axis x–x. This
time the column has no lateral support. The column fails due to a combination of column
buckling about the y–y axis deflecting in the x–x and y–y planes.
Case 5: A slender column subject to axial load and biaxial bending. The column has no lateral support.
The failure is the same as in Case 4 above but minor axis buckling will usually have the
greatest effect. This is the general loading case.

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CENG 453‐ Design of Steel and Timber Structures     Chapter 5‐Beam Columns 

5.3 Cross-section capacity check

The member should be checked at the point of greatest bending moment and axial load. This is usually
at the end, but it could be within the column height if lateral loads are also applied. The capacity is
controlled by yielding or local buckling.
5.3.1 Resistance of class 1 and 2 cross sections
• For Class 1 and 2 cross sections, in the absence of shear force the following holds true.
Msd < MN,Rd
Where: MN,Rd is the reduced design plastic moment allowing for the axial force.
• For a plate without holes, the reduced design plastic moment is given by:
MN,Rd= Mpl,Rd[1-Nsd/Npl,Rd)2]

2
M sd ⎛ N ⎞
→ + ⎜ sd ⎟ ≤ 1
M pl , Rd ⎜⎝ N pl , Rd ⎟⎠
• For cross sections without holes, the following formula may be used to determine the reduced
design plastic moment for standard rolled I and H sections. It can also be applicable for welded
I and H sections with equal flanges.
MNy,Rd= Mpl,Rd(1-n)/(1-0.5a) MNy,Rd < Mpl,y,Rd
for n< a: MNz,Rd = Mpl,z,Rd
for n> a: MNz,Rd = Mpl,z,Rd[1-(n-a/1-a)2]
where: n= N sd / N pl , Rd and
a = ( A − 2bt f ) / A but a < 0.5

The above expression may be further simplified (for standard rolled I and H sections only) to:
M Ny , Rd = 1.11M pl , y , Rd (1 − n) but MNy,Rd < Mpl,y,Rd

for n< 0.2: MNz,Rd = Mpl,z,Rd

for n> 0.2: MNz,Rd = 1.56Mpl,z,Rd(1-n)(n+0.6)
• For cross sections without holes, the following approximations may be used for rectangular
structural hollow sections of uniform thickness.
M Ny , Rd = M pl , y , Rd (1 − n)(1 − 0.5a w ) but MNy,Rd < Mpl,y,Rd . . . (3)
M NZ , Rd = M pl , z , Rd (1 − n) /(1 − 0.5a f ) but MNy,Rd < Mpl,y,Rd . . . (4)
Where: a w = ( A − 2bt ) / A but aw< 0.5 and a f = ( A − 2ht ) / A

The above expression may be also used for welded box sections with equal flanges and equal
webs by taking Where: a w = ( A − 2bt f ) / A but aw< 0.5 and a f = ( A − 2ht f ) / A but af < 0.5.

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CENG 453‐ Design of Steel and Timber Structures     Chapter 5‐Beam Columns 

Upon simplification equations 3 and 4 give:

→ For a square section:
M N , Rd = 1.26 M pl , Rd (1 − n) but MN,Rd < Mpl,Rd

→ For a rectangular section:

M Ny , Rd = 1.33M pl , y , Rd (1 − n) but MNy,Rd < Mpl,y,Rd
M NZ , Rd = M pl , z , Rd (1 − n) /(0.5 + ht / A) but MNy,Rd < Mpl,y,Rd

• For cross sections without holes, the following approximations may be used for circular tubes
of uniform thickness.
M N , Rd = 1.04M pl , Rd (1 − n1.7 ) but MN,Rd < Mpl,Rd

• For biaxial bending, the following equation may be used:

α β
⎛ M y , sd ⎞ ⎛ M Z , sd ⎞
⎜ ⎟ +⎜ ⎟ ≤1
⎜M ⎟ ⎜M ⎟
⎝ Ny , Rd ⎠ ⎝ NZ , Rd ⎠
For conservative design the values of α and β are taken as unity. Otherwise; for different
sections, they are given as follows:
i. I and H sections: α= 2 and β=5n but α and β > 1
ii. Circular Tubes: α =β=2
1.66
iii. Rectangular hollow sections: α = β = but α =β < 6
1 − 1.13n 2
iv. Solid rectangles and plates: α =β=1.73+1.8n3
where: n= N sd / N pl , Rd

As further conservative approximation, the following criterion may be used:

⎛ N sd ⎞ ⎛ M y , sd ⎞ ⎛ M Z , sd ⎞
⎜ ⎟+⎜ ⎟+⎜ ⎟ ≤1
⎜N ⎟ ⎜M ⎟ ⎜M ⎟
⎝ pl , Rd ⎠ ⎝ pl , y , Rd ⎠ ⎝ pl , Z , Rd ⎠

5.3.2 Resistance of class 3 cross sections

• In the absence of shear force, class 3 cross sections will be satisfactory if the maximum
longitudinal stress σ x, ED satisfies the following condition:
σ x , ED ≤ f yd
Where: f yd = f y / γ m1

• For cross sections without holes for fasteners, the above criterion becomes:
⎛ N sd ⎞ ⎛ M y , sd ⎞ ⎛ M Z , sd ⎞
⎜ ⎟+⎜ ⎟+⎜ ⎟ ≤1
⎜ Af ⎟ ⎜W f ⎟ ⎜W f ⎟
⎝ yd ⎠ ⎝ el , y yd ⎠ ⎝ el , Z yd ⎠

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CENG 453‐ Design of Steel and Timber Structures     Chapter 5‐Beam Columns 

5.3.3 Resistance of class 4 cross sections

• In the absence of shear force, class 4 cross sections will be satisfactory if the maximum
longitudinal stress σ x, ED calculated using the effective widths of the compression elements
satisfies the following condition:
σ x , ED ≤ f yd

⎛ N sd ⎞ ⎛ M y , sd + N sd e Ny ⎞ ⎛ M Z , sd + N sd e NZ ⎞
⎜ ⎟+⎜ ⎟+⎜ ⎟ ≤1
⎜A f ⎟ ⎜ W f ⎟ ⎜ W ⎟
⎝ eff yd ⎠ ⎝ eff , y yd ⎠ ⎝ eff , Z f yd ⎠

Where: f yd = f y / γ m1

Aeff = the effective area of the cross section when subject to uniform
compression
Weff = the effective section modulus of the cross section when subject only to
moment about the relevant axis
eN = the shift of the relevant centroidal axis when the cross section subject to
uniform compression

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