Worked Example

Performance Check
Combined Actions
Bending and Tension Capacity of a Member

Check the capacity of a 190 × 35 MGP12 truss bottom chord to be used in a nail plate
connected truss for a neighbourhood shopping centre in Adelaide. The bottom chord
carries tension under all gravity loads. The weight of the ceiling also induces bending
into the chord. The capacity of the member to resist both of the actions
simultaneously must be checked.

It will be subjected to the following factored design loads:

Bending (M*) = 1.14 kNm (permanent action)

Tension (a) (Nt*) = 35 kN (combined permanent and 5 day imposed action)
(b) (Nt*) = 8.2 kN (permanent action)

Ceiling joists
14 m
The truss spacing = 1200 mm.
Ceiling joists @ 450 mm centres.

Solution:
(All Tables and Clauses in < > are found in AS1720.1.)

Strength Limit State Capacity Check - Tension

N d ,t = φ k1 k 4 k6 f 't At <3.4.1>
Normal structure, primary element. There are many parallel trusses in the structure,
but the area supported by the truss is quite large (16.8 m2). Therefore, failure of the
element may lead to a structural collapse of a significant area of roof. Regard the truss
as a €
primary element. All members in the truss are therefore primary elements.
φ = 0.70 <Table 2.1>

Duration of load factor

(a) k1 = 0.94 (for 5 day combination) <Table 2.3>
(b) k1 = 0.57 (for permanent action) <Table 2.3>
 Seasoned timber in sheltered environment
k4 = 1.0 <2.4.2>

not in a high temperature zone

k6 = 1.0 <2.4.3>

fʹ′t = 12 MPa

At = d × b = 190 × 35 = 6650 mm2 ( Nail plates cause no loss of tension area.)

(a) combined permanent and 5 day imposed action

N d ,t = 0.70 × 0.94 ×1.0 × 1.0 × 12 × 6650 = 52.5 × 10 3 N
Nd,t = 52.5 kN

(b) permanent action

€ N d ,t = 0.70 × 0.57 ×1.0 × 1.0 × 12 × 6650 = 31.8 × 10 3 N
Nd,t = 31.8 kN

€ Strength Limit State Capacity Check - Bending

M d = φ k1 k 4 k 6 k 9 k12 f 'b Z <3.2.1.1>

Normal structure, primary element

φ = 0.70 <Table 2.1>
€
Duration of load factor
k1 = 0.57 permanent action <Table 2.3>

Seasoned timber in sheltered environment

k4 = 1.0 <2.4.2>

not in a high temperature zone

k6 = 1.0 <2.4.3>

Strength sharing factor

Not grid system, ncom = 1, nmem = 1 <2.4.5>
k9 = 1.0

Stability factor
The bottom edge of the bottom chord is the tension edge under gravity loads and has
ceiling joists fastened to it.
If ceiling joists give continuous restraint along the tension edge:

d 190
S1 = 2.25 = 2.25 = 12.21 <3.2.3.2>
b 35

If the ceiling joists at 450 centres provide discrete restraint:

 1.35 0.25 1.35 0.25
⎛ d ⎞ ⎛ Lay ⎞ ⎛ 190 ⎞ ⎛ 450 ⎞
S1 = ⎜ ⎟ ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ =12.17 <3.2.3.2>
⎝ b ⎠ ⎝ d ⎠ ⎝ 35 ⎠ ⎝ 190 ⎠

Using the larger of the two values, S1 = 12.21

Material constant ρ = 0.85 <Table 3.1>

ρ b S = 0.85 × 12.21 =10.38 ≥10

k12 = 1.5 – 0.05 ρbS1 = 0.981

f 'b = 25 MPa <Table H3.1>

bd 2 35 ×190 2
Z= = = 211 × 10 3
6 6

M d = 0.70 × 0.57 ×1.0 × 1.0 ×1.0 × 0.981× 25 × 211 × 10 3 = 2.06 × 10 6 N

Md = 2.06 kNm

€ Check for combined actions <3.6.2>

(a) combined permanent and 5 day imposed action

Major axis bending with axial tension - tension edge:

" k M *% " N * %
$$ 12 x '' + $$ t '' ≤ 1
# ( M d,x ) & # ( N d,t ) &
In this formula k12 is the stability factor used in bending strength (φ Mx) calculation.
The formula comes from the addition of stresses on the tension side of the member.
€ " k M *% " N * % " 0.981×1.14 % " 35.00 %
$$ 12 x '' + $$ t '' = $ '+ $ ' =1.21
# ( M d,x ) & # ( N d,t ) & # 2.06 & # 52.5 &

1.21 > 1. Therefore, bottom chord does not have capacity for the combined actions.
€ Major axis bending with axial tension - compression edge:

" M *% " ZN * %
$$ x '' − $$ t
'' ≤ 1
# ( M d,x ) & # ( d,x ) &
A M

The negative sign is because tension actually increases bending capacity where it is
limited by buckling. (For this equation, it is important that the units above the line are
€ the same as those below the line so that the answer is dimensionless.)
 " M *% " Z N * % " 1.14 ×10 6 % " 211 × 10 3 × 35000 %
$ x '− $ t
'= $ 6'− $ 6 ' = 0.014
M
# d ,x & # A M d ,x & # 2.06 ×10 & # 6650 × 2.06 × 10 &

0.014 ≤ 1
The truss chord is not satisfactory for combined tension and bending effects for this
€ load combination.

(b) permanent action

Major axis bending with axial tension - tension edge:

" k M *% " N *%
$ 12 x ' + $ t ' ≤ 1
# M d ,x & # N d ,t &

" k M *% " N * % " 0.981×1.14 % " 8.20 %

$ 12 x ' + $ t ' =$ '+ $ ' =0.801
€ # M d ,x & # N d ,t & # 2.06 & # 31.8 &

0.801 ≤ 1
€ Major axis bending with axial tension - compression edge:

" M *% " Z N * %
$ x '− $ t
'≤ 1
M
# d ,x & # A M d ,x &

" M *% " Z N * % " 1.14 ×10 6 % " 211 × 10 3 × 8200 %

€ $ x '− $ t
'= $ 6'− $ 6' = 0.427
M
# d ,x & # A M d ,x & # 2.06 ×10 & # 6650 × 2.06 × 10 &

0.427 ≤ 1
€ The truss chord is satisfactory for combined tension and bending effects for this load
combination.

The truss bottom chord does not have the capacity to resist combined tension and
bending actions under the two load combinations considered. It may be possible to
check assumptions made in finding the loads and refine the loads a little to make it
work. Alternatively, a larger size must be used.
 Summary – Combined actions
Bending and tension

Design moment M* and axial tensile force N*

M* can only
yes occur in the presence of no
tension N*?

STOP
Not a combined
actions problem
Bending axis for M*?

Major axis bending Minor axis bending

capacity Md,x capacity Md,y

Tensile Tensile
capacity Nd,t capacity Nd,t

Both edges must have satisfactory performance

Check Check Check

compression edge tension edge tension edge

" M * % " Z N *t % " k12 M * % "N * % " k12 M * % "N * %

$ '− $ ' ≤ 1.0 $ '+ $ t
' ≤ 1.0 $ '+ $ t
' ≤ 1.0
# Md & # A Md & # Md & N
# d ,t & # Md & # N d ,t &

€ € €
 The principles for checking combined bending and compression are the same.

Summary – Combined Actions

Bending and Compression

Bending axis for M*?

Major axis bending Minor axis bending

capacity Md,x capacity Md,y

Both axes must have satisfactory performance

Major axis buckling Minor axis buckling

under N* under N*
Major axis buckling Minor axis buckling
under N* under N* capacity Nd,cx capacity Nd,cy
capacity Nd,cx capacity Nd,cy

Select critical buckling axis

N d,c = min(Nd,cx , Nd,cy)

Check Check Check

"M* % " N *% " M * %2 " N *% " M * %2 " N *%
$ x
' + $ c
' ≤ 1.0 and $ x
' + $$ c '' ≤ 1.0 $$ y
'' + $$ c '' ≤ 1.0
# M d,x & # N d,cx & # M d,x & # N d,cy & M
# d,y & # N d,cy &

€ € €