REVIEW QUESTIONS and EXERCISES

Subject: Steel Structure Design

For ATP classes

PART1: REVIEW QUESTIONS

1-1. List the three regions of a stress–strain diagram for mild or low-carbon structural
steel.

1-2. List the specifying organization for the following types of steel:

a. Cold-formed steel

b. Hot-rolled steel

1-3. Define the following:

a. Proportional limit

b. Elastic limit

c. Yield stress

1-4. List the preferred steel type (ASTM spec) for the following shapes:

a. Plates

b. W shapes

c. C sections

1-5. List the two methods used to produce steel shapes.

1-6. List four advantages of steel as a structural material.

1-7. What type of steel (ASTM grade) has made the cost of 50 ksi the same as 36 ksi
steel because of the use of scrap or recycled steel in the manufacturing process?

1-8. What are the differences between wrought iron, steel, and cast iron?

1-9. What is the range of carbon percentage for mild carbon steel?

1-10. List four disadvantages of steel as a structural material.

1-11. List four types of failures for structural steel structures.

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 1. List the type of cross section that can be used as tension members and their use in
typical structures
2. Why are rods, which are used as tension members, required to be pre-tensioned?
3. What is the use of spacer plates or stitch plates? At what spacing are they connected
to the members?
4. What is meant by slenderness ratio?
5. The maximum slenderness ratio permissible in steel ties is typical structures.
(a) 250 (b) 350 (c) 450 (d) 400
(e) indirectly controlled by deflection
6. The maximum slenderness ratio permissible in steel ties which may be subjected to
compression under wind load condition is
(a) 250 (b) 350 (c) 400 (d) 180 (e) no limit
7. Write down the expression for the axial elongation of the member subjected to a
tensile force.
8. List the different modes of failures of a tension member.
9. What is the design stress of a tension member based on
(a) gross-section yielding (b) net section rupture
10. Write short notes on block shear failure in plates and angles.
11. Why are drilled holes preferred over punched holes?
12. What are the methods by which the effect of punched holes can be considered in
the calculation?
13. Write down the expression to calculate the net area of cross-section of a plate of
width B, thickness t, and having staggered holes of pitch p and gauge g.
14. What is meant by shear lag?
15. How can the effects of shear lag be considered in the design calculation?
16. Do the geometry and ductility factors affect the design strength of tension member
considerably?
17. How is the net area calculated when the angles are connected through both the legs
with staggered bolts?
18. Write down the expression given in IS 800 for the net section design of angle
tension members
19. List the use of tension rods in building structures.
20. List the various steps in the design of a tension member.
21. What is a lug angle? Why is it not used in practice?
22. Write short notes on splices to tension members.
23. How are the sizes of gussets determined?

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 PART 2: EXERCISES

CHAPTER 2. TENSION MEMBER DESIGN

Exercise 1.
What is the net area A, for the tension member shown in Fig. 1, when (a) the holes are
made by drilling, (b) holes are made by punching. Assume M20 bolts.

Fig. 1
Exercise 2.
Determine the net aread, for the 150 x 75 x 8 angle with M20 bolt holes as shown in Fig. 2

Exercise 3
Determine the design tensile strength of a plate (1 60 x 8 mm) connected to a 1 0-mm thick
gusset using 16 mm-diameter bolts as shown in Fig. 3, if the yield and the ultimate stress
of the steel used are 250 MPa and 410 MPa, respectively.

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 Fig. 3
Exercise 4. What tensile load can an ISA 75 x 75 x 6 carry with the connections shown in
Fig. 4. Assume that the connection is stronger than the members connected. Assume M30
bolts with an edge distance of 50 mm and a pitch of 75 mm, for bolted connections. The
size of the fillet weld is 4 mm and the length on each side is 225 mm. Assume that the
yield and the ultimate stress of steel used are 250 MPa and 410 MPa, respectively.

Fig. 4
Exercise 5. Determine the tensile strength of a roof truss diagonal of 150x75x10mm (fy=
250MPa) connected to the gusset plate by 6 mm welds as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 5
Exercise 6. Select a suitable angle section to carry a factored tensile force of 150 kN,
assuming (a) single row of M16 bolts, (b) welded end connection. Assume design strength
as fy=250N/mm2.
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 Exercise 7. Determine the tension capacity of 125 x 75 x 6 mm angle in Fe410 steel,
assuming
(a) Connection through longer leg by two rows of three M20 bolts,
(b) Connection through shorter leg by a single row of six M24 bolts.

Exercise 8. A tie member in a bracing system consists of two angles of 100x100x6

bolted to a 12-mm gusset, one on each side, using single row of bolts (See Fig.8) and tack
bolted. Determine the tensile capacity of the member and the number of bolts required to
develop full capacity of the member. What will be the capacity if the angles are connected
on the same side of the gusset plate and tack bolted?

Fig.8
Exercise 9. Design a single angle to carry a tensile load of 500 kN. Assume that the
length of the member is 3 m.
Exercise 10. Design the tension member of the bottom chord of a bridge structure
shown in Fig. 10. Assume fu=410 MPa and fy=250MPa.

Fig. 10

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 CHAPTER 3. COMPRESSION MEMBER DESIGN
Exercise 1
Determine the buckling strength of a W14 x 82 column. Its length is 30ft. For major
axis buckling, it is pinned at both ends. For minor buckling, is it pinned at one end and
fixed at the other end.
Exercise 2
Calculate the design strength of W16 x 57 with length of 30 ft. and pinned ends. A36
steel is used.
Exercise 3
Determine the local buckling slenderness limits and evaluate the W14 x 74 section
used in Exercise 2. Does local buckling limit the column strength ?.
Exercise 4
Determine the design strength of an ASTM A992 W14 x 132 that is part of a braced
frame. Assume that the physical length L = 30 ft., the ends are pinned and the column is
braced at the ends only for the X-X axis and braced at the ends and mid-height for the Y-Y
axis.
Exercise 5
A compression member is subjected to service loads of 165 kips dead load and 535
kips of live load. The member is 26 ft. long and pinned at each end. Use A992 (50 ksi)
steel and select a W shape.
Exercise 6
Calculate the effective length factor for the W12 x 53column AB of the frame shown
below. Assume that the column is oriented in such a way that major axis bending occurs in
the plane of the frame. Assume that the columns are braced at each story level for out-of-
plane buckling. Assume that the same column section is used for the stories above and
below.

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 Exercise 7
Calculate the effective length factor for a W10 x 60 column AB made from50 ksi steel
in the unbraced frame shown below. Column AB has a design factor load Pu= 450 kips.
The columns are oriented such that major axis bending occurs in the plane of the frame.
The columns are braced continuously along the length for out-of-plane buckling. Assume
that the same column section is used for the story above.

Exercise 8
• Design Column AB of the frame shown below for a design load of 500 kips.
• Assume that the column is oriented in such a way that major axis bending occurs in
the plane of the frame.
• Assume that the columns are braced at each story level for out-of-plane buckling.
• Assume that the same column section is used for the stories above and below

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 Exercise 9
• Design Column AB of the frame shown below for a design load of 450 kips.
• Assume that the column is oriented in such a way that major axis bending occurs in
the plane of the frame.
• Assume that the columns are braced continuously along the length for out-of-plane
buckling.
• Assume that the same column section is used for the story above.

Exercise 10
Calculate the design compressive strength of a WT10.5 x 66. The effective length with
respect to x-axis is 25ft. 6in. The effective length with respect to the y-axis is 20 ft. and the
effective length with respect to z-axis is 20ft. A992 steel is used

Exercise 11
Calculate the design strength of the compression member shown in the figure. Two
angles, 5 x 3 x ½ are oriented with the long legs back-to-back and separated by 3/8 in. The
effective length KL is 16 ft. A36 steel is used. Assume three welded intermediate
connectors.

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 CHAPTER 4. DESIGN OF FLEXURAL MEMBER
Exercise 1
Using LRFD, select the most economical sections, with Fy=50ksi, unless otherwise
specified, and assuming full lateral bracing for the compression flanges. Working or
service loads are given for each case, and beam weights are not included.

Exercise 2
Using LRFD, select the most economical sections, with Fy=50ksi, unless otherwise
specified, and assuming full lateral bracing for the compression flanges. Working or
service loads are given for each case.

Exercise 3
Using LRFD, select the most economical sections, with Fy=50ksi, unless otherwise
specified, and assuming full lateral bracing for the compression flanges. Working or
service loads are given for each case, and beam weights are not included.

Exercise 4

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 Using LRFD, select the most economical sections, with Fy=50ksi, unless otherwise
specified, and assuming full lateral bracing for the compression flanges. Working or
service loads are given for each case, and beam weights are not included

Exercise 5
Using LRFD, select the most economical sections, with Fy=50ksi, unless otherwise
specified, and assuming full lateral bracing for the compression flanges. Working or
service loads are given for each case, and beam weights are not included.

Exercise 6
Using LRFD, select the most economical sections, with Fy=50ksi, unless otherwise
specified, and assuming full lateral bracing for the compression flanges. Working or
service loads are given for each case, and beam weights are not included.

Exercise 7
Using LRFD, select the most economical sections, with Fy=50ksi, unless otherwise
specified, and assuming full lateral bracing for the compression flanges. Working or
service loads are given for each case, and beam weights are not included.
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 Exercise 8
The accompanying figure shows the arrangement of beams and girders that are used to
support a 5 in reinforced concrete floor for a small industrial building. Design the beams
and girders assuming that they are simply supported. Assume full lateral support of the
compression flange and a live load of 80 psf. Concrete weight is 150 lb/ft3.

Exercise 9
A beam consists of a W18x35 with 3/8 in x 8 in cover plates welded to each flange.
Determine the LRFD design uniform load, wu that the member can support in addition to
its own weight for a 25 ft simple span.

Exercise 10
The member shown is made with 46 ksi steel. Determine the maximum service live
load that can be placed on the beam if, in addition to its own weight, it is supporting a
service dead load of 0.85 klf. The member is used for a 18 ft simple span. Use LRFD
methods.

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 Exercise 11
Determine ΦMn and Mn /Ω for a W18x 46 used as a beam with an unbraced length of
the compression flange of 4 ft and 12 ft. Use A992 steel and Cb=1.0.
Exercise 12
Select the lightest satisfactory W-shape section if Fy=50ksi. Lateral bracing is
provided at the ends only. Determine Cb.

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