CE 319 : Design of Steel Structures 15

Compression Members - 3 1

EFFECTIVE LENGTH OF COMPRESSION MEMBERS, KL

Effective length, KL, of a column depends on
1. End restraint and
2. Sway condition.

Effective
Length
For no joint
translation

Prof. Dr. K.M. Amanat Dept. of Civil Engg. BUET, 2019

CE 319 : Design of Steel Structures 15

Compression Members - 3 2

EFFECTIVE LENGTH OF CENTRALLY LOADED COLUMNS HAVING

VARIOUS IDEALIZED END CONDITIONS

Prof. Dr. K.M. Amanat Dept. of Civil Engg. BUET, 2019

 CE 319 : Design of Steel Structures 15
Compression Members - 3 3

EFFECTIVE LENGTH, KL, OF A COLUMN IN A FRAME

Braced Frames / Non-sway frames

Prof. Dr. K.M. Amanat Dept. of Civil Engg. BUET, 2019

CE 319 : Design of Steel Structures 15

Compression Members - 3 4

EFFECTIVE LENGTH, KL, OF A COLUMN IN A FRAME

Unbraced Frames / Sway frame

Prof. Dr. K.M. Amanat Dept. of Civil Engg. BUET, 2019

 CE 319 : Design of Steel Structures 15
Compression Members - 3 5

EFFECTIVE LENGTH, KL, OF A COLUMN IN A FRAME

‰ In a multistoried frame, effective length of columns and the

buckling strength can be analytically determined through a
complex and elaborate calculation often impractical for design
purpose.

‰ Various investigators have provided charts to permit easy

determination of frame buckling loads and effective lengths for
commonly encountered situations.

‰ The most commonly used procedure for obtaining effective

length is to use the ALIGNMENT CHARTS.

Prof. Dr. K.M. Amanat Dept. of Civil Engg. BUET, 2019

CE 319 : Design of Steel Structures 15

Compression Members - 3 6

Assumptions for using the alignment chart:

1. Behavior is purely elastic.

2. All members have a constant cross section.
3. All joints are rigid.
4. For columns in side sway inhibited frames (i.e., braced frames), rotations
at opposite ends of the restraint beams or girders are equal in
magnitude and opposite in direction, producing single-curvature
bending.
5. For columns in side sway uninhibited frames, rotations at opposite ends
of the restraining beams or girders are equal in magnitude and direction,
producing double- or reverse-curvature bending.
6. The stiffness parameters, L√(P/EI), of all columns are equal.
7. Joint restraint is distributed to the column above and below the joint in
proportion to EI/L for the two columns.
8. All columns buckle simultaneously.
9. No significant axial compression force exists in the beams or girders.

Prof. Dr. K.M. Amanat Dept. of Civil Engg. BUET, 2019

 CE 319 : Design of Steel Structures 15
Compression Members - 3 7

(→ Braced)

(→ Unbraced)

GA and GB are relative stiffness (EI/L) of

columns and beams at ends A and B
respectively

For fully elastic behavior

The above two transcendental equations can

be conveniently solved for K using alignment
charts

Prof. Dr. K.M. Amanat Dept. of Civil Engg. BUET, 2019

CE 319 : Design of Steel Structures 15

Compression Members - 3 8

Alignment Charts or Nomograph

For Braced Frame

Prof. Dr. K.M. Amanat Dept. of Civil Engg. BUET, 2019

 CE 319 : Design of Steel Structures 15
Compression Members - 3 9

Alignment Charts or Nomograph

For Unbraced Frame

Prof. Dr. K.M. Amanat Dept. of Civil Engg. BUET, 2019

CE 319 : Design of Steel Structures 15

Compression Members - 3 10

Relative stiffness of columns,

In deriving the theory for alignment chart and in calculation of G, it is

assumed that beams are framed to columns. However, a beam end may
be supported by hinge or fixed support which shall affect the magnitude
of G calculated at other end. This is accounted in the calculation of G by
modifying the beam stiffness using a modification factor.

Stiffness modification factors for beams:

Sidesway No sidesway
Condition (unbraced) (braced)

Far end of beam hinged 0.5 1.5

Far end of beam fixed 0.667 2.0

Prof. Dr. K.M. Amanat Dept. of Civil Engg. BUET, 2019

 CE 319 : Design of Steel Structures 15
Compression Members - 3 11

EFFECTIVE LENGTH, KL, OF A COLUMN IN A FRAME

First, identify the sway characteristics of the frame.

Due to hinge support at J, the beam BDGJ shall be unable to

move horizontally. Thus the columns of lower level shall be
considered braced column (no sidesway).

On the upper level, beam EH shall be able to horizontally

move (sway). Thus the columns of upper level shall be
considered unbraced column.

Prof. Dr. K.M. Amanat Dept. of Civil Engg. BUET, 2019

CE 319 : Design of Steel Structures 15

Compression Members - 3 12

EFFECTIVE LENGTH, KL, OF A COLUMN IN A FRAME

It is assumed that for this plane frame, members are connected at joints in
such a manner that moment is transferred at joints about the strong axis of
both columns and beams. Thus we consider I about strong axis for both beams
and columns.
From AISC Manual Tables,

Section: I, in4
W8x31 110
W18x50 800
W14x30 291
Prof. Dr. K.M. Amanat Dept. of Civil Engg. BUET, 2019
 CE 319 : Design of Steel Structures 15
Compression Members - 3 13

EFFECTIVE LENGTH, KL, OF A COLUMN IN A FRAME

Section: I, in4
W8x31 110
W18x50 800
W14x30 291

Column AB
At A, GA = 10 (practical value at hinge instead of infinity)

At B,

∴ From alignment chart (braced), KAB = 0.77

Prof. Dr. K.M. Amanat Dept. of Civil Engg. BUET, 2019

CE 319 : Design of Steel Structures 15

Compression Members - 3 14
EFFECTIVE LENGTH, KL, OF A COLUMN IN A FRAME
Section: I, in4
W8x31 110
W18x50 800
W14x30 291

Column FG
At F, GF = 1 (practical value at fixed base instead of zero

At G,

∴ From alignment chart (braced), KFG = 0.67

Prof. Dr. K.M. Amanat Dept. of Civil Engg. BUET, 2019

 CE 319 : Design of Steel Structures 15
Compression Members - 3 15

EFFECTIVE LENGTH, KL, OF A COLUMN IN A FRAME

Section: I, in4
W8x31 110
W18x50 800
W14x30 291

Column GH
At G,

At H,

∴ From alignment chart (unbraced), KGH = 1.15

Prof. Dr. K.M. Amanat Dept. of Civil Engg. BUET, 2019