DRAFT Direct Strength Examples December 20, 2001

DIRECT STRENGTH EXAMPLE I-11 L-SECTION WITH LIPS

Based on AISI'96 Ex. I-11

Given:
1. Section 4LS4x060, yield stress 55 ksi, and finite strip analysis results (as shown below)
Required:
1. Compression capacity at a uniform compressive stress of 14.89 ksi

1. Compression capacity at a uniform compressive stress of 14.89 ksi

Finite strip analysis of section in pure compression results:

Inputs from the finite strip analysis include:

28.17 . kip P y . ( 55 . ksi )
1 2
Py Ag A g = 0.512 in

P crl 0.49 . P y P crl = 13.803 kip

per 1.2, Pn is the minimum of Pne, Pnl, Pnd. In AISI '96 effective area calculations for columns which
interact with long column buckling are determined at a given stress (Fn ). A similar procedure is done
in the Direct Strength method by limiting Pnl to Pne at the same stress (Fn ), e.g.

P ne A g . 14.89 . ksi P ne = 7.626 kip

The finite strip analysis results reveal that distoritonal buckling does not play a role in the response of
this memeber, only local and overall. Therefore, distortional buckling may be assumed equal to Py.

P nd Py
DRAFT Direct Strength Examples December 20, 2001

Local buckling check per 1.2.2

P ne
λl λ l = 0.743 (subscript "l" is "l") (Eq. 1.2.2-3)
P crl

P nl P ne if λ l 0.776 (Eq. 1.3.2-1)

(Eq. 1.3.2-2)
0.4 0.4
P crl P crl
1 0.15 . .P
ne if λ l > 0.776
P ne P ne

P nl = 7.626 kip

Predicted compression capacity per 1.3

Pn min P ne P nl P nd P n = 7.6 kip

compare vs. AISI 1996 Ex. 1-8

0.381 . in . 14.89 . ksi

2
P nAISI96 P nAISI96 = 5.7 kip

The Direct Strength Method predicts no reduction due to local buckling at this stress, while AISI
1996 predicts a 26% reduction in strength. Here the difference between the two methods is quite
marked due to the edge stiffener expressions of B4.2 which partially account for distortional
buckling, but in this case appear to overly penalize the capacity. For higher compressive stresses
(shorter columns) local will interact with the long-wavelength buckling mode (note λl=0.743 and
reductions in Pne start at λl=0.776 so the section is just barely fully effective at this stress.)

The geometry of this section is not pre-qualified per 1.1.1.1 and thus the more conservative φ and
Ω of section 1.2 must be used.