3. Limit State Design (Refer to cl.

5, IS 800: 2007)

3.1 Safety and Serviceability Requirements of Structures

Designed structure should fulfil the following safety and serviceability requirements.

 Structures should remain fit with adequate reliability and they should sustain all
loads/excitation experienced during construction and exploitation.
 Structure should have sufficient capacity to restoring moment so that the stability of a
structure as a whole against overturning is ensured.
 Structure should have adequate factor of safety against sliding due to the worst
combination of the applied loads.
 The deflection, vibration of the structure or part should not adversely affect the
appearance or efficiency of the structure or finishes and partitions of structure.
 Structure should have sufficient durability under normal maintenance.
 Structure should not suffer overall damage or collapse disproportionately under
accidental events.

3.2 Different Limit States for Steel Design

Limit State

In Limit State Design Method, limit state is meant to acceptable limit of safety and
serviceability of structure / structural member.

Limit State Design Method

Limit state design method provides basic frame of safety and serviceability of structure within
which the performance of structures are examined in structural design. Limit state design
aims to achieve a structure, which will remain fit for use during its life time with acceptable
reliability. In limit state design method, generally two limit states of structures are considered
in design.

I. Limit State of Strength

(Limit State of Collapse/Ultimate Limit State)
II. Limit State of Serviceability

Considering these two states, design is carried out in two stages. In first stage, structure are
designed for strength of structure and in second stage, structures are examined for their
serviceability. In limit state of strength, structures are designed under design loads and design
strength of material and in limit state of serviceability they are checked/verified under service
loads (characteristic loads or working loads).

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3.3 Design Strength of Materials and Design Load

In limit state design, design strength is used as strength of material and design loads are used
as loads expected during the life time of structure. Design strength and design load are
calculated on the basis of their characteristic values.

Characteristic Load (Refer to cl.5.3.2)

Characteristics load is the value of load, which has 95% probability of not being increased
during the service life of the structure. Value of characteristic load is found as follows.

 Characteristic values of permanent and variable loads are calculated / found on the
basis of IS 875 and IS 1893.
 Characteristic values of other loads like loads specified by clients/designers, accidental
loads etc. are calculated / found by using other relevant codes.

Design Loads (Refer to cl.5.3.3)

Load obtained by multiplying the characteristic load and partial safety factor for load (load
factor) is design load. Design load is expressed by

Qd = γf Qck
Where,
Qd – Design load
Qck – Characteristic load
γf - Partial safety factor for load (Refer to Table 4)

Factor by which loads are multiplied to get design loads is partial safety factor for load.
Partial safety factor for load accounts for

 Possibility of unfavourable deviation of load from characteristic value

 Possibility of inaccurate assessment of load and its idealization
 Possibility of inaccurate assessment of limit states considered

Value of ‘γf‘ in Limit State of Strength (Refer to Table 4)

γf γf γf
Load Combination
for DL for LL for WL/EL load
DL+LL 1.5 1.5 -
DL+LL +WL/EL 1.2 1.2 0.6
DL+WL/EL 1.5 (0.9) - 1.5
DL+ER 1.5 (0.9) 1.2 -

Value of ‘γf‘ in Limit State of Serviceability (Refer table 4)

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 γf γf γf
Load Combination
for DL for LL for WL/EL load
DL+LL 1 1 -
DL+LL+WL/EL 1 0.8 0.8
DL+WL/EL 1 - 1

Characteristic Strength
Characteristic strength of steel is value of strength (yield or proof stress) of steel, which has
95% probability of not being decreased during the service life of the structure.
Design Strength (Refer to cl. 5.4.1)
Strength obtained by dividing the ultimate strength of material by partial safety factor for
material.
Sd = Su / γm
Where,
Sd – Design strength of material
Su- Ultimate strength of material
γm – Partial safety factor material

Partial safety factor for material accounts for

 Possibility of unfavourable deviation of material strength from characteristic

value
 Possibility of unfavourable variation of sizes of structural members
 Possibility of unfavourable reduction in member strength due to fabrication
and tolerances

Value of Partial safety factor for material (Refer to Table 5)

Type of failure of member Partial safety factor for material

Resistance governed by yielding γm0 = 1.1
Resistance governed by buckling γm0 = 1.1
Resistance governed by rupture at ultimate stress γm1 = 1.25
γmf and γmb = 1.25
Bolts, friction and bearing type
for shop and field fabrication
γmw = 1.25 for shop welding
Welds
= 1.5 for site welding

3.4 Limit State of Strength (Refer to cl. 5.2.2.2)

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Limit state of strength is associated with failures of structure under the action of most
unfavourable combination of design loads. At limit state of strength, design considers

 Loss of equilibrium of structure as whole or any of its parts

 Loss of stability of structure as whole or any of its parts
 Failure by rupture of structure as whole or any of its parts
 Failure due to fatigue
 Failure due to brittle fracture

Reliability of design at this state is ensured by satisfying the following criterion.

Design action ≤ Design strength

3.5 Limit State of Serviceability (Refer to cl.5.6)

Limit state, which is associated with the functioning of structure or its components under the
action of most unfavourable combination of service loads. At limit state of serviceability,
design considers

 Deformation and deflections , which may adversely affect the appearance or effective
use of structure or may cause improper functioning of services, equipment or may
cause damages to finishes and non - structural members.
 Vibration in the structure or any of its components causing discomfort to people ,
damages to the structure, its contents or which may limit the functional effectiveness.
 Durability of structure
 Fire resistance of structure

Reliability of serviceability of structure/structural members in deflection is ensured by

satisfying the following criterion.
Maximum deflection ≤ Limiting value of deflection (Refer table 6)