MACHINE DESIGN - An Integrated Approach, 4th Ed.

Example 4-11-1

EXAMPLE 4-11

Column Design for Concentric Loading

Problem: A beachfront house is to be jacked up 10 ft above grade and placed on a set of steel columns.
The weight to be supported by each column is estimted to be 200000 lb. Two designs are to
be considered, one using square steel tubes and the other using round steel tubes.
Given: Column length l  10 ft
Column load Load  200  kip Safety factor FS  4
Wall thickness t  0.5 in Comp. yield strength S yc  60 ksi
6
Modulus of elasticity E  30 10  psi

Assumptions: The loading is concentric and the columns are vertical. Their bases are set in concrete and
their tops are free, creating a fixed-free end-constraint condition. Use AISC recommended
end-condition factors.
Solution: See Table 4-5, parts 1 and 2, and Mathcad file EX0411.
1. Start by calculating the slenderness ratio that divides the unit load vs slenderness ratio graph into Johnson
and Euler regions using equation 4.42..

2 E
S rD  π S rD  99.346 (a)
S yc

2. Using Table 4-7, calculate the effective column length.

leff  2.1 l leff  252 in (b)

3. To start the iterative process, assume that the final design will be an Euler column with the critical load equal
to FS*Load. From equation 4.38b,
2 2
π  E A  k 2 I
Pcr = and k =
2 A
L

2
2 π  E I
Substituting for k Pcr = = FS  Load (c)
2
L

2
leff  FS  Load
Solving for I I  (d)
2
π E
4
The required moment of inertia for square or round tubing, assuming an Euler column is I  171.58 in
4. Using the relationships given in the inside front cover, solve for the outside diameter of the tube.
CIRCULAR CROSS-SECTION
Guess D  8  in
π  4
 D  ( D  2  t) 
4
Given I=
64

D  Find ( D) D  10.052 in
5. Using this diameter, calculate the slenderness ratio and compare to S rD. If it is greater than S rD the assumption
of an Euler column is correct, if not, recalculate using the Johnson equation.

EX0411.xmcd
MACHINE DESIGN - An Integrated Approach, 4th Ed. Example 4-11-2

Inside diameter d  D  2  t d  9.052 in

Area Ar 
π
4

 D d
2 2 Ar  15.004 in
2

(e)
I
Radius of gyration kr  kr  3.382 in
Ar

leff
Slenderness ratio S r  S r  74.519
kr

This value is less than S rD  99.346 , so we need to go back to step 3 and assume a Johnson column.
6. Assuming a Johnson column and solving for the outside diameter.

 S yc S r  
2

Pcr = A  S yc      = FS  Load
1
(f)
 E  2 π  

π  2
 D  ( D  2  t) 
π  4
 D  ( D  2  t) 
2 4
A ( D)  I ( D) 
4 64

Guess D  8  in
2
FS  Load  leff  Syc  A ( D)
1
Given = S yc     
A ( D) E  2  π  I ( D)

D  Find ( D) D  11.354 in
7. Using this diameter, calculate the slenderness ratio and compare to S rD. If it is less than S rD the assumption of
a Johnson column is correct.
Inside diameter d  D  2  t d  10.354 in

Ar 
π
4

 D d
2 2 Ar  17.05 in
2

(g)
I ( D)
Radius of gyration kr  kr  3.842 in
Ar
leff
Slenderness ratio S r  S r  65.596
kr

8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for the square cross-section using the Johnson equation.
SQUARE CROSS-SECTION

A ( s)  s  ( s  2  t)
2
 s  ( s  2  t)
2 1 4 4
 I ( s)  
12
Guess s  8  in
2
FS  Load  leff  Syc  A ( s)
1
Given = S yc     
A ( s) E  2  π  I ( s)

so  Find ( s) so  9.343 in

EX0411.xmcd
MACHINE DESIGN - An Integrated Approach, 4th Ed. Example 4-11-3

9. Using this dimension, calculate the slenderness ratio and compare to S rD. If it is less than S rD the assumption
of a Johnson column is correct.
Inside dimension si  so  2  t si  8.343 in
2 2 2
As  D  d As  21.709 in

I  so (h)
Radius of gyration ks  ks  3.264 in
As
leff
Slenderness ratio S r  S r  77.217
ks
The value of s calculated in step 8 is the minimum value required to assure that, with a safety factor of 4, the
column will not buckle under the applied load of 200 kip.

10. Check the results.

CIRCULAR CROSS-SECTION
Outside diameter D  11.354 in Inside diameter d  10.354 in

Moment of inertia I 
π
64
  D d
4 4  I  251.632 in
4

Cross-section area A 
π
4
  D d
2 2  A  17.05 in
2

I
Radius of gyration k  k  3.842 in
A
leff
Slenderness ratio S r  S r  65.596
k

  S yc S r  
2
Pcr  A  S yc 
1
Critical load   Pcr  800 kip FS  Load  800 kip
 E  2 π  
SQUARE CROSS-SECTION
Outside dimension so  9.343 in Inside dimension si  8.343 in

  so  si
1 4 4 4
Moment of inertia I   I  231.213 in
12
2 2 2
Cross-section area A  so  si A  17.685 in

I
Radius of gyration k  k  3.616 in
A
leff
Slenderness ratio S r  S r  69.695
k

  S yc S r  
2
Pcr  A  S yc 
1
Critical load   Pcr  800 kip FS  Load  800 kip
 E  2 π  

Both the square and the circular designs check.

EX0411.xmcd