Advisory Desk Notes - AD 001: Guidance on compactness

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AD 001: Guidance on compactness

Many of the queries we receive about BS 5950: Part 1 relates to Table 7, especially the
compactness limits for webs. A typical question is:
“In a UB subject to combined axial load and moment, how do I check the compactness of
the web if the section is not fully stressed?”

Before getting down to detail, let us clarify some basics:

• The purpose of giving compactness limits, or “section classification” as some call it, is
merely to avoid the need to do the local buckling check. So, if your compactness check is
getting complicated – or gives borderline decisions – it may be simpler or better actually
to do the local buckling check instead.

• The entry “Web subject to compression throughout” actually refers to a web in a section
which is subject to compression throughout – and the values 28ε and 39ε are actually
valid for Class 1 and Class 2 plastic and compact sections as well as for Class 3. When
you realize this, the sentence in Note 1, which says that “if α > 2 the section should be
taken as having compression throughout”, becomes clear.

• The entry “Web, generally” is related to this limit of α ≤ 2, which occurs when the
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plastic neutral axis (PNA) is at the edge of the web connected to the tension flange. This
is shown in Fig. 1(a), whilst Fig. 1(b) shows the case of “compression throughout”. The
limiting value of d/t is 49ε (from 98ε/α when α = 2) in Fig. 1(a), compared with 39ε or
28ε in Fig. 1(b) for rolled and welded sections respectively.

C yc C

PNA
T
a) Web with α = 2 b) Compression
α= 2yc /d throughout

Figure 1 Compact section web in compression.

• The general limit for webs is expressed in a way that covers beams with unequal flanges
as well as members subject to combined axial load and bending moment. As far as local
buckling of the web is concerned, it is the position of the PNA that matters, provided that
the compression flange is compact. Figure 2 illustrates a stress-block diagram that could
equally be produced by either case.

y
c
C
PNA
Created on 02 February 2009

a) Unequal flanges Stress b) Equal flanges

Moment only block Moment plus
axial tension
Figure 2. Stress blocks for unequal flanges, or for moment plus axial load.
Advisory Desk Notes - AD 001: Guidance on compactness

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We can now answer the original question, which relates to combined axial load and moment
on a rolled I-section, which commonly is not stressed to full capacity because the design is
governed by the overall buckling resistance.

Taking it in stages:

(a) If d/t ≤ 39ε the web is always compact;

(b) If d/t ≤ 49ε the web is always compact if Fc ≤ tdpy;

(c) If d/t > 49ε the web is always compact if Fc ≤ (98ε– d/t) t2py;

(d) If d/t >49ε and Fc > (98ε – d/t) t2py , use Appendix H.

If Fc only slightly exceeds this limiting value, it may be found that in fact the section is
still satisfactory according to Appendix H. Note that the constant in the formula for pc.cr
should actually be 815, rather than 850 (see draft Amendment No. 1).

(e) If Fc > tdpy and d/t > 39ε, use Appendix H, as modified by draft Amendment No. 1.

Example: 406 × 140 × 39 UB grade 43: ε = 1.

Fc = 450 kN; M = 150 kNm.

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Plastic resistance

dtpy = 359.7 × 6.3 × 275/1000 = 623 kN

Fc = 450 kN < 623 so PNA is in web

Fc2 721× 275 4502

Mpr = Mp - = − = 198.3 – 29.2 = 169.1 kNm
4tpy 1000 4 × 6.3 × 275

M = 150 kNm < 169.1 so plastic resistance is OK.

Compactness

d/t = 57.1 > 49

Web always compact if Fc ≤ (98ε – d/t) t2py = (98 – 57.1) 6.32 × 275/1000 = 446.4 kN

Fc = 450 kN > 446.4 so use Appendix H.

Local buckling resistance

6.3 × 359.72 × 275
Mp of web = = 56.0 kNm
4 × 10002
Created on 02 February 2009

Mp of flanges etc. = 198.3 – 56.0 = 142.3 kNm

Mw = 150 – 142.3 = 7.7 kNm

pb.cr = (1630/57.1)2 = 814.9 N/mm2

Advisory Desk Notes - AD 001: Guidance on compactness

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6.3 × 359.72 × 814.9

Mcr = = 166.1 kNm
4 × 10002

pc.cr = (815/57.1)2 = 203.7 N/mm2

Pc.cr = dtpc.cr = 359.7 × 6.3 × 203.7/1000 = 461.6 kN
2 2
Fc M  450  7.7 
+ w = + = 0.975 + 0.002 = 0.977 < 1 OK.
Pc.cr  M cr  461.6 166.1

Notes
1. When Fc = 461.6 kN:

Fc/Pc.cr = 1; Mw = 0; M ≤ 142.3 kNm.

2. When Fc = 446.6 kN:

446.42
Mpr = 198.3 - = 198.3 – 28.8 = 169.5 kNm
4 × 6.3 × 275
Mw = 169.5 – 142.3 = 27.2 kNm
2
446.4  27.2 
+ = 0.967 + 0.027 = 0.994 ≈ 1.
461.6 166.1
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Explanation

When the flanges carry all the bending moment, the maximum axial compression Fc for a
compact web is Pc.cr. However, when the web also carries part of the bending moment, the
maximum value for Fc is reduced.

2
The formula Fc ≤ (98ε – d/t) t py actually gives the maximum axial force for a compact web
when the section is fully stressed, see Fig. 3(a). As the value of Fc is relatively insensitive to
variations in M, this provides a safe approximation when the section is not fully stressed [see
Fig. 3(b)].

C
C t
yc yc
d
C' CL C'
PNA
T
T

a) Stress blocks b) Lower bound

for full capacity stress blocks
C = T:C' balances F c : for Fc and 0.9 M
C and T balance M C and T balance 0.9M

Figure 3. Approximation for moment below capacity.

The formula is derived thus:

Created on 02 February 2009

yc = [d + Fc/(tpy)]/2

α = 2yc/d = 1 + Fc/(dtpy)
Advisory Desk Notes - AD 001: Guidance on compactness

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d 98ε 98ε
≤ =
t α 1 + Fc /(dtpy )

d d  Fc 
+   ≤ 98ε
t t  dtpy 

Fc/(t2py) ≤ 98ε – d/t

Fc ≤ (98ε – d/t) t2py.

Note: See also AD123

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Created on 02 February 2009