4-Chapter

Allowable stresses

contents

Introduction
2.6.1(p8) Compression element, Axial or
bending
Axial tension
Allowable shear stress qall
Axial compression

Bending stress

Allowable crippling stress in web qall

Combined stresses

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Introduction
The

actual stresses in any part of steel

bridge must not exceed the elastic limit of
the
material
otherwise
permanent
deformation would occur. All structural
calculations are approximate even if all
loads are carefully considered. In trusses
neglect the secondary stresses due to the
rigidity of joints.

The forces in members are determined under the

assumption that the connections are hinge and the
forces along the members are axial. Only the primary
stresses can be calculated. In some cases the
secondary stresses may reach 30 60 % of the
primary stresses. The analyses neglect also the
torsion in the main girders due to the deflections of
the X-girders. The unequal distribution of stresses
over the cross section due to bolts holes hasnt taken
into consideration

The allowable stresses (maximum stresses used in the

calculation) must therefore be lower than the elastic limit.
The more accurate calculations of steel bridge and the
better shop work, the higher allowable stresses may be
taken. Also, in the calculation if all possible forces are
taken into account the allowable stresses can be taken
higher than in case that only D.L., L.L, and Impact are
considered.

The permissible stresses for standard grade

structural steel determined according to the grade of
steel. Structural sections shall be classified,
depending on dw/tw for web and c/tf for flanges
under compression, axial bending, to compact,
noncompact, and slender sections as shown Fig(4-1)

Figure-4.1

Fy and Fu (t/cm2) depend on the thickness

.t(1.4-p2)
t40mm

100mm t >400mm

Grade of
steel

Fy

Fu

Fy

Fu

ST37

2.40

3.60

2.15

3.40

ST44

2.80

4.40

2.55

4.10

ST52

3.60

5.20

3.35

4.90

2.2.1(p6) Primary + additional stresses (wind load

or
earthquake loads, lateral shock, etc.)
2.2.3(p7) Additional stresses
Additional stresses (allowable) = Primary
stress 1.20
2.3(p7) Secondary stresses in truss members
1. Chord member's depth > 1/10 of their length.
Diagonal member's depth > 1/15 of their length.
2. Truss with sub-panel.
Reduce 20 % of the allowable stress

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2.6.1(p8) Compression element, Axial or

bending
Compact

Noncompact
Selender

dw
C f Factor

and
tf
Fy
tw

Factor depends on:

1. Support of element ((One side (unstiffened
element) or two sides (stiffened element))
and shape of the cross section, I, C, , L, etc.
2. Load on element [(N) or (M) or (M+N)]
(p9,10,11-Table 2.1.a,b&c)

2.6.2(p13) Axial tension

Ft 0.58 Fy

t 40 mm Fy

40 mm t 100 mm Fy

From clause 1.4 , get Fy

Hence for,

Ft 1.40 t / cm 2

t 40 mm Ft 1.60 t / cm 2

2
F

2
.
10
t
/
cm
t
Ft 1.30 t / cm 2

40 mm t 100 mm Ft 1.50 t / cm 2

2
F

2
.
00
t
/
cm
t

ST 37
ST 44
ST 52

ST 37
ST 44
ST 52

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2.6.3(p13) Allowable shear stress

qall
q all 0.35 Fy

t 40 mm Fy

40 mm t 100 mm Fy

From clause 1.4, get Fy

Hence for,

q all 0.84 t / cm 2

ST 37

t 40 mm q all 0.98 t / cm 2

2
q

1
.
26
t
/
cm
all

ST 44

ST 52

q all 0.75 t / cm 2

ST 37

40 mm t 100 mm q all 0.89 t / cm 2

2
q

1
.
17
t
/
cm
all

ST 44

ST 52

2.6.3.1(p13) Effective web area

Rolled section = Total height tw
Built up section = Web height tw
2.6.3.2(p14) Shear buckling of web
dw
105
d1

tw
Fy
d
Stiffened web

5.34
1 Kq 4 2

4
1 K q 5.34 2

d1

Unstiffened web
= Kq = 5.34
Kq
dw
45
,
tw
Fy

If

no web

q 0.80

buckling occur

qp

= 0.35 Fy

Kq
dw
45
tw
Fy

If,

Check web buckling

dw
q

tw
57

Fy

0.80 q
0.80 1.20
1.20 q
q

(no web buckling occur)

Kq

0.35Fy

q b 1.50 0.625 q 0.35Fy

0.90

0.35Fy
q

back

2.6.4(p15) Axial compression

k l
r

Fc 0.58Fy

Grade
of steel

(0.58Fy 0.75)
10

t 40 mm

t 40 mm

t 40 mm

get Fy from 1.4

40 < t < 100 mm

Fc (t/cm2)

Fc (t/cm2)
ST37

Fc 1.40 0.0000652 Fc 1.30 0.0000552

ST44

Fc 1.60 0.0000852 Fc 1.50 0.0000752

ST52

2
F

2
.
0

0
.
000125

Fc 2.1 0.000135 c

For compact and Non-compact

sections use full area(Table2.1-p9-11).
-

For slender sections use effective

area(Tables 2.3&2.4-p23&24).
For one angle reduce Fc by 40 %
(p15).

back

2.6.5(p16) Bending stress

1For compact sections and the laterally
unsupported length (Lu )of the compression flange is
limited by:
(Lu is the smaller of)
-

Box sections
84
Lu
bf
Fy

Or

M1 b f

L u 137 84
M 2 Fy

I-shape sections
20b f
Lu
Fy

Or

Lu

1380 b f
d Fy

Cb

Cb
-

From Table2.2
Then

Fb = 0.64 Fy
Fb = 0.72 Fy
Fb = 0.64 Fy

(Mx ) Boxand I-shapes

(My)
(My)

I-shapes
Box shapes

Clause 2.6.5.1
Clause 2.6.5.2
Clause 2.6.5.3

1- 1- For Non-compact sections:

Fb = 0.58 Fy (Mx & My)

Box shapes

Clause 2.6.5.4

22- For slender (Box and I-shapes) and Non-compact (Ishapes) sections:
-

Tension

Fbt = 0.58 Fy

Compression

1
2

Clause 2.6.5.5

Clause 2.6.5.5

Lu Lall
Fbc = 0.58 Fy
Lu > Lall
i ( Shallow thick flanged section Luxtf / bfxd >10 (P18))

For any value of

800
Cb 0.58Fy
Fltb1
Lu d / Af

(eq 2.23)

C b Lu
84

Fy
rt
Fltb 2 0.58 F y
84

(eq2.24)

Cb L u
C

188 b
Fy
rt
Fy

Fltb 2

(L u / rT ) 2 Fy
0.64
Fy 0.58Fy
5

1.176 10 Cb

(eq 2.25)

Lu
Cb
188
rt
Fy

Fltb 2

12000
(L u / rT )

Cb 0.58Fy
2

2
2
Fltb Fltb

F
1
ltb 2 0.58Fy

(eq2.26)
(eq2.27)

II - For Channels( p21) Fltb;

800
(eq2.29)
Fltb
Cb 0.58Fy (M x )
Lu d / Af

III - For slender sections use effective width (b e)

and the stress for non-compact(p21).

Effective width be for slender sections(Table

2.3& 2.4 p23&24);
f2

f1
K

For

16

0.112 1

2 0.5

(Table 2.3)

any value of get K from tables 2.3, and 2.4 for

stiffened and unstiffened elements respectively.

Calculate

b / t Fy

44 K

Calculate
be =

(plate slenderness)

0.15 0.05 2 1.0

Summary Table for Lateral Torsional Buckling

(Lu > Lall)
800
Fltb1
Cb
Lu d / Af
84

Cb
Lu

Fy
rt

Fltb 2 0.58 Fy

Cb L u
C
84

188 b
Fy
rt
Fy

Fltb 2

Lu
Cb
188
rt
Fy

Fltb 2

For all
Fltb 0.58 Fy

(L u / rT ) 2 Fy
0.64
Fy
5

1.176 10 Cb

12000
(L u / rT )

Cb

2
2
Fltb Fltb

F
1
ltb 2

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2.6.6 (p22)Allowable crippling stress in web qall

Fcrp 0.75 Fy

t 40 mm
t 40 mm

From clause 1.4, get Fy

In tension members we get smaller cross

sections by using high tensile stresses St. 52.
While in compression members we get smaller
section if l/i is less than 100 but if l/i is more than
100 we get same section for all kinds of steel.
2.6.7 Combined stresses
In a continuous beam we have a state of
combined shear and bending

back

f
f
F1, 2 q 2 f pt f pc
2
2
This stress may be greater than the bending stress
in the outside fibers.
The modern theory of equivalent structure is given
by;
Fe

f 2 3q 2

1.10 f pt

2.6.7.1- Axial Compression And Bending

f bcy
f ca f bcx

1
2 1.0
Fc Fbcx
Fbcy

f ca
When
0.15
Fc
1

FEX

C mx
f ca
1
FEX

1 2 1.0
2

C my

f ca
1
FEY

7500
7500
2 , FEY 2

Cmx , Cmy

from code

2.6.7.2- Axial Tension And Bending

f bty
f ta
f btx

1.0
Ft Fbtx Fbty