COMPUTERS AND STRUCTURES, INC.

, BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA SEPTEMBER 2002

STEEL FRAME DESIGN BS 5950-2000

Technical Note

Calculation of Section Capacities

This Technical Note explains calculation of section resistances when the user
selects the BS 5950-2000 code, including compression resistance, tension capacity, moment capacity, lateral-torsional buckling moment capacity, and
shear capacities.

Overview
The strengths in compression, tension, bending, and shear are computed for
Class 1, 2, and 3 sections according to the following subsections. By default,
the program takes the design strength, py, to be 1.0 times the minimum yield
strength of steel, Ys, as specified by the user while defining material properties for steel. In inputting values of the yield strength, the user should ensure
that the thickness and the ultimate strength limitations given in the code are
satisfied (BS 3.1.1, Table 9).
py = Ys

(BS 3.1.1)

For Class 4 (Slender) sections and any singly symmetric and unsymmetric sections requiring special treatment, such as the consideration
of local buckling, flexural-torsional and torsional buckling, or web
buckling, reduced section capacities may be applicable. The user must
separately investigate this reduction if such elements are used.
If the user specifies nonzero factored strengths for one or more capacity elements on the Steel Frame Overwrites form in the Overwrites
(accessed using the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Review/Revise
Overwrites command), those values will override the calculated values
defined herein for those elements.

Compression Resistance
The compression resistance for Class 1 (Plastic), Class 2 (Compact), or Class
3 (Semi-Compact) sections is evaluated as follows (BS 4.7, Annex C):

Overview

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Steel Frame Design BS 5950-2000

Calculation of Section Capacities

Pc = Ag pc,

(BS 4.7.4.a)

where c is the compressive strength given by

pc =

pE py

+ ( 2 pE py )
py + ( + 1) pE
2

, where

(BS 4.7.5, C.1)

(BS C.1)

2E

pE

= Euler strength,

= Perry factor, 0.001 a ( o) 0,

= Robertson constant from Table 1,

2E

= Limiting slenderness, 0.2

py

py

(BS C.2)
(BS C2, Table 23)
,

(BS C.2)

= the slenderness ratio in either the major, 33 = le33/r33, or in the

minor, 22 = le22/r22 direction (BS 4.7.3.1). The larger of the two
values is used in the above equations to calculate Pc and
= the yield strength. For welded sections, py is reduced by a value
of 20 MPa for the purpose of calculating Pc (BS 4.7.5).

For single angles, rz is used instead of r33 and r22. For members in compression, if is greater than 180, the program prints a message to that effect.

Tension Capacity
The tension capacity of a member is given by
Pt = Ag py.

(BS 4.6.1)

It should be noted that no net section checks are made. For main members in
tension, the slenderness factor, , should not be greater than 250. If is
greater than 250, a message is displayed accordingly.

Tension Capacity

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Steel Frame Design BS 5950-2000

Calculation of Section Capacities

The user may need to separately investigate the members that are connected
eccentrically to the axis of the member; for example, angle sections (BS
4.7.6).

Table 1 Robertson Constant in BS 5950-2000

Description of Section

Axis of Bending

Thickness (mm)
Major

Minor

I-SHAPE
(rolled)

40
>40

2.0
3.5

3.5
5.5

I-SHAPE
(welded)

40
>40

3.5
3.5

5.5
8.0

BOX or PIPE
(rolled)

any

2.0

2.0

BOX
(welded)

40
>40

3.5
5.5

3.5
5.5

CHANNEL,
T-SHAPE, ANGLE,
DOUBLE-ANGLE

any

5.5

5.5

RECTANGULAR
or CIRCULAR

40
>40

3.5
5.5

3.5
5.5

GENERAL

any

5.5

5.5

Moment Capacity
The moment capacities in the major and minor directions, Mc33 and Mc22, are
based on the design strength and the section modulus, the co-existent shear
and the possibility of local buckling of the cross-section. Local buckling is
avoided by applying a limitation to the width/thickness ratios of elements of
the cross-section. The moment capacities are calculated as follows.

Class 1 (Plastic) and Class 2 (Compact) Sections

For plastic and compact sections, the moment capacities about the major and
the minor axes of bending depend on the coexisting shear force, Fv, and the
shear capacity, Pv.

Moment Capacity

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Steel Frame Design BS 5950-2000

Calculation of Section Capacities

For I, Box, Channel, Double-Channel, T and Rectangular sections bending

about the 3-3 or 2-2 axis, the moment capacities considering the effects of
shear force are computed as
Mc = py S,

for Fv/Pv 0.6, and

(BS 4.2.5.2)

Mc = py (S Sv ),

for Fv/Pv > 0.6.

(BS 4.2.5.3)

where,
S

Plastic modulus of the gross section about the relevant axis.

Sv

Plastic modulus of the gross section about the relevant axis

less the plastic modulus of that part of the section remaining
after deduction of shear area, i.e., plastic modulus of shear
area. For example, for rolled I-shapes, Sv3 is taken to be
tD2/4, and for welded I-shapes, it is taken as td2/4.

Pv

The shear capacity described later in this Technical Note.

2
2F

V 1 ,

Pv

0 ,

for Fv 0.5 Pv , and

(BS 4.2.5.3)

for Fv 0.5 Pv .

For all other types of sections (General, Angle, Double-Angle, Circular and
Pipe), the reduction of moment capacities for the presence of shear force is
not considered. The user should investigate the reduced moment capacity
separately. The moment capacity for those cases is computed in the program
as
Mc = py S.

(BS 4.2.5.2)

In all cases, the value of Mc is limited to 1.5 py Z generally, and to 1.2 py Z in

the case of simply supported beams and cantilevers (BS 4.2.5.1).
Mc 1.5 py Z

generally, and

(BS 4.2.5.1)

Mc 1.2 py Z

simply supported beams and cantilevers,

(BS 4.2.5.1)

where Z is the elastic modulus of the gross section about the relevant axis.

Moment Capacity

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Steel Frame Design BS 5950-2000

Calculation of Section Capacities

The combined effect of shear and axial forces is not being considered because
practical situations do not warrant this. In rare cases, however, the user may
need to investigate this independently, and if necessary, overwrite values of
the section moduli.

Class 3 (Semi-Compact) Sections

For Class 3 semi-compact sections, the moment capacities about the major
and minor axes of bending depend on the coexisting shear force, Fv, and the
shear capacity, Pv.
For I, Box, Channel, Double-Channel, T and Rectangular sections bending
about the 3-3 and 2-2 axis, the moment capacities considering the effect of
shear forces are computed as
Mc = py S,

for Fv/Pv 0.6, and

(BS 4.2.5.2)

Mc = py (S Sv ),

for Fv/Pv > 0.6.

(BS 4.2.5.3)

where S, Sv, Fv, Pv, and are defined as described previously in this Technical
Note.
For all other types of sections (General, Angle, Double-Angle, Circular, and
Pipe), the reduction of the moment capacities for the coexisting shear force is
not considered. The user should investigate the reduced moment capacity
separately. The moment capacity for those cases is computed in the program
as
Mc = py S.

(BS 4.2.5.2)

In all cases, the value of Mc is limited to 1.5 py Z generally, and to 1.2 py Z in

the case of simply supported beams and cantilevers (BS 4.2.5.1).
Mc 1.5 py Z

generally, and

(BS 4.2.5.1)

Mc 1.2 py Z

simply supported beams and cantilevers.

(BS 4.2.5.1)

Lateral-Torsional Buckling Moment Capacity

Lateral-torsional buckling is only considered for I, Box, Channel, DoubleChannel, and T sections. For all other sections, the user should investigate
the lateral-torsional buckling separately.

Lateral-Torsional Buckling Moment Capacity

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Steel Frame Design BS 5950-2000

Calculation of Section Capacities

The lateral-torsional buckling resistance moment, Mb, of a member is calculated from the following equations. The program assumes the members to be
uniform (of constant properties) throughout their lengths. Members also are
assumed to be symmetrical about at least one axis.
For I, Box, T, Channel, Double-Channel and and T sections, Mb is obtained
from
Mb

= pb S33,

for Class I and Class 2 sections, and (BS 4.3.6.4)

Mb

= pb Z33,

for Class 3 sections.

(BS 4.3.6.4)

where,
S33

= Plastic section modulus about the major axis,

Z33

= Elastic section modulus about the major axis,

pb

pE py

LT + LT
2E

pE py

pE

LT

LT

= Equivalent slenderness (which is described

later in this Technical Note) and

LT

LT

(BS 4.3.6.5, B.2.1)

(BS B.2.1)

py + ( LT + 1) pE
2

(BS B.2.1)

(BS B.2.1)

= Perry coefficient (which is described

later in this Technical Note).

(BS B.2.2)

The Perry coefficient, LT, for rolled sections is taken as follows:

LT

= LT (LT L0)/1000 0, and

(BS B.2.2.a)

for welded sections, LT is taken as follows

Lateral-Torsional Buckling Moment Capacity

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Steel Frame Design BS 5950-2000

LT

0 ,

2 LT ( LT LO ) / 1000
=
2 LT Lo / 1000
( ) / 1000
LO
LT LT

Calculation of Section Capacities

if LT LO ,
if LO < LT 2 LO ,
if 2LO < LT 3 LO , and

(BS B.2.2.b)

if LT > 3 LO .

In the above definition of LT, L0 and LT are the limiting equivalent slenderness and the equivalent slenderness, respectively, and LT is a constant. LT is
taken as 0.07 (BS 2.2). L0 is defined as follows:

L0

= 0.4

2E
.
py

(BS B2.2)

For I, Channel, and Double-Channel sections, LT is defined as

LT

uv

w ,

(BS B2.3)

for T sections, LT is defined as

LT

0 ,

w r22 bf 2

,
= 2.8
2

u v w

for I major = I min or ,

for I min or > I major , and

(BS B.2.8.2)

for I major > I min or ,

and for Box sections, LT is defined as

LT

= 2.25 b w ,

(BS B.2.6.1)

where

u is the buckling parameter. It is conservatively taken as 0.9 for rolled Ishapes and channels. For any other section, u is taken as 1.0 (BS
4.3.7.5). For I, Channel, Double-Channel and T sections,

Lateral-Torsional Buckling Moment Capacity

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Steel Frame Design BS 5950-2000

Calculation of Section Capacities

4
2
4 S 33 ,
A 2 (D t ) 2
f

2
I22 S33 ,
A 2 H

u=
1

2
4

I S
4 S33
min
, 22 2 33
2

2
A H
A (D t f )

2
4
4 S33

,
2
2
A (D t f / 2 )

I
1 22

I 33

for I sections
for Channel sections
(BS B.2.3)

for Double Channel sections,

for T sections, where

(BS B.2.3)

v is the slenderness factor. For I, Channel, and Double-Channel sections,

v

2
2
1

2
4N(N 1) + 20 x + +

(BS B.2.3, B.2.4.1)

and for T sections

v

[{w +

1
20

+ 2}1/2 + ]1/2 , where

0.5, for I, Channel, Double-Channel,

N

=
1.0, for T sections with flange in compression, and

(BS B.2.8.2)

(BS B.2.3;
B.2.4.1)

0.0, for I, Channel, Double-Channel sections,

0.8, for T sections with flange in compression, and

(BS B.2.3;
B.2.4.1;
B2.8.2)

-1.0, for T sections with flange in tension.

Lateral-Torsional Buckling Moment Capacity

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Steel Frame Design BS 5950-2000

Calculation of Section Capacities

( )

A 2
for I sections,
0.566 (D t f ) J

AH 2

for Channel and Double Channel, and

x = 1.132
I J
22

1
0.566 (D t f L ) A 2 for T sections.
J

( )

is the slenderness and is taken as le22/r22.

w is defined as follows
1,
w =
Z 33 S33

(BS B.2.3,
B 2.8.2)

for Class 1 and Class 2 sections, and (BS B.2.3, B.2.4,

B.2.6, B.2.8.2,
for Class 3 sections.
4.3.6.9)

b is the buckling index for the box section factor. It is given by the following formula. (BS B2.6.1).

2
S 33
b

AJ

I
1 22

I 33

J
1

2.6 I 33

, where

(BS B.2.6.1)

(BS B.2.6.1)

Shear Capacities
The shear capacities for both the major and minor direction shears are evaluated as follows:
Pv2

= 0.6 py Av2, and

(BS 4.2.3)

Pv3

= 0.6 py Av3.

(BS 4.2.3)

The shear areas Av2 and Av3 are given in Table 2 (BS 4.2.3).
Moreover, the shear capacity computed above is valid only if the web is not
slender, i.e., d/t 70 for rolled sections and d/t 62 for a welded section,
strictly speaking. For slenderness, the shear buckling of the thin members

Shear Capacities

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Steel Frame Design BS 5950-2000

Calculation of Section Capacities

should be checked independently by the user in accordance with the code

prescribed for plate girders (BS 4.4.5).

Table 2 Shear Area in BS 5950-2000

Description
of Section

Condition

I-SHAPE

Axis of Bending
Major

Minor

Rolled
Welded

th
td

0.9 (2b tf)

0.9 (2b tf)

CHANNEL

Rolled
Welded

tD
td

0.9 (2b tf)

0.9 (2b tf)

DOUBLE CHANNEL

Rolled
Welded

2.0 t D
2.0 t d

2.00.9 (2b tf)

2.00.9 (2b tf)

Rolled

D
A
D+B

B
A
D+ B

Welded

2td

2tb

T-SHAPE

Rolled
Welded

tD
t (D - tf)

0.9 (2 b tf)
0.9 (2 b tf)

DOUBLE ANGLE

0.92 t d

0.92 b t

ANGLE

0.9 t h

0.9 b t

RECTANGLE

0.9 A

0.9 A

CIRCLE

0.9 A

0.9 A

PIPE

0.6 A

0.6 A

GENERAL

0.9 A

0.9 A

BOX

Shear Capacities

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