Lateral torsional buckling of rolled sections symmetric about both axes

A member in compression may fail by buckling, as we know when a beam goes through flexural bending, tension and compression is formed within a member. The compression within the beam is also vulnerable to buckling. As well as the vertical displacement and the buckling of the compression flange will cause a twisting of the cross section. The twisting is known as lateral-torsional buckling.

Figure Beam experiencing lateral torsional buckling from a static vertical load Lateral torsional buckling depends on the lateral constraints of the compression flange. As the compression flange wants to rotate, a support is required to prevent rotation. A support may consist of a slab which are considered to provide full restraint along the length of the beam. The idea is that the rotation is restricted/prevented as the compression flange transmits a buckling inducing force onto its support. The compression flange does not necessarily have to be the top flange, it can be the bottom, caused by a cantilever or wind suction, which can then be restrained at intermediate points by a knee brace. Eurocode 3 (BS EN 1993-1-1), Clause 6.3.2 states that for a steel beam to be considered as restrained, the compression ange must have sufficient restraint.

Figure Methods of restraining the top flange of a beam When a beam is used to provide lateral restraints, the lateral load being exerted must find a way back to a support that can withstand the axial load, such as a shear wall or braced elements. As can be seen below, the restraint essentially becomes negligible as the load is still being transmitted to the last beam along the minor axis.

Figure effects of the lateral torsional buckling of a beam

It can be determined that the strength or resistance of the beam is governed by either the strength of the flange due to local buckling, the strength of the web that is in compression due to local buckling, or the resistance to lateral torsional buckling of the beam. When a beam is considered to be slender, the web prevents little resistance to bending in the flange along the weaker axis, this allows the flange to deform locally. More stocky beams have stiff webs, therefore a lateral torsion buckling is being induced as the cross section wants to rotate. Restraining the tension flange at the connection results in the centre of rotation being closer to the tensile flange. This consequently enhances the lateral torsional buckling strength by reducing the lateral displacement of the compression flange

Figure Centre of rotation from a beam rotating along the z axis The distribution of moment along a beam influences the critical moment resistance. A beam that has a continuous bending moment along the length of the beam is more prone to instability to a beam that has only a certain peak along the length. Closed hollow sections with a height/depth ratio of less than or equal to 2, are not susceptible to lateral torsional buckling.

Figure Instability caused by the bending distribution in a beam In order for an adjoining member to be considered as a restraint, the member must be able to resist 2.5% of the axial force of the ultimate compression load being transmitted from the retrained beam. The manner in which the beam is connecting to its support needs to accommodate the relevant restraints. Intermediate restraints reduce the effective length of the beam that is prone to lateral torsional buckling.

The governing equation for flexure about the minor axis. (Note that is the flexural rigidity about the minor axis)

2 = 2

The governing equation for torsion is given by (note that is the torsional rigidity and is the warping rigidity and the final term is the disturbing torque). 3 3 =

Eliminate the term between the flexural rigidity and torsion 2 4 2 = 2 4

Since lateral-torsional buckling involves torsion and the minor axis bending, the buckling resistance involves the following terms. The critical buckling length, Lcr The minor axis bending stiffness EIz The warping rigidity EIw The torsional rigidity GIT