J. Construct.

Steel Research 18 (1991) 71-83

Technical Note

Geometric Properties of Schifflerized Angles

Seshu M a d h a v a R a o A d l u r i & M u r t y K. S. M a d u g u l a

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Windsor,

Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
(Received 10 August 1990; revised version accepted 16 October 1990)

A BS TRA C T

Latticed triangular-base steel towers have been used as communication

structures for a long time. Since these towers are economical, they are also
being increasingly used as electrical transmission line towers. The legs of
these towers generally consist of 'schifflerized' angles (equal leg 90
hot-rolled angles bent to 60). Since the properties of these schiffterized
angles are not available in published literature, they are presented in the
paper for ready use of design engineers.

NOTATION

A Area of cross-section
a Length of unbent portion of schifflerized angle leg
b Length of bent portion of schifflerized angle leg
Cw Warping constant
/pc Polar moment of inertia about centroid
Ips Polar moment of inertia about shear centre
I, Maximum moment of inertia (about u - u axis)
Iv Minimum moment of inertia (about v - v axis)
J Saint-Venant's torsion constant
m Total length of centre line of cross-section
r, Maximum radius of gyration (about u - u axis)
rv Minimum radius of gyration (about v - v axis)
t Thickness of the leg of schifflerized angle member
71
J. Construct. Steel Research 0143-974X/91/$03,50 ~ 1991 Elsevier SciencePublishers Ltd,
England. Printed in Great Britain
72 Seshu Madhava Rao Adluri, Murty K. 5'. Madugula

~c Distance of the centroid from heel

~ Distance between the centroid and shear centre

INTRODUCTION

Steel angles are extensively used in latticed communication structures and

electrical transmission towers. The main legs of these towers are usually
arranged in one of the following two ways:
1. Rectangular plan with one leg at each corner of a square or a
rectangle. This plan makes the analysis and design relatively simple
because of the ease with which the torsional and lateral loads can be
resolved into in-plane forces.
2. Triangular plan with one leg member at each of the three corners.
These towers result in a significant reduction in the weight of the
structure.
In the case of triangular-base towers, the main legs are located at the
/,'x\
/
/ /
/
// /
/
/
/
/
/ J

U ~'~ / " ~ 4~3" [ ] U

. Schifflerized angle

Original equal leg 9 0 angle / \ ~-

\x/

Fig. la. Typical cross-section showing original equal leg 90 angle and schifflerized angle
(a = length of unbent portion; b = length of schifiterized portion; c = fillet radius;
t = thickness of leg; a + b = leg width; u-u = major axis; v-v = minor axis).
 Geometric properties of schifflerized angles 73

vertices of an equilateral triangle. In order to have smooth bracing

connections, the included angle between the two legs of the angle
members should be 60 . This is achieved by 'schifflerizing' the hot-rolled
90 angles. Each leg is bent inwards by 15 so that the angle between the leg
and the centre-line of the section is 30 instead of 45 (Fig. 1). The process
involves either re-rolling or brake-pressing a 90 angle. The finished
member is called a schifflerized angle. Table 1 gives a comparison of some
of the properties of equal leg 90 angle and the corresponding properties of
schifflerized angles. Although schifflerized angles are extensively used in

TABLE 1
Comparison of Salient Properties of Equal Leg 90 Angle and Schifflerized Angle

Property 90 angle Schiffierized angle

Area Same Same

Torsion const. Same Same
Shear centre Intersection of centre lines of legs Further away from the centroid
(point O in Fig. 2) (point S in Fig. 2)
/max -- Approx. 20-45% smaller
/min -- Approx. 20-50% larger
Warping const. Small Approx. 30-100% larger

Plate 2
\
.J/

Fig. lb. Idealization of schifflerized angle section into rectangular elements.

74 Seshu Madhava Rao Adluri. Murty K. S. Madugula

triangular-base towers, no published literature is available concerning

their properties.
This paper focuses on the calculation of section properties for schiffle-
rized angles. While the calculation of properties such as m o m e n t s of
inertia and Saint-Venant's torsion constant pose no particular difficulty,
the computation of warping constant is quite involved and is therefore
presented here in detail. This property assumes importance when the
m e m b e r is relatively short (as in the case of the legs of triangular-base
guyed towers) making it susceptible to torsional-flexural buckling.

GEOMETRIC PROPERTIES

As is customary with hot-rolled 90 angles, the geometric properties of

schifflerized angles have been calculated I by idealizing the cross-section
into rectangular segments (Figs l a and 1b).
A = area of cross-section = 2t(a + b - t/2) (1)

2(a - t/2) ~ + 4 b ( a - t/2) + V ' 6 b ~ t

tic = 4X/2(a + b - t/2) + V~ (2)

1, = 2(1,,1 + 1,,2) (3)

where

3bt3b~t (~(a-t/2}) 2
1,,~- 48 ~-~-8-+bt + ~ . (4)

and

(a - t/2)t 3 t(a - t/2) -~

(5)
1,2 - 24 6

I,. = 2(1,,1 + 1,~2)- A(K~ - t/V2) 2 (6)

where

bt33b3t ((a-t~2) b) 2
l,,l - 48 ~- 4 ~ - + bt ~ + ~ (7)

and
(a - t/2)t ~
I,,2 - + . t(a - t/2) 3 (8)
24 6
 Geometric properties of schifflerized angles 75

Ip~ = I. + Iv (9)

r.=~/~ (10)

r v -= ~ - - ~ (11)

t2
J = ~ 2 (a + b - t/2)t 3 ----(area) -~- (12)

Shear centre

The shear centre of the schifflerized section does not lie at the centre of the
heel portion as is the case with the regular 90 angle but is located at a point
further away from the centroid (Fig. 2). Let R1 be the resultant of internal
shearing forces F1 in plates AB and CD and R2 be the resultant of internal
shearing forces F2 in plates BO and OC. The resultant of R1 and R2 (shown
as R1 + R2) passes through the shear centre. The distance of the shear
centre from the centroid can be derived as

(Nf3 -- 1)(3c2b 2 + Nf2cb 3) t

(13)
-Us = 4c3 +12c2 b + 6 X/~cb2 + 2b 3 N/~ + u c

I j j
Shear centre~ u

Fig. 2. Location of shear centre for schiflterized angles.

76 Seshu Madhava Rao Adluri, Murty K. S. Madugula

where

c = a-t~2 (14)

lps : /pc + AlS~ 15)

W a r p i n g constant: Cw

T h e d e r i v a t i o n o f Cw as p e r G o o d i e r ' s t h e o r y 2-~ is p r e s e n t e d b e l o w :

W a r p i n g constant C,~, = f (~,~ - w ~ ) : d A 16)

where

w~ = warping function at any point on the section

= rs ds + h r . 17)

~ = a v e r a g e warping on the entire section

- A w~ dA 18)

where

r~ = the distance of the shear centre f r o m the tangent to the centre line of the
section at any point ('s" varies along the cross-section),
r,, = the distance of the shear centre f r o m the normal to the centre line of the
section at any point ( ' n ' varies across the thickness of the leg).

W a r p i n g function: w~

Let w~ = wl + w. (19)

where

WI = F~ds (2o)

w2 = n r n (21)
 Geometric properties o f schiffierized angles 77

Lc

U $ "~ u

Fig. 3. Sketch for calculation of the warping function for schifflerized angles.

Referring to Fig. 3 and taking s = 0 at point A,

t's

For O<-s<-b: wl =
i{1
e d s = es (22)

w2 = n ( b + g - s) (23)

For b < - s < - b + c : wl = e b - fb s f d s = b(e+f)-fs

(24)

w2 = n ( b + c + h - s ) (25)

For b + c < - s < - b + 2 c : wl = b ( e + f ) - f ( b + c ) - fds (26)

+c

= b(e + f ) - f s (27)

w2 = n{h + s - (b + c)} (28)

78 Seshu Madhava Rao Adluri, Murty K. S. Madugula

~
For b + 2c -< s < 2(b + c): wl = b(e + f ) - . f ( b + 2c) +
f 2c
t
eds (29)

= e s - 2c(e + f ) (3o)

w2 = n { g + s - ( b + 2 c ) } (31)

In eqns (22)-(31),

"~-1 1
e- 2X/2_ c- ~ {~- (~- t/V'5-)} (32)

1
f = h = ~. {~i~ - (~c - t / , , / 2 ) } (33)

g = Xf2c - k / 3 e (34)

Average warping: ~

~ = ~if w~dA = - ~ if (wl + w 2 ) d A (35)

Since
m (t/2
1 f 1 nr. dncts" = 0 (36)

and
1 fJl[n Wlt ds
wl d n d s -
mt
(37)
1 f2(b+c)
-- 2(b + c) Jo wl ds

Using the expressions for w~,

w"- 2(b+c)
1[, esds +
"*b
{b(e + f ) - fs}ds +

(38)
e-b+2c "2(b+c) ]
J64-c
{b(e + f ) - fs}ds + ~
Jb+2c
{es - 2c(e +f)}ds
 Geometric properties of schifflerized angles 79

O n simplification,

Ws = b e - c f (39)

Substituting the expressions for w S and ~'s, into eqn (16),

~fkmi~ t/2 (40)

Cw = [Ws - {Pli + P2i S + n(qli + q2is)}] 2dndS
i= 1 t "~- t/2

where,

Pll = O; P21 = e; PI2 = b(e + f ) ; P22 = -- f ;

Pl3 = b ( e + f ) ; P23 = - f ; Px4 = - 2 c ( e + f ) ; P24 = e;

qll = b+g; q21 = --1; q12 = b + c + h ; q22 = - 1;

q13=h-(b+c); q23= 1; ql4=g-(b+2c); q24 = 1;
ml = b; m2 = b + c; m3 = b + 2 c ; m 4 = 2(b + c);
kl = O; k2 = b ; k3 = b + c ; k4 = b + 2c

O n simplification,

q
6i - k3)/j
Cw = ~ [ o t i ( m i - k i ) +--~- (m/2- k~ + -~- (41)
i=1

where,

t3
Oli ---- ~ t + p2it + qZu-1-
j - 2Vvstpl i (42)

t3
~i = 2pliP2i t + 2qliq2i ~-~ -- 2Wstp2i (43)

t3
6i = p2i t + q2 i 1--2 (44)

As a check for the derivations, if dimension b is taken as zero, the section

b e c o m e s a regular 90 angle section with leg width equal to dimension a
and all the formulas reduce to those corresponding to the regular 90 angle
sections. F o r example, if b = 0,
1. from eqn (13), the shear centre coincides with the intersection point
of the centre of legs as is the case with 90 angles;
 TABLE 2
Properties of Schifflerized Angles (Sections as per British Standard Practice)
Size 7hickne~.~ a Area h, I,, r, 1, r, J ~, 1m lp, (',,
(??lttl; (ttltH; (ram; ((rn ~) (cmt (ctn"t (crn/ (crn'~; (cm) ('ttt 4) (C?H) (ctn 4) (cm4~ (cm ~')

2iX} x 200 24 43 911.2 0.39 3 2611 6-111 l 9511 4.65 173 8.78 12 200 5 2211 5 96(1
2(I 38 764) 9-23 27411 6-01 I 691; 4.71 I111 8-85 11141t11 44311 3530
18 36 68.8 9.14 2 491i 6.112 I 54(] 4.74 74.3 8.88 9 45(I 4 (1311 2 6111
?4 61.4 9.11f~ 2 2311 6.1/2 I 3911 +76 52.4 8.91 8 51~) 3 6211 I 86[)
1"~0 ~ 1511 18 31> 50.8 6.99 1 (~511 4-57 613 3.48 54-8 6-611 3 89(1 1 6811 I 09(t
15 32 42.8 6.88 892 4.57 5311 3.52 ~2.1 6-66 3 320 1 42(I 645
12 28 34.6 6-76 719 4.56 439 3.56 16.0 6.71 2710 1 161) 339
10 26 29-11 6-68 6(16 4-57 374 3.59 9-67 6-75 2 300 98(I 202
120 120 15 32 33.8 5.59 463 3.7t/ 257 2.76 25.3 5.27 1 6611 720 325
12 28 27.4 5.47 374 3.70 216 2.81 13.1 5.34 1 370 5911 173
ID 26 23.(P 5-38 316 3.71t 185 2-83 7.67 5-38 l 1711 5111J I(M
8 25 18.6 5.29 258 3.73 152 2.86 3.96 5.43 957 4111 56.6
32 27.~< 4-73 271 3.12 141 2.25 20.8 4.33 931 412 184
12 28 22.6 4.~1 219 3.12 119 2-30 1(/.8 4.41 777 339 99.2 2"-
8 25 15.4 4.43 153 3.15 84.8 2.35 3-28 4.511 549 237 33.l
911 :e 9{I 12 2~ 2112 4 18 161 2.83 84.3 2.04 9.68 3.93 557 246 71.4
I[) 26 17.11 4.11) 137 2.84 73-0 2.07 5-67 3.98 479 210 43.6
8 25 13.8 4-(~ 113 2.86 611.4 2.10 2.94 4.113 397 173 24-2
6 24 10.4 3.90 87. I 2.8q 46-9 2.12 1.25 4-08 3118 134 11.6
8~ x g(t lip 26 15.0 3.67 97.3 2.55 49.6 1.82 5-1R1 3.511 331 147 30.2
8 25 12-2 3.57 8/).4 2.57 41.2 1.84 2-59 3.55 275 122 17.0
6 24 9.24 3-47 62.4 2.611 32-1 1.86 1.11 3.60 214 94.5 8.24
70 x 7!1 I1t 26 13.1; 3-24 66-2 2"26 31.7 1.56 4.33 3"(11 216 97-9 19-8
8 25 10-6 3.14 54.9 2.28 26,5 1-58 2-25 3.06 1811 81-4 11-2
6 24 8414 3-I]4 42.8 2,31 211.8 1-61 11.965 3.11 141 (~35 5.53
(1!} 2< Illj I[) 2~, II.I) 2-82 42-4 1.9e, 18.7 1-31 3-67 2.51 130 ~1.1 11-9
25 8.96 2,72 ?5,4 1.99 15.~ 1.33 1.91 2.56 110 51 2 6.85
24 6,84 2.62 27.7 2.01 12,'~ 1.35 (/.821 2,61 86-7 40.2 3.42
q 2-1 ~.7"~ 2.5 "7 2 ?.:'~ 2.t1~ II!~ !'3~ 11.479 2.63 74.~1 34.4 2.21~
 TABLE 3
Properties of Schifflerized Angles (Sections as per Canadian Standard Practice)

Size Thickness a Area ~ lu r, Iv r~ J us lt,~ It,~ C~

(ram) (ram) (mm) (ram2) (ram) (lO~mm ~) (mm) (106mm 4) (ram) (103mm 4) (ram) (106mm 4) (lO~mm 4) (lOOmm 6)

200 x 200 30 54 11 100 95.8 41.0 60-8 23.0 45-5 3 330 86.7 148 64-1 11 300
25 44 9 380 94.3 33-8 60-1 20,2 46.4 1 950 87.6 126 54.0 6 680
20 38 7600 92-3 27.4 60.1 16-9 47.1 1 010 88.5 104 44.3 3530
16 34 6 140 90-6 22.3 60.2 13.9 47.6 524 89.1 85.0 36-2 1860 C~
13 29 5030 89.6 18.1 60.0 11-6 48.1 283 89-4 69.9 29.7 1010
10 26 3900 88.4 14-1 60-1 9-17 48.5 130 89-8 54-7 23-3 472
150 x 150 20 38 5 600 70-8 11-7 45-7 6.66 34-5 747 65.6 42-4 18-3 1 460
16 ,34 4540 69.0 9.54 45.8 5-57 35.0 388 66-5 35.2 15.1 780
13 29 3 730 68.0 7.75 45-6 4.70 35-5 210 66.9 29-2 12.5 426
10 26 2 900 66-8 6.06 45-7 3.74 35.9 96-7 67-5 23.0 9-80 202

125 125 16 34 3 740 58.3 5-58 38.6 3-08 28.7 319 54.9 19-9 8-66 445
13 29 3080 57.3 4-54 38-4 2.63 29.2 174 55.5 16.6 7.16 245
10 26 2400 56-0 3-55 38-5 2.10 29-6 80.0 56-1 13.2 5-66 117
8 25 1 940 55.0 2.91 38.7 1-72 29.8 41-3 56.6 10.8 4.63 63.7
.%
100 x 100 16 34 2940 47.6 2.90 31-4 1.47 22.3 251 42-9 9.79 4.37 220
13 29 2430 46-5 2-36 31.1 1.27 22-9 137 43.8 8.29 3.63 123
10 26 1 900 45-2 1.86 31.3 1-03 23-3 63-3 44-5 6-66 2-89 60.1
8 25 1 540 44.3 1-53 31-5 0-848 23-5 32.8 45.0 5-49 2-37 33-1
2
6 24 1 160 43.3 1.18 31.8 0-656 23.7 14-0 45-5 4-24 1.83 15.7
90 x 90 13 29 2 170 42-3 1.73 28.3 0-896 20-3 122 39.0 5-94 2-63 88.7 t~
10 26 1 700 41.0 1,37 28-4 0,730 20.7 56.7 39-8 4.79 2.10 43,6
8 25 1 380 40.0 1.13 28.6 0-604 21-0 29-4 40.3 3-97 1.73 24.2
6 24 1 040 39-0 0-871 28-9 0.469 21.2 12.5 40.8 3-08 1,34 11.6
75 x 75 13 29 1 780 35.9 1.02 23.9 0-484 16.5 100 31-7 3.29 1-50 49-2
10 26 1 400 34.5 0-807 24.0 0,400 16.9 46-7 32.6 2.69 1.21 24,7
8 25 1 140 33-6 0-669 24.3 0-333 17-1 24-2 33.1 2.24 1-00 13-9
6 24 864 32.6 0.520 24-5 0.260 17.4 10-4 33.5 1.75 0.780 6.81
5 24 725 32.0 0-444 24.7 0-221 17-5 6.04 33.7 1-49 0-665 4.51
65 x 65 10 26 1 200 30.3 0-534 21-1 0.247 14.3 40.0 27-6 1-69 0-781 15.6
8 25 976 29.3 0-445 21-3 0-207 14-6 20-8 28.1 1.42 0.652 8.87
6 24 744 28.3 0.347 21.6 0.163 14-8 8.93 28.6 1-12 0-510 4-40
5 24 625 27.8 0.297 21.8 0.138 14.9 5.21 28.8 0.954 0.436 2,94
o0
55 x 55 10 26 1 @)0 26.1 0.330 18.2 0-138 11-8 33.3 22-5 0-973 0-468 8.88
8 25 816 25.1 0-276 18-4 0-117 12.0 17-4 23.0 0,825 0-393 5.13
6 24 624 24-1 0-217 18.7 0-093 12.2 7-49 23-5 0.655 0.3d0 2.58
5 24 525 23-6 I).187 18.9 0.079 12.3 4-38 23.7 0-561 0.266 1.72
82 ,~'e,shu Madhava Rao Adluri, Mur(~' K. S. Madugula

2. from eqn (411,

c213 ct~ 3 ~ tT- (7c ~)

--~T {`} - -IT- { c-) + 30

{';l ' (~irca) ~

I~ 144

which tallies with the results given in Ref. 2.

I f a = 0, the angle reduces to rolled 60 angle. Neglecting higher-order
terms in t, from eqns (3) and (4).

t} )~
1. 1, = II.5}25 -iT~

2. 1 , - 0.422
h )t
~-~

These values agree well with the results obtained by C a r p e n a et at."

For ready use of designers, the geometric properties of schifflerized
angles are p r e s e n t e d in Tables 2 and 3 for the corresponding equal leg 90
angle sizes listed ill British and Canadian steel design h a n d b o o k s 4"5
respectively. In these tables, the values of the unbent portion of
schifflerized angles (a in Fig. 1) are taken as per industry practice. T h e
calculated values are r o u n d e d off to three significant figures as is the
standard practice,

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

T h e present work is part of a research project carried out with financial

support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of
Canada.

REFERENCES

1. Adluri, Seshu Madhava Ram Ultimate strength of schifflerized angles. MASc

Thesis, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, 1990.
2. Bleich, F., Buckling Strength of Metal Structures, McGraw-Hill, New York,
1952, pp. 116-21.
 Geometricproperties of schiffierized angles 83

3. Timoshenko, S. P. & Gere, J. M., Theory of Elastic Stability, 2nd edn.

McGraw-Hill, 1961, pp. 212-24.
4. Constructional Steel Research and Development Organisation, Steel Desig-
ners' Manual, 4th edn. Granada Publishing, London, 1983, pp. 1039-41.
5. Canadian Institute of Steel Construction, Handbook of Steel Construction, 4th
edn. Willowdale, Ontario, Canada, May 1985, pp. 6-70 and 6-71.
6. Carpena, A., Cauzillo, B. A. & Nicolini, P., Modern Technical and
Constructional Solutions for the New Italian Power Lines. International
Conference on Large High Voltage Electric Systems, CIGRE, Paris, France,
1976, Paper no. 22-13.