ANALYSIS ON

TENSION MEMBERS
CE 362 – Principles of Steel Design by: Engr. NTDeguma

TENSION MEMBERS:
- These are structural elements subjected to axial Tensile force.

➢ Application to Structures
▪ Truss members
▪ Cables in Suspension
▪ Bracing in structures

Truss
CE 362 – Principles of Steel Design by: Engr. NTDeguma

FAILURE MODES OF TENSION MEMBERS

AND ITS CONNECTION
A. YIELDING ON GROSS AREA
For TENSILE yielding on the Gross Area:
Pn = Fy (Ag)

➢ Allowable Stress Design (ASD)

Pa = Pn/Wt
Where:
Ag = gross area of the member in mm2
Fy = specified minimum yield stress of the type of steel used
Pn = Nominal strength
Pa = required strength (applied load)
W = 1.67
CE 362 – Principles of Steel Design by: Engr. NTDeguma

➢ Load Resistance Factored Design (LRFD)

Pu = ft Pn

Where:
Ag = gross area of the member in mm2
Fy = specified minimum yield stress of the type of steel used
Pn = Nominal strength
Pa = required strength (applied load)
ft = 0.90
CE 362 – Principles of Steel Design by: Engr. NTDeguma

B. LOCALIZED FRACTURE ON THE NET AREA

For localized fracture on the Net Area:
Pn = Fu (Ae)
➢ Allowable Stress Design (ASD)
Pa = Pn/Wt
Ae = U (An) An = Ag - Ah
Ah = dh (t) (n)
Where:
Ag = gross area of the member in mm2
Fu = specified ultimate steel used
Pn = Nominal strength
Pa = required strength (applied load)
Ah = area of holes n = no. of bolts/rivets
dh = diameter of holes = db + 3 mm (if not specified in the prob.
W=2
CE 362 – Principles of Steel Design by: Engr. NTDeguma

➢ Load Resistance Factored Design (LRFD)

Pu = ft Pn
Where:
Ag = gross area of the member in mm2
Fu = specified ultimate steel used
Pn = Nominal strength
Pa = required strength (applied load)
ft = 0.75
Gross, Net and Effective Area
An = Ag - Ah Ah = dh (t) (n)
An < 0.85 Ag (For splice plates with holes only)

If not all elements of the tension member are connected to support, a reduction
factor “U” is therefore used to calculate the effective net area,
Ae = U (An) Where U is shear lag factor
CE 362 – Principles of Steel Design by: Engr. NTDeguma

SUMMARY :

A. YIELDING ON GROSS AREA

ASD LRFD
Pa = Pn/Wt Wt = 1.67 Pu = fPn ft = 0.90
Pa = Fy Ag/1.67 Pu = 0.90Pn
Pa = 0.60FyAg Pu = 0.90FyAg
B. LOCALIZED FRACTURE ON THE NET AREA
ASD LRFD
Pa = Pn/Wt Wt = 2 Pu = fPn ft = 0. 75
Pa = Fu Ag/2 Pu = 0.75Pn
Pa = 0.50FuAe Pu = 0.75FuAe
CE 362 – Principles of Steel Design by: Engr. NTDeguma

Sample Problems:
P-1: A 12mm thick x 150 mm width plate of A36 steel is used as a tension
member. It is connected to a gusset plate with four 16 mm diameter bolts as
shown. Assuming the effective net area is equal to actual net area

a. Compute the allowable strength of the member for ASD.

b. Calculate its design strength using LRFD.

dh
b =150 mm
P dh

SECTION
CE 362 – Principles of Steel Design by: Engr. NTDeguma

P-2: An angle 150 x 100 x 12 is used as a tension member. It is connected

by three 22 mm ø bolts.
Properties of angular section
A= 2097 mm2 Fy = 345 MPa
Fu = 450 MPa Reduction factor U = 0.80

a) Determine the design tensile strength of 87.5 62.5

gross section yielding.
b) Determine the design tensile rupture strength. 50

c. Determine the allowable tensile rupture strength. 100

100

t = 12 mm

T
CE 362 – Principles of Steel Design by: Engr. NTDeguma

P-3
The 175 x 100 x 16 mm angle shown in the figure is connected to a gusset
plate with three 25 mm ø bolts (A 490) when threads are excluded from shear
planes. The angle consists of A 36 steel. Assume that the effective net area is 85%
of the computed net area. Refer to truss figure.
Properties of ∠ 175 x 100 x 16 A36 Steel
A = 4181 mm2 Fy = 248 MPa
t = 16 mm Fu = 400 MPa

1) Calculate the maximum value of P using ASD

if the strength of member CD govern
the truss capacity.
2) Calculate the maximum value of P using LRFD
if the strength of member CD govern
the truss capacity.
CE 362 – Principles of Steel Design by: Engr. NTDeguma

P-3
P

2P G

4m

F E
2P

4m
C
2P D

4m
A B
9m