NEPAL ENGINEERING COUNCIL

LICENSE EXAM PREPARATION COURSE

FOR

CIVIL ENGINEERS
5. Design of Structure
5.5 Steel structures
Sub topics
• Standard and built-up sections
• Design of bolted and welded connections
• Design of simple elements such as ties, struts, axially
loaded columns, and column bases
Steel structures
Standard and built-up sections

IS 808:1989 Dimension of hot rolled steel beam column, channel

and angle sections

IS 811:1987 Dimension of cold formed steel beam column,

channel and angle sections

IS 800:2007 and NBC 111:1994

Steel sections
Standard section has predefined dimension and strength.

If we need different strength and dimension, then we combine

steel sections by bolting, riveting or welding.

Such sections are called built-up sections

Design of Bolted connection
1. Unfinished/ Black bolts
2. Finished / Turned Bolt
3. High strength friction grip bolts (HSFG)
Grade of bolt is written as 4.6, 400 is ultimate strength of
bolt and 240 is yield strength of bolt

For force to be transmitted Grip length/Shank diameter should

be less than or equal 8.

Bold should resist shear , tension or their combination.

Design of Bolted connection
Terminology in bolted connections
Pitch

Gauge

Edge distance

End distance
Design of Bolted connection
Minimum pitch=2𝜙
Pitch
Maximum pitch
Compression : 12t or 200mm
Gauge Tension : 16t or 200mm
Tacking bolts : 33t or 300mm
Edge distance

End distance Minimum edge/end distance=

1.5𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑐𝑢𝑡
1.7𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑢𝑡

𝜙 is bolt diameter, d is hole diameter

Bolt and hole diameter

𝜙 𝑑
12 to 14 mm 𝜙+1
14 to 24 mm 𝜙+2
>24 mm 𝜙+3
Shear capacity
𝑉𝑛𝑠𝑏
𝑉𝑑𝑠𝑏 =
𝛾𝑚𝑏
𝑓𝑢𝑏
𝑉𝑛𝑠𝑏 = (𝑛𝑛 . 𝐴𝑛𝑏 + 𝑛𝑠 . 𝐴𝑠𝑏 )
3
𝑛𝑠 , 𝐴𝑠𝑏 are number of shear plane and area of shaft
𝑛𝑛 , 𝐴𝑛𝑏 are number of shear plane and area of threads
𝛾𝑚𝑏 = 1.25
𝐴𝑛𝑏 = 0.78𝐴𝑠𝑏
𝜋 2
𝐴𝑠𝑏 = 𝑑
4
Shear capacity
𝑛𝑠 , 𝐴𝑠𝑏 are number of shear plane and area of shaft
𝑛𝑛 , 𝐴𝑛𝑏 are number of shear plane and area of threads
Bearing capacity
𝑉𝑛𝑝𝑏
𝑉𝑑𝑝𝑏 =
𝛾𝑚𝑏
𝑉𝑛𝑝𝑏 = 2.5 𝑘𝑏 𝑑 𝑡 𝑓𝑢

𝑒 𝑝 𝑓𝑢𝑏
𝑘𝑏 is smaller of , − 0.25, , 1
3𝑑𝑜 3𝑑𝑜 𝑓𝑢
𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝 are end and pitch distances of the fastners
𝑑𝑜 is the diameter of hole
𝑓𝑢𝑏 , 𝑓𝑢 are ultimate tensile stress of bolt and plate
𝑑 is the diameter of bolt
𝑡 is the sum of thickness of connecting plate
Tension capacity of plate
𝑇𝑛𝑝
𝑇𝑑𝑝 =
𝛾𝑚1
𝑇𝑛𝑝 = 0.90𝑓𝑢 𝐴𝑛

𝐴𝑛 is net effective area of plate in tension

𝐴𝑛 = 𝑏 − 𝑛𝑑𝑜 𝑡
𝑝𝑖2
𝐴𝑛 = [𝑏 − 𝑛𝑑𝑜 + Σ ]
4𝑔𝑖
𝑔𝑖 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑖 are gauge and pitch distances of the fastners
𝑑𝑜 is the diameter of hole
𝑓𝑢 are ultimate tensile stress of plate
Bolt value
Minimum of shear capacity, bearing capacity and tensile capacity
is taken as bolt value of bolt.

Number of bolts = Total load /Bolt value

Eccentric loading condition
Bolt experiencing shear and tension
ℎ
𝐻𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑁𝐴 = 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚
7

2 2
𝑉𝑠𝑏 𝑇𝑏
+ ≤ 1.0
𝑉𝑑𝑏 𝑇𝑑𝑏

𝑃 𝑃𝑒𝑦𝑛
𝑉𝑠𝑏 = , 𝑇𝑏 =
𝑛 Σ𝑦𝑖2 ℎ

𝑦𝑖 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑜𝑙𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑁𝐴

Eccentric loading condition
𝑇𝑛𝑏
𝑇𝑑𝑏 =
𝛾𝑚𝑏
fyb A𝑠𝑏 𝛾𝑚𝑏
𝑇𝑛𝑏 = 0.9fub An <
𝛾𝑚𝑜
𝛾𝑚𝑜 = 1.1
𝛾𝑚𝑏 = 1.25
6𝑃𝑒
Number of bolt in a row=
𝑚𝑝𝑇𝑑𝑏
ℎ
Eccentric loading condition
The eccentric load gives additional shear and torsion.

𝑃
𝐹1 =
𝑛
𝑃𝑒𝑟
𝐹2 = 2
Σ𝑟
𝑃𝑒𝑦𝑖 𝑃𝑒𝑥𝑖
𝐹2𝑥 = ,𝐹 =
Σ𝑟 2 2𝑦 Σ𝑟 2
𝑃𝑒𝑦𝑖 𝑃 𝑃𝑒𝑥𝑖
𝐹𝑥 = 𝐹2𝑥 = 2
, 𝐹𝑦 = 𝐹1 + 𝐹2𝑦 = +
Σ𝑟 𝑛 Σ𝑟 2
𝐹𝑟 = 𝐹𝑥2 + 𝐹𝑦2

6𝑃𝑒
Number of bolt in a row=
𝑚𝑝𝑉𝑑𝑠𝑏
Design of welded connection
1. Butt weld
2. Fillet weld
3. Shot and plug weld

Welded connections are usually brittle.

Weld size and throat thickness and length of weld are the parameter to be
designed.

Design strength of weld:

𝑓𝑤𝑛 𝑓𝑢
𝑓𝑤𝑑 = and 𝑓𝑤𝑛 =
𝛾𝑚𝑤 3
𝑓𝑢
𝑓𝑤𝑑 =
3 𝛾𝑚𝑤
𝛾𝑚𝑤 = 1.25 for shop welding ,1.5 for field welding
Design of Butt weld in tension
Size of weld is the effective thickness
of weld. It is taken as thickness of
thinner plate for complete
penetration (Double U, Double J,
Double V).
In case of incomplete penetration it is
taken as minimum thickness of weld
metal common to two plates or in
5𝑡ℎ
absence of data it is taken as of
8
thickness of thinner plate.
Design of Butt weld in tension
Effective length is length of welding where full size weld is done.
Minimum length ≥ 4S

Spacing between two intermittent weld should not be more than

16 times thickness of thinner plate
Design of Fillet weld
Terminology in welded connections
𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑑

𝑆𝐴

𝑡𝑡
𝑆𝐵

𝑂𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑙𝑎𝑝
𝑆𝐴 , 𝑆𝐵 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑧𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑑 𝑙𝑒𝑔
𝑡𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠
Design of fillet weld
Size of weld
i) The size of weld is taken as minimum weld leg size
ii) For penetration not less than 2.4 mm it is taken as minimum leg + 2.4 mm
iii) It can be taken minimum leg size + actual penetration if penetration is done
by automatic and semi automatic process
Minimum fillet size
It is based on thickness of thicker part
If minimum size if greater than thickness of thinner plate, minimum size of
weld is thickness of thinner part.
Thickness of thicker part Minimum size of fillet weld
Maximum fillet size < 10 𝑚𝑚 3 𝑚𝑚

𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑚 = 𝑡𝑚𝑖𝑛 −1.5 10 𝑚𝑚 𝑡𝑜 20 𝑚𝑚 5 𝑚𝑚

3 20 𝑚𝑚 𝑡𝑜 32 𝑚𝑚 6 𝑚𝑚
𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑚 = 𝑡 (for rounded end)
4 32 𝑚𝑚 𝑡𝑜 50 𝑚𝑚 8 𝑚𝑚
Design of fillet weld
Effective throat thickness shall not be less than 3 mm and not more than 0.7t

Effective length =𝑙𝑤 − 2𝑆

le ≥ 4S

Overlap greater of 40 mm or 4𝑡𝑚𝑖𝑛

End return not less than 2S
End fillet weld normal to force direction can have variable thickness with
throat thickness not less than 0.5t.
Design of eccentric butt weld
Subjected to shear and bending stresses.
𝑤
Shear stress 𝜎𝑠 =
𝑙𝑤 ×𝑡𝑡
6𝑤𝑒
Bending stress 𝜎𝑏 = 2
𝑡𝑡 ×𝑙𝑤

𝜎𝑒 = 𝜎𝑏2 + 3𝜎𝑠2 ≤ 𝑓𝑤𝑑

𝑓𝑢
𝑓𝑤𝑑 =
3 𝛾𝑚𝑤
Design of eccentric fillet weld
Subjected to shear and bending stresses.
𝑤
Shear stress 𝜎𝑠 =
𝑙𝑤 ×2𝑡𝑡
3𝑤𝑒
Bending stress 𝜎𝑏 = 2
𝑡𝑡 ×𝑙𝑤

𝜎𝑒 = 𝜎𝑏2 + 𝜎𝑠2 ≤ 𝑓𝑤𝑑

𝑓𝑢
𝑓𝑤𝑑 =
3 𝛾𝑚𝑤
Design of eccentric fillet weld
Subjected to shear and bending stresses.
𝑤
Shear stress 𝜎𝑠 = w
𝑙𝑤 ×𝑡𝑡
𝑤𝑒𝑟
Torsional stress 𝜎𝑡 =
𝐼𝑝
𝑤𝑒𝑦 𝑤𝑒𝑥 e
𝜎𝑡𝑥 = , 𝜎𝑡𝑦 =
𝐼𝑝 𝐼𝑝 r
𝑤𝑒𝑦 𝑤 𝑤𝑒𝑥
𝜎𝑥 = , 𝜎𝑦 = 𝜎𝑠 + 𝜎𝑡𝑦 = +
𝐼𝑝 𝑙𝑤 × 𝑡𝑡 𝐼𝑝
𝜎𝑒 = 𝜎𝑥2 + 𝜎𝑦2 ≤ 𝑓𝑤𝑑
𝑓𝑢
𝑓𝑤𝑑 =
3 𝛾𝑚𝑤
Design of ties
Flat members and angle section are used to take tensile forces.
Angle section is preferred if there is slightest of chances of load reversal.
Types of failure:
i) Gross section yield failure (𝑇𝑑𝑔 )
ii) Net section rupture (𝑇𝑑𝑛 )
iii) Block shear failure (𝑇𝑑𝑏 )

Limiting slenderness ratio

(𝜆)
A tension member in which a reversal 180
180 of direct stress occurs due to loads
other than wind or seismic forces
A member normally acting m a tie in a 350
roof truss or a bracing system
Design of ties
Gross section yield failure (𝑇𝑑𝑔 )
𝐴𝑔 𝑓𝑦
𝑇𝑑𝑔 =
𝛾𝑚0
Net section rupture 𝑇𝑑𝑛
0.9𝐴𝑛 𝑓𝑢
𝑇𝑑𝑛 = 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑙𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒
𝛾𝑚1
0.9𝐴𝑛𝑐 𝑓𝑢 𝛽𝐴𝑔𝑜 𝑓𝑦
𝑇𝑑𝑛 = + 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒
𝛾𝑚1 𝛾𝑚0
𝑤 𝑓𝑦 𝑏𝑠 𝑓𝑢 /𝛾𝑚1
0.7 ≤ 𝛽 = 1.4 − 0.076 ≤
𝑡 𝑓𝑢 𝐿𝑐 𝑓𝑦 /𝛾𝑚0

𝐴𝑛𝑐 = 𝑛𝑒𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑒𝑔, 𝐴𝑔𝑜 = 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑒𝑔
𝑤 = 𝑤𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑒𝑔, 𝑡 = 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒
𝑏𝑠 = 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑙𝑎𝑔 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡
𝐿𝑐 = 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 (𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡. 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑛 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑑 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑)
𝛾𝑚0 = 1.1, 𝛾𝑚1 = 1.25
Design of ties
Block shear failure (𝑇𝑑𝑏 )
𝐴𝑣𝑔 𝑓𝑦 0.9𝐴𝑡𝑐 𝑓𝑢 0.9𝐴𝑣𝑛 𝑓𝑢 𝐴𝑡𝑔 𝑓𝑦
𝑇𝑑𝑏 = + 𝑜𝑟 +
3 𝛾𝑚0 𝛾𝑚1 3 𝛾𝑚1 𝛾𝑚0

𝐴𝑣𝑔 , 𝐴𝑣𝑛 = minimum gross and net area in shear along bolt line parallel to external force,
respectively (1-2 and 3-4 as shown in Fig. 7A and 1-2 as shown in Fig. 7B)

𝐴𝑡𝑔 , 𝐴𝑡𝑛 = minimum gross and net area in tension from the bolt hole to the toe of the
angle, end bolt line, perpendicular to the line of force, respectively (2-3 as shown in Fig.
7A,7B),
Design of struts
Flat members and angle section are used to take tensile forces.
Angle section is preferred if there is slightest of chances of load reversal.
Types of failure:
i) Short column
ii) Intermediate column
iii) Long column

Buckling class of Cross section

Design of struts
Buckling class
Design of struts
Buckling class
Design of struts
𝑃𝑑 = 𝑓𝑐𝑑 . 𝐴𝑒

𝑓𝑐𝑑 depends on yield stress of reinforcement and effective slenderness ratio(𝜆) and
buckling class (a,b,c,d)
𝑓𝑦 /𝛾𝑚𝑜 𝜒𝑓𝑦 𝑓𝑦
𝑓𝑐𝑑 = 2 2 0.5
= ≤
𝜙+ 𝜙 −𝜆 𝛾𝑚𝑜 𝛾𝑚𝑜

𝜒 is stress reduction factor

𝜙 = 0.5 1 + 𝛼 𝜆 − 0.2 + 𝜆2
𝛼 is imperfection factor

Buckling Class a b c d
𝛼 0.21 0.34 0.49 0.76
Design of struts
𝑃𝑑 = 𝑓𝑐𝑑 . 𝐴𝑒

𝑓𝑐𝑑 depends on yield stress of reinforcement and effective slenderness ratio(𝜆) and
buckling class (a,b,c,d)
𝑓𝑦 /𝛾𝑚𝑜 𝜒𝑓𝑦 𝑓𝑦
𝑓𝑐𝑑 = 2 2 0.5
= ≤
𝜙+ 𝜙 −𝜆 𝛾𝑚𝑜 𝛾𝑚𝑜
𝜙 = 0.5 1 + 𝛼 𝜆 − 0.2 + 𝜆2

2
𝐾𝐿
𝑓𝑦 𝑓𝑦
𝜆= = 𝑟
𝑓𝑐𝑐 𝜋 2𝐸
𝜆 is non dimensional effective slenderness ration from Perry Robertson’s approach
𝑓𝑐𝑐 is elastic buckling stress
Higher 𝜆 lower 𝑓𝑐𝑑 and ultimately lower strength of compression member
a, b, c, d buckling class will have compressive strength in descending order for same 𝜆
Design of struts
Economic section will have equal radius of gyration about both axes

Limiting slenderness ratio

(𝜆)
Compression member subjected to dead 180
and live load
Compression member subjected to wind 250
or earthquake
Compression flange of a beam against 300
lateral torsional buckling
Column bases
Column bases should have sufficient stiffness and strength to transmit
axial force, bending moments and shear forces at the base of the columns
to their foundation without exceeding the load carrying capacity of the
supports.
Anchor bolts and shear keys should be provided wherever necessary.

The maximum bearing stress should not exceed 0.6𝑓𝑐𝑘 , where 𝑓𝑐𝑘 is the
characteristic strength of bedding material usually it is designed for 0.45
𝑓𝑐𝑘
Column bases
For slab base minimum thickness is
𝑡𝑠 = 2.5𝑤 𝑎2 − 0.3𝑏 2 𝛾𝑚0 /𝑓𝑦 > t f
𝑤 is the uniform pressure
𝑎, 𝑏 are larger and small projection of the slab base beyond the rectangle
circumscribing the column;
t f is the thickness of flange of compressive member
Thank YOU !!!