MEMBER PROPERTIES

16.116

[Sect. B4.

Limiting
Width-to- Width-to-Thickness
Thickness
Ratio r
Ratio
(nonslender/slender)

Description of
Element

Examples

0.56

0.64

b/t

0.54

E
Fy

0.91

E
Fy

b/t

0.38

E
Fy

1.0

E
Fy

d/t

0.84

E
Fy

1.03

E
Fy

15 Webs of doublysymmetric I-shaped

sections and
channels

h/tw

3.76

E
Fy

5.70

E
Fy

E
Fy

16 Webs of singlysymmetric I-shaped

sections

hc /tw

5.70

E
Fy

E
Fy

17 Flanges of
rectangular HSS
and boxes of
uniform thickness

b/t

1.12

E
Fy

1.40

E
Fy

18 Flange cover plates

and diaphragm
plates between
lines of fasteners
or welds

b/t

1.12

E
Fy

1.40

E
Fy

h/t

2.42

E
Fy

5.70

E
Fy

kcE
Fy

11 Flanges of doubly
and singly symmetric I-shaped built-up
sections
12 Legs of single
angles

13 Flanges of all
I-shaped sections
and channels in
flexure about the
weak axis

[a] [b]

14 Stems of tees

b/t

E
0.45
Fy

4 Stems of tees

d/t

0.75

h/tw

1.49

b/t

1.40

6 Walls of rectangular
Stiffened Elements

HSS and boxes of

uniform thickness

E
Fy

7 Flange cover plates

and diaphragm
plates between lines
of fasteners or welds

b/t

1.40

E
Fy

b/t

1.49

E
Fy

D/t

E
0.11
Fy

8 All other stiffened

elements

9 Round HSS

Specification for Structural Steel Buildings, June 22, 2010

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION

Stiffened Elements

5 Webs of doublysymmetric I-shaped

sections and
channels

19 Webs of rectangular
HSS and boxes

1.0

Examples

E
Fy

b/t

3 Legs of single
angles, legs of
double angles with
separators, and all
other unstiffened
elements

E
Fy

E
0.38
Fy

E
Fy

[a]

b/t

Width-to(compact/
(noncompact/
Thickness
noncompact)
slender)
Ratio

0.38

2 Flanges of built-up
I-shaped sections
and plates or angle
legs projecting from
built-up I-shaped
sections

Description of
Element

b/t

Unstiffened Elements

Unstiffened Elements

b/t

16.117

Limiting
Width-to-Thickness Ratio
p
r

10 Flanges of rolled
I-shaped sections,
channels, and tees

1 Flanges of rolled
I-shaped sections,
plates projecting
from rolled I-shaped
sections; outstanding
legs of pairs of
angles connected
with continuous
contact, flanges of
channels, and
flanges of tees

MEMBER PROPERTIES

TABLE B4.1b
Width-to-Thickness Ratios: Compression Elements
Members Subject to Flexure
Case

Case

TABLE B4.1a
Width-to-Thickness Ratios: Compression Elements
Members Subject to Axial Compression

Sect. B4.]

hc
hp

k E
0.95 c
FL

[c]

E
Fy

Mp
0.54 M 0.09

20 Round HSS

D/t

0.07

E
Fy

E
0.31
Fy

[a] kc = 4 h / t w but shall not be taken less than 0.35 nor greater than 0.76 for calculation purposes.
[b] FL = 0.7Fy for major axis bending of compact and noncompact web built-up I-shaped members with Sxt /Sxc 0.7;
FL = Fy Sxt /Sxc 0.5Fy for major-axis bending of compact and noncompact web built-up I-shaped members with Sxt /Sxc < 0.7.
[c] My is the moment at yielding of the extreme fiber. Mp = plastic bending moment, kip-in. (N-mm)
E = modulus of elasticity of steel = 29,000 ksi (200 000 MPa)
Fy = specified minimum yield stress, ksi (MPa)

Specification for Structural Steel Buildings, June 22, 2010

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION