Giuseppe Suriano Nieves PE

Calculation example for an unsymmetrical cross sectional column. This cross section type columns are the most
typically used on Oil Storage Tanks all along the US and abroad. Mostly they are built with two different channel's
sizes, the greater web back channel is welded to a smaller flange channel. Few cases with two "W" shapes are
also used but this is the most commonly used and is also more complex since the shear center is located outside
the geometrical vertical axe and outside the geometrical horizontal axe.
 Giuseppe Suriano Nieves PE

Compute the available strength of a built-up compression member with a length of 20 ft. The ends
are pinned. The section is unsymmetrical.

From AISC Manual Table 2-5, the material properties are as

follows:
ASTM A572 Grade 50

Fy  36000psi

Fu  58000psi

Young modulus Shear Modulus Member Length

E  29000000psi G  11200000psi L  20ft

Properties for C10x15.3 Properties for C8x11.5

2 2 4
AC10x15.3  4.48in x C10x15.3  0.634in AC8x11.5  3.3512in IxC8x11.5  32.5in
4 d C10x15.3  10in x C8x11.5  0.572in 4
IxC10x15.3  67.3in IyC8x11.5  1.31in
t w.C10x15.3  0.24in d C8x11.5  8in
4
IyC10x15.3  2.27in ryC8x11.5  3.11in
b fC10x15.3  2.6in tw.C8x11.5  0.22in
ryC10x15.3  3.88in
t f.C10x15.3  0.436in b fC8x11.5  2.26in rxC8x11.5  .623in
rxC10x15.3  0.711in
d C10x15.3 tf.C8x11.5  0.39in d C8x11.5
4 y C10x15.3  y C8x11.5 
JC10x15.3  0.209in 2 4 2
JC8x11.5  0.130in

Slenderness Check, Check outside flange slenderness.

Calculate kc.

4
k cC10x15.3   0.649
d C10x15.3  2  tf.C10x15.3
tw.C10x15.3
4
k cC8x11.5   0.698
d C8x11.5  2  tf.C8x11.5
tw.C8x11.5

E b fC10x15.3 Flange is
λrC10x15.3  0.64 k cC10x15.3  14.629 λfC10x15.3   5.963
Fy tf.C10x15.3 No Slender

E b fC8x11.5
λrC8x11.5  0.64 k cC8x11.5   15.179 λfC8x11.5   5.795 Flange is
Fy tf.C8x11.5 No Slender
 Giuseppe Suriano Nieves PE

E d C10x15.3  2  tf.C10x15.3 Web is No

λr  1.49  42.29 λwC10x15.3   38.033
Fy tw.C10x15.3 Slender

d C8x11.5  2  tf.C8x11.5
λwC8x11.5   32.818 Web is No
tw.C8x11.5 Slender

The Section Properties are calculated by using the dimensions at the AISC Manual Table 1-5. The
Area and Inertias needs to be calculated to be able to know the corssed moment of inertia of the
built up section.

The built up section has the same centroid as the C8x11.5 then

x  x C8x11.5

Area

 
AT  2 b fC8x11.5  tw.C8x11.5  t f.C8x11.5  d C8x11.5  tw.C8x11.5 
2
 7.809  in
d C10x15.3
 
 2 b fC10x15.3  tw.C10x15.3  t f.C10x15.3  2tw.C10x15.3 
2

Comparing with the table values

2
ATtable  AC10x15.3  AC8x11.5  7.831  in

 d C10x15.3
2 bfC10x15.3  tw.C10x15.3  tf.C10x15.3  2tw.C10x15.3    dC8x11.5  xC10x15.3 
 2 
d C8x11.5

2  
 2 b fC8x11.5  tw.C8x11.5  tf.C8x11.5  d C8x11.5  tw.C8x11.5

y   6.645  in
AT

The following is the calculation of the geometrical inertias by diving the cross section in several areas to
account for the whole section area for the calculation of the cross moment of inertia
 Giuseppe Suriano Nieves PE

bfC10x15.3  tw.C10x15.33 d C10x15.3 tw.C10x15.3

3
4
Ixx  2  tf.C10x15.3  2    76.584 in
12 2 12
2
 tw.C10x15.3
d C10x15.3 
 2tw.C10x15.3    d C8x11.5  y  
2  2 
2
 b fC10x15.3 
 2  b fC10x15.3  t w.C10x15.3   t f.C10x15.3    d C8x11.5  y 
 2 
tw.C8x11.5
 
2 3 3
  b  t w.C8x11.5  t f.C8x11.5   d C8x11.5 
12 fC8x11.5 12


 d C8x11.5  t w.C8x11.5  y C8x11.5  y 2 
2
 tf.C8x11.5 
 y    b fC8x11.5  tw.C8x11.5   tf.C8x11.5 
 2 
2
 tf.C8x11.5 
  d C8x11.5   y  b fC8x11.5  tw.C8x11.5   tf.C8x11.5
 2 

Comparing with the table values

Ixxtable  IyC10x15.3  IxC8x11.5  AC10x15.3 y C8x11.5  y  2   79.374 in4


 AC8x11.5  x C10x15.3  d C8x11.5  y 2

3
tw.C8x11.5
 
2 3 4
Iyy   b  t w.C8x11.5  tf.C8x11.5   d C8x11.5   68.737 in
12 fC8x11.5 12

3 bfC10x15.3  tw.C10x15.3 3
 d C10x15.3  2tw.C10x15.3
 2  tf.C10x15.3     
12  2  12
2
 b fC8x11.5  t w.C8x11.5 
 x   2 bfC8x11.5  tw.C8x11.5   tf.C8x11.5 
 2 
2
 tw.C8x11.5 
  x  d C8x11.5  t w.C8x11.5 
 2 
2
 d C10x15.3 tf.C10x15.3 
 2  b fC10x15.3  tw.C10x15.3   t f.C10x15.3     
 2 2 
2
d C10x15.3  d C10x15.3 
2  t w.C10x15.3   
2  4 

Comparing with the table values

4
Iyytable  IxC10x15.3  IyC8x11.5  68.61  in

Cross Moment of Inertia calculated by using whole area at the built up section, Ixy = A*dx*dy
 Giuseppe Suriano Nieves PE

 tw.C8x11.5 

Ixy  y C8x11.5  y  2  x  d C8x11.5  tw.C8x11.5 

 tf.C8x11.5   b fC8x11.5  tw.C8x11.5 
 y  x    bfC8x11.5  tw.C8x11.5   tf.C8x11.5 
 2  2 
 tf.C8x11.5  b fC8x11.5  tw.C8x11.5 
  d C8x11.5   y  x    bfC8x11.5  tw.C8x11.5   tf.C8x11.5 
 2  2 
 fC10x15.3
b   d C10x15.3  tf.C10x15.3 
 2  b fC10x15.3  tw.C10x15.3   t f.C10x15.3    d C8x11.5  y    
 2  2 
2d C10x15.3  d C10x15.3   tw.C10x15.3 
  t w.C10x15.3      d C8x11.5  y 
2  4  2 

4
Ixy  33.079 in

Calculation of the principal inertias and principal axes rotation angle with respect of the vertical and horizontal
geometrical axes

x  0.572  in
0.5 y  6.645  in
( Ixx  Iyy)  ( Ixx  Iyy) 2 
Ix      Ixy
2
  105.971  in
4
4
2  2   Ixx  76.584 in
4
0.5 Iyy  68.737 in
( Ixx  Iyy)  ( Ixx  Iyy)  
2
Iy  
    Ixy 
2 4
 39.35  in b fC8x11.5  x  1.688  in
2  2  
2 Ixy d C8x11.5  y  1.355  in
atan 

θ 
 ( Ixx  Iyy)   0.726 Radians
2
180
θdeg  θ  41.6178 Degrees
π

Verifying the sum of the geometric inertias shall be the same as the sum of the principal inertias

4
Ixx  Iyy  145.32 in
4
Ix  Iy  145.32 in

Calculation of the shear flow by using the following equations

 Giuseppe Suriano Nieves PE

For only the Vertical Shear Vy acting the Shear flow at the bottom flange of the C8x11.5

 Ixy 
 1 Ixx 
 Ixy
2
Ixy
2 
  2  b 2
fC8x11.5  x  
1 1
Ixx Iyy Ixx Iyy
q 1 ( z)  tf.C8x11.5    
z
 z  b fC8x11.5  x   y   
 Ixx   Iyy 2 2 
1
q 1 ( x )  0.044 
in

For only the Vertical Shear Vy acting the Shear flow at the web of the C8x11.5

 Ixy 
 1 Ixx 
 Ixy
2
Ixy
2 
 1
 z2 2 1 
Ixx Iyy Ixx Iyy
q 2 ( z)  q 1 ( x )  tw.C8x11.5    x  ( z  y )
y
  
 Ixx 2 2  Iyy 

 
1
q 2 d C8x11.5  y  0.126 
in

For only the Horizontal Shear Vx acting the Shear flow at the bottom flange of the C8x11.5

 Ixy 
 Iyy 1 
 Ixy
2
Ixy
2 
  2  b 2
fC8x11.5  x  
1 1
Ixx Iyy Ixx Iyy
p 1 ( v )  t f.C8x11.5    
v
 v  b fC8x11.5  x   y   
 Ixx   Iyy 2 2 
1
p 1 ( x )  0.0139
in

For only the Horizontal Shear Vx acting the Shear flow at the web of the C8x11.5
 Giuseppe Suriano Nieves PE

 Ixy 
 Iyy 1 
 Ixy
2
Ixy
2 
 1  v2 2 1 
Ixx Iyy Ixx Iyy
p 2 ( v )  p 1 ( x )  tw.C8x11.5    x  ( v  y )
y
  
 Ixx 2 2  Iyy 
 
1
p 2 d C8x11.5  y  0.063 
in

The shear center equation comes from the sum of moments at the point where intersects the contact line
between both shapes and the horizontal x coordnate. The equation only accounts for the moment arms of the
forces.The bottom flange shear flow force, the web shear flow force and the shear located at the shear center
coordinate (xo,yo) are the only forces to consider because all the rest of the flange's or web's shear flow forces
either intersects or either produce same and oposite moments values. Then the moment arms are for the bottom
flange force dC8x11.5 and for the moment arm for the web force "x".

Then the shear center coordinate is equal to the integral of the shear flows as the forces times its moment arm

b x
 fC8x11.5 
y
x o   q 1 ( z)  d C8x11.5 dz   q 2 ( z )  x dz x o  1.2964 in
 
yd
x C8x11.5 Shear Center coordinate
measured right from the gc

b x
 fC8x11.5 
y
y o   p 1 ( v )  d C8x11.5 dv   p 2 ( v )  x dv y o  0.5163 in
 
yd
x C8x11.5 Shear Center coordinate measured
down from the gc

2 2 Ix  Iy
ro  xo  yo   4.534  in Polar radius of gyration about
AT the shear center

Ix
rx   3.684  in
AT Radius of gyration about the
principal "x" axis
Iy
ry   2.245  in
AT Radius of gyration about the
principal "y" axis

Kx  1 Ky  1 Kz  1 Effective length factors supposed

2
π E 4
Fex   6.743  10  psi Elastic buckling stress on "x"
2
 Kx  L 
 r 
 x 
2
π E 4
Fey   2.504  10  psi Elastic buckling stress on "y"
2
 Ky  L 
 r 
 y 
 Giuseppe Suriano Nieves PE

4
J  JC10x15.3  JC8x11.5  0.339  in Torsional constant

6
Cw  62in Estimated Warping Constant not the
real Cw value
 π2 E C 
Fez    G J 
w 1 4
 2.557  10 psi
 K L 2 
 z 
2
 AT ro

2 2
 xo   yo 
f ( w)   w  Fex   w  Fey   w  Fez   w   w  Fey     w   w  Fex   
2 2

 ro   ro 
w  0psi
Roots were calculated by trials for
4
Root  root( f ( w) w)  2.771  10 psi "w" and the three root values are
shown
4
R1  7.714  10 psi
4
R2  2.771  10 psi
4
R3  2.231  10 psi
4
Fe  min( R1 R2 R3)  2.231  10 psi Controls

Fe is the lesser of Fex, Fey and Fez then flefural-torsional buckling governs

Fy 4
 1.44  10 psi
2.5

Less than Fe, therefore, AISC specification Equation E3-2 applies

 Fy 
 
 Fe  4
Fcr   0.658   Fy  1.832  10 psi

Pn  AT Fcr  143.083 kip

From AISC Specification Section E1, the available compressive strength is:

ϕc  0.9 Ωc  1.67
Pn
ϕc Pn  128.775 kip  85.679 kip
Ωc
Giuseppe Suriano Nieves PE