Structural sections:

shape in action
Learning Objectives/Intended Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and
Understanding
Understanding of how to explore and optimize mechanical design structures
Skills and
Abilities
Ability to select structural sections for prescribed design requirements
Values and
Attitudes
Appreciation of how shape and material properties interact
Learning objectives for this Lecture
Resources
Text: Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, 4
th
edition, by M.F. Ashby,
Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford, 2011, Chapters 9-10.
Software: The CES Database for Architecture and the Built Environment, Granta Design,
Cambridge UK, 2011.

Outline of the Lecture
Content and use of the database
Structural sections and their attributes
The CES EduPack Data Table for
Structural sections
Structural sections
Shape = cross section formed to a
Tube
I-section
Hollow box
All increase
Second moment of area I
Section modulus Z
Bending stiffness E I
Bending strength
y
Z (called YZ in the database)

When materials are loaded in bending, in
torsion, or are used as slender columns,
section shape becomes important
Data organization: structural sections
Universe
Structural
sections
Family
Angles
Channels
I-sections
Rectangular
T-sections
Tubes
Material and Member
Extruded Al alloy
Pultruded GFRP
Structural steel
Softwood
Attributes
A record
Steel universal joist
Material properties E,
Dimensions Area A, ....
Section props.: I, Z, K, Q ...
Structural props.: EI, Z, ...
y

Standard
prismatic sections
Records for
1881 sections
The CES database for Architecture
Part of a record for a structural section
General
Embodied energy, primary production 112 MJ/kg
Price 4.41 USD/kg
Recycle fraction 0.0707
Safety factor 1.6
Density 1.7e3
Pultruded GFRP Vinyl Ester (44 x 3.18)
Structural
Mass per unit length, m/l 0.686 kg/m
Bending stiffness (major), E.Imax 1.49e3 N.m^2
Bending stiffness (minor), E.Imin 1.49e3 N.m^2
Failure moment (major), Y. Zmax 778 N.m
Dimensions
Maximum depth, D 0.0444 m
Inner thickness, t 0.0311 m

Section
Section area, A 4.03e-04 m^2
Second moment of Area (major), I_max 8.64e-8 m^4
Second moment of Area (minor), I_min 8.64e-8 m^4
Section modulus, torsion, Q 7.78e-6 m^3
A selection of attributes are shown
Example: selection of a beam
D = beam depth
B = width
I = second moment of area
E = Youngs modulus
Z = section modulus

y
= yield strength

Beam
Dimension
Width B < 150 mm
Depth D < 200 mm
Function
Specification
Constraints
Required stiffness:
E I
max
>10
5
N.m
2

Required strength:

y
Z > 10
3
N.m
F
D
B
Applying constraints with a Limit stage
5 15
Dimensions Minimum Maximum
Depth D m
Width B m
Section attributes
Bending Stiffness E.I N.m
2

Failure Moment Y. Z N.m

0.2
0.15
100000
1000
Result : 294 sections out of 1881 meet these constraints
(a) Find lightest beam
(b) Find cheapest beam
(c) Find beam with lowest embodied energy
Objectives
That meets the
constraints
Bending Stiffness EI vs.
mass per unit length
Minimizing mass for given EI
max
Results
Extruded Aluminum Channel (130x50x1.82)
Extruded Aluminum Channel (140x40x1.74)
Extruded Aluminum Channel (152.4x28.6x1.75)
Extruded Aluminum circular hollow (132x2.2)
E.I
max
= 10
5
Nm
2

Selection
box
E.I
max
= 10
5
Nm
2

Minimizing cost for given EI
max
Bending Stiffness EI vs.
price per unit length
E.I
max
= 10
5
Nm
2

Selection
box
Price / length = Mass / length X Price / mass

Results
Sawn Softwood section-(175x25x2.41)
Sawn Softwood section-(200x22x2.42)
Sawn Softwood section-(200x25x2.75)
Sawn Softwood section-(225x22x2.72)
E.I
max
= 10
5
Nm
2

Minimizing embodied energy for given EI
max

E.I
max
= 10
5
Nm
2

Selection
box
Embodied energy / length = Mass / length X Embodied energy / mass

Bending Stiffness EI vs.
Embodied energy per unit length
Results
Sawn Softwood section-(175x25x2.41)
Sawn Softwood section-(200x22x2.42)
Sawn Softwood section-(200x25x2.75)
Sawn Softwood section-(225x22x2.72)
E.I
max
= 10
5
Nm
2

Minimizing embodied energy for given EI
max
Results
Sawn Softwood section-(175x25x2.41)
Sawn Softwood section-(200x22x2.42)
Sawn Softwood section-(200x25x2.75)
Sawn Softwood section-(225x22x2.72)
So what?
It introduces the idea of choice to optimize weight, price or
environmental impact
The CES Architecture database allows standard sections to be explored
and selected to meet multiple constraints