C H A P T E R-3

Compression members
 Stability
If a 6mm diameter steel rod 1m long is placed in a
testing machine subjected to a pull,
it will be found to carry a load of about 7KN before
failure occurs. If on the other hand this same rod had
been subjected to compression, then the maximum
load, which would have been carried, would be
about 0.035KN, a very big difference.

Failure in the first test occurs by the fracture of the

member, in the second it is due to bending out of the
line of action of the load,
Types of Equilibrium
 Local Buckling and Section
Classification
Internal or outstand elements
internal
– are the webs of open beams or the flanges of boxes
outstand
– are the flanges of open sections and the legs of angles
Outstand
Internal Internal
Outstand

Internal
Web Web Internal
Web

Flange Flange Flange

(a) Rolled I-section (b) Hollow section (c) Welded box section
 Local buckling
• As the plate elements in structural sections
are relatively thin compared with their width,
when loaded in compression they may buckle
locally

• Local buckling within the cross-section may

limit the load carrying capacity of the section
by preventing the attainment of yield
strength.
 Centroidal axis of Centroidal axis of
gross cross-section effective cross-section

Centroidal axis of
gross cross-section
eN

Non-effective zones

Effective cross-
Gross cross-section sections for class
(a) Class 4 cross-sections - axial force
4 in compression
and bending
eM (class 4 x-section )
Non-effective zone
Centroidal axis Centroidal axis of
effective section

Non-effective zone
eM

Centroidal axis
Centroidal axis of
effective section

Gross cross-section

(b) Class 4 cross-sections - bending moment

 Design step for Axially Loaded Compression
Members:
1. Determine the axial load, Nsd.
2. Determine the buckling length,
3. Select a trial section (take into consideration economy, i.e. least weight per
unit length).
4. Determine the Class of the section according to Section 4.3.2 and Table 4.1
If the cross-section is classified as Class 4, determine Aeff according to
Section 4.3.4 and Table 4.4(Sec 4.5.4.3)
5. Determine the non-dimensional slenderness ratio (Section 4.5.4.3)
6. Determine the appropriate buckling curve.Table 4.11
7. Determine the value of χ. Interpolation must be used to determine more
exact values.Tab.4.9
8. Calculate the design buckling resistance Nb,Rd of the member. Buckling about
both principal axes must be checked.
9. Check the computed buckling resistance against the applied load. If the
calculate value is inadequate or is too high, select another section and go
back to Step 4.
Example
 Example - 2
Determine the design buckling resistance of a
457 x 152 x 52 UB used as a pin-ended
column. The column is 3m long and its steel
grade is Fe 360.