KWARA STATE UNIVERSITY, MALETE

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

CES 822 ASSIGNMENT 4

COMPILED BY

SUBMITTED TO
PROF. A.A. ADEDEJI
Q: Under the mode of failure of steel theory, explain the mode of failure by:
I. Bending
II. Shear
III. Buckling
IV. Deflection

Under the modes of failure in steel structures, various types of stresses can cause different
modes of failure. Here's an explanation of each mode of failure:

I. Bending:

Bending failure occurs when a steel member, such as a beam or a column, is subjected to
external loads that create bending moments. This causes the member to deform and eventually
fail due to excessive stress in the material. In bending, tension forces develop on one side of the
member while compression forces develop on the other side. If these stresses exceed the
material's capacity to resist them, the member can experience failure either by yielding (plastic
deformation) or by fracturing (brittle failure) along its cross-section.

II. Shear:

Shear failure happens when the applied loads cause two portions of a steel member to slide
past each other. Shear failure is more likely to occur in shorter, heavily loaded members such as
beams or connections. Steel is relatively strong in resisting shear forces, but if the applied shear
forces exceed the steel's shear strength, the material may fail along a plane perpendicular to
the direction of the force, often resulting in sudden and brittle failure.

III. Buckling:
Buckling failure occurs when a slender steel member, like a column or a long beam, becomes
unstable under compressive loads. Instead of crushing or yielding, the member may suddenly
deform laterally or sideways, leading to its failure. Buckling is a critical concern in taller columns
and long beams subjected to high axial loads. It is essential to consider the member's
slenderness ratio (length-to-width ratio) and its critical buckling load to prevent this mode of
failure.

IV. Deflection:

While not exactly a failure mode, excessive deflection can lead to structural issues. Deflection is
the deformation or displacement of a steel member under load. If a steel beam, for instance,
deflects too much, it can affect the overall integrity of a structure, cause discomfort for
occupants, or even lead to secondary failures. Therefore, controlling deflection is important to
maintain the structural stability and performance of steel elements.

Here are some additional details about each mode of failure:

 Bending failure is usually characterized by a crack that forms in the tensile fibers of the
beam. The crack will start at the neutral axis of the beam and propagate towards the
top surface of the beam.

 Shear failure is usually characterized by a sudden separation of the beam along a plane
of weakness. This can happen at the web of the beam, or at a weld or bolt connection.

 Buckling failure is usually characterized by a sudden collapse of the beam. The collapse
can be either local, affecting a small section of the beam, or global, affecting the entire
beam.

 Deflection is usually measured as the distance between the neutral axis of the beam and
the top or bottom surface of the beam. The amount of deflection that a beam can
 withstand before it fails depends on the material properties of the beam, the geometry
of the beam, and the loading conditions.

The mode of failure that occurs in a steel beam depends on a number of factors, including the
material properties of the steel, the geometry of the beam, and the loading conditions. In
general, bending failure is the most common mode of failure, followed by shear failure and
buckling failure. However, the specific mode of failure that occurs can vary depending on the
specific circumstances.

In all of these modes of failure, proper engineering design, material selection, and load
calculations are essential to ensure that steel structures can safely carry the anticipated loads
and avoid reaching stress levels that might lead to failure.