Week 13 Notes

Design of Plate Girders
Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed
(awais.ahmed@uetpeshawar.edu.pk)
Department of Civil Engineering

University of Engineering & Technology Peshawar
Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 1
Plate girder
A girder is a flexural member which is required to carry heavy
loads on relatively long spans

Plate girder
Plate girders are typically used as long-span floor girders in
buildings, as bridge girders, and as crane girders in industrial
structures
Commonly, the term girder refers to a flexural x-section made

up of a number of elements
They are generally considerably deeper than the deepest rolled

sections and usually have webs thinner than rolled sections
Modern plate girders are normally fabricated by welding

together two flanges and a web plate
Plate girder
Plate girders are at their most impressive in modern bridge
construction where main spans of well over 200m are feasible,
with corresponding cross-section depths, haunched over the
supports, in the range of 5-10m
Figure : Buffalo Bayou Twin Bridges in Houston (before WWII)

Plate girder
Changes in X-section
There is also considerable scope for variation of cross-section in
the longitudinal direction. A designer may choose to reduce the
flange thickness (or breadth) in a zone of low applied moment
Equally, in a zone of high shear, the designer might choose to

thicken the web plate
Changes in material
Alternatively, higher grade steel might be employed for zones of
high applied moment and shear, while standard grade would be
used elsewhere. So-called ”hybrid” girders with different
material strength in the flanges and the web offer another
possible means of more closely matching resistance to
requirements
Plate girder
Any cross-section of a plate girder is normally subjected to a
combination of shear force and bending moment
The primary function of the top and bottom flange plates of the
girder is to resist the axial compressive and tensile forces arising
from the applied bending moment
The primary function of the web plate is to resist the applied

shear force

Plate girder
Rolled beams are generally proportioned with relatively
compact webs and flanges, so local buckling and shear buckling
are not probable limit states
◮ Yielding limit state

◮ Lateral-torsional-buckling limit state requires to be considered
Plate girder
Plate girders are built-up beam members, therefore each
element may be designed individually to resist the applied
actions using proportions that ensure low self-weight and high
load resistance
◮ To produce the lowest axial flange force for a given bending
moment, the web depth must be made as large as possible
◮ To reduce self weight, the web thickness must be reduced to a
minimum
⇒ As a consequence, in many situations the web plate is of slender

proportion and is therefore prone to to buckling at relatively
low values of applied shear. Probable limit states are
◮ Yielding
◮ Lateral-torsional-buckling
◮ Flange local buckling, if flange is non-compact/slender
◮ Vertical flange buckling due to slender webs
◮ Bend buckling of web
◮ Shear buckling of web
⇒ Flexure and shear strengths of a plate girder are largely related
to the web
Plate girder
⇒ Girder flanges are usually proportioned with b/t ratios small
enough to preclude flange local buckling prior to attainment of
the yield moment of the cross-section
⇒ A web is usually proportioned with h/t ratio large enough to

cause buckling by bending or shear, or both, before the bending
moment is large enough to produce yield stress in the flanges
Web buckling does not determine the ultimate strength of a

plate girder
◮ Subsequent to elastic buckling, postbuckling strength develops
and may be taken into accout in determining the ultimate
strength
Plate girder
Criteria for design of plate girder may be based on
◮ Elastic bend-buckling strength
◮ Elastic shear-buckling strength
◮ Post-bend-buckling strength
◮ Post-shear-buckling(Tension field) strength
The designer has the choice of following four combinations

1 Elastic bend buckling + Elastic shear buckling
(conventional flexural behavior)
2 Elastic bend buckling + Post shear buckling
3 Post bend buckling + Elastic shear buckling
4 Post bend buckling + Post shear buckling

Elastic bend buckling strength
Since, plate girder web usually has high h/tw ratio, buckling
may occur as a result of bending in the plane of web

Elastic buckling strength of a typical plate is given by
kπ 2 E
Fcr =
12(1 − ν 2 )(h/t)2
◮ k varies with the aspect ratio (a/h) and with support conditions
The critical stress may be said to lie between
627, 000
Fcr = ksi for k = 23.9 (simple support at flanges)
(h/t)2
and
1038, 000
Fcr = ksi for k = 39.6 (full fixity at flanges)
(h/t)2
AISC/LRFD specified slenderness limits are given in TableB5.1

The bend buckling resistance of beam webs can be increased
considerably by reinforcing the slender webs with Longitudinal
stiffeners
This means that thinner webs can be used

Web stiffener usually consists of rectangular bars welded to web
Thin webs also require transverse stiffeners to increase their

resistance to shear
Longitudinal stiffeners are usually placed on one side of web

The main function of the longitudinal stiffeners is to increase the
buckling resistance of the web with respect to bending loads
Efficiency of stiffener is a function of its location in the

compression zone
The optimum location for a longitudinal stiffener has been

determined to be at least h/5 from compression edge

Stiffener acts as a beam supported at the ends where a vertical
stiffener holds the web in line
Stiffener acts as a beam column and hence must be

proportioned in terms of x-sectional area and moment of inertia
AASHTO specifies Is as

a 2
Is = ht3 2.4 − 0.13
h
The stiffeners must also be proportioned to resist local buckling

Multiple longitudinal stiffeners are used for large depth webs
⇒ Longitudinal stiffeners are not covered by the AISC

specifications because they attain large web slenderness by
accepting bend buckling of the web and taking the
postbucklinig strength into account
Postbuckling bending strength

Considering the case in which the bending strain increases after
Fcr
Upper edge of panel shortens and bottom edge lengthens,
consequently extreme fiber stress continue to increase provided
no lateral-torsional buckling
Because the web has buckled, the increase in stress is non-linear
As variation in post-buckled state is not known, simplified
assumptions are made
Non-linear compression is replaced with linear distribution
acting on effective depth be

The equation connecting the point atp which reduction in web
effectiveness assumed to begin (980/ Fy ) with the points
corresponding to M/My = 0.18 is
!
M Aw h 980
= 1 − 0.0005 −p
My Af t Fy

Nominal moment based on tension-flange yield is
Mn = Sxt Rpg Re Fyf
and on compression-flange buckling
Mn = Sxc Rpg Re Fcr
in which
Sxt = tension-flange modulus
Sxc = compression-flange modulus
Re = reduction factor for hybrid girders
Fyf = yield strength of flange
Fcr = smaller of critical stresses for LTB and flange local
buckling
Aw h 970
Rpg = 1 − 0.0005 −√
Af t Fcr

Vertical buckling of compression flange
Buckling of the compression flange in the vertical direction due
to inadequate stiffness of the web to prevent such buckling
If plate-girder web is too slender, the compression flange may
buckle in vertical plane at stress less than yield stress
The compression flange is a beam-column continuous over
vertical stiffener as supports
Its stability depends on stiffener spacing and relative stiffness of
the flange and the web
Vertical buckling of compression flange

AISC/ASD and LRFD limit the h/t ration by the given
equation (Appendix G1)
h 14, 000
≤p for a/h > 1.5
t Fy (Fy + 16.5)
In case of transverse stiffeners higher ratios are permitted

h 2000
≤ for a/h ≤ 1.5
t Fy

Elastic shear buckling
Shear buckling is seldom a determining factor in design of rolled
section but plate girders have much larger h/t so it must be
considered
Nominal shear strength for elastic shear buckling is given by

(spec: A-F2)
 s
 h k
0.6Fy Aw 0 < < 187


t F



 y

 p s s
 187 k/Fy k h k
Vn = 0.6Fy Aw 187 < < 234

 h/t F y t F y

 s
26400k h k


 (h/t)2 Aw > 234



t Fy

Transverse stiffeners are used to increase the buckling strength
by increasing factor k through a reduction in aspect ratio a/h
Transverse stiffener spacing can be determined from the

equation s
26400k h k
Vn = 2
Aw for > 234
(h/t) t Fy

with
5
k =5+
(a/h)2
gives the spacing as
 s
 363t h Fy
for > 523



1 + (h/a)2
s



 Vu

363
2 t

 −
 φAw h/t
a= s
 3251t h Fy
for 418 < < 523


1 + (h/a)2
 s



 1

Vu
2
251
2 t

 −
 Fy φAw h/t

The stiffener must be stiff enough to prevent them from
buckling with the web
This condition is satisfied provided the stiffener has a second

moment of area Is that satisfies the following requirement
(spec:A-F2-3, AISC/LRFD)
Is = at3w J
where 2
h
J = 2.5 − 2 ≥ 0.5
a
Therefore
h a
Is = 2.5ht3w − 0.8 ≥ 0.5at3w
a h

Postbuckling shear strength
The resulting shear stresses on an element of a web are
equivalent to principal stresses, one Tensile and one
Compressive, at 45o to the shear stress
Tension-field action
Once a web panel has buckled in shear, it loses its resistance to
carry additional compressive stresses
On the other hand tensile principal stress continues to increase

in strain in the diagonal direction
⇒ Such a panel has a considerable post buckling strength, since

increase in tension is limited only by yield stress

In the post-buckling range, a new load-carrying mechanism is
developed, whereby excess shearing forces, which are larger
than the shearing forces theoretically required to buckle the
web, are carried by diagonal tensile membrane stress field
This tension field anchors against the top and bottom flanges
and against the transverse stiffeners on either side of the web
panel
For these excess forces the girder will behave much like a Pratt
truss
In the post-buckling range, the resistance offered by the web

plates is analogous to that of the diagonal tie bars in the truss

Shear capacity of web including tension-field action Spec: G3
AISC/LRFD
s
h k
Vn = 0.6Fy Aw 0 < ≤ 187
t Fy
s
h k
For girders that cannot dvelop shear yield > 187
t Fy
" #
1 − Cv
Vn = 0.6Fy Aw Cv + p
1 − 1.15(a/h)2
For end panels and when a/h exceed 3.0 or [260/(h/tw )2 ]

tension-field action is not permitted
Vn = 0.6Fy Aw Cv
in which
 s s s
 187 k k h k
for 187 < < 234


 h/t F

Fy t Fy
y
Cv = s
 44000k h k
for > 234


 F (h/t)2

t Fy
y
Cv is ratio of web critical stress according to linear buckling

theory, to the shear yield stress

The value of k is given as
5
k =5+
(a/h)2
Required area of stiffener (LRFD)

Fyw Vn
Ast = 0.15Dhtw (1 − Cv ) − 18t2w
Fyst φVn
D accounts for eccentricity of the diagonal tension in the web

◮ D = 1 for pair of stiffeners,
◮ 1.8 for single angle and
◮ 2.4 for single plate stiffener
Combined bending and shear

Interaction diagram is based on Tension-field of webs
If the web is completely yielded in shear, any accompanying
moment must be resisted entirely by flanges

Combined bending and shear
For Vu /φVn ≤ 0.6, No interaction between Moment and Shear
For Mu /φMn ≤ 0.75, No interaction between Moment and Shear
For 0.6 ≤ Vu /φVn ≤ 1 and 0.75 ≤ Mu /φMn ≤ 1, plate girder webs

for tension field must satisfy the following interaction equation
(A-G5-1)
Mu Vu
+ 0.625 ≤ 1.375
φMn φVn
◮ Mn is nominal flexural strength (App; G2)

◮ Vn is nominal shear strength (App; G3)
Web stiffeners
Longitudinal stiffeners
Stiffeners to prevent bend buckling of webs usually consists of
rectangular bars welded to webs
Longitudinal stiffeners are usually placed on one side of web
Efficiency of stiffener is a function of its location in the

compression zone
The optimum location for a longitudinal stiffeners has been

determinied to be atleast h/5 from compression flange
Stiffener acts as a beam column and hence must be

proportioned in terms of x-sectional area and moment of inertia

Web stiffeners
Transverse stiffeners
Transverse stiffeners play an important role in allowing the full
ultimate load resistance of a plate girder to be acieved
In the first place they increase the buckling resistance of the

web
Secondly they must continue to remain effective after the web

buckles, to provide anchorage for the tension field
Web stiffeners

Web stiffeners
In figure 1 the stiffeners have remained straight
In figure 2 the stiffener has failed and has been unable to limit
the buckling to the adjacent sub-panels of the girder; instead,
the buckle has run through the stiffener position extending over
both panels. Consequently, significant reduction in the failure
load of the girder occurred
Bearing stiffeners
Bearing stiffeners are required at locations of concentrated
loads
◮ for example at locations of end reactions and at the point of
concentrated loads
They are placed in pairs
The stiffener must fit tightly against the loaded flange
A bearing stiffener is a column which support the load in
conjunction with the web. The amount of support provided by
these two elements is difficult to estimate.
According to AISC, a strip of web of width not more than 25tw
at interior and 12tw at exterior concentrated loads is considered
to be part of the cross-section, respectively.

Plate Girder Design Guidelines
&
Design Problem
Web proportioning
General guidelines
Depth of girder is influenced factors:

◮ Headroom
◮ Clearence for high water in deck bridges
◮ Traffic passing beneath the bridge
Depth: Overall girder depth, h, will usually be in the range L/12
to L/8
Occasionally lighter loads may be accomodated with L/20
Flange:
Mn Aw hg
Af = − , fg = f b
hg f g 6 h
or
Mu
Af ≈
Fy h
in which
◮ fb = Fy for LRFD
◮ hg = distance between center of gravity of two flanges
The breadth, bf , will usually be in the range h/5 ≤ bf ≤ h/3
Design of Plate girder
General design procedure
Appendix G is used for the design of Plate girders.

The first criterion necessary to separate a beam from a plate
girder is the web non-compactness limit hc /tw > 970/Fy
Flexure strength design
Plate girders have three possible modes of failure
◮ Compression flange vertical bucklng, A-G1-1 and A-G1-2
◮ Lateral Torsional Buckling
◮ Local buckling of compression flange
Calculate Fcr for each of these imit states and smallest governs
Mn is then dtermined from tension flange yield and compression
flange buckling
Then multiply Rpg and check capacity with demand
Once trial section modulus is satisfactory, need for bearing and
intermediate stiffeners is determined
Design of Plate girder

Need for stiffeners
Need for intermediate stiffeners is based on shear capacity of
section
If design depends upon Tension field action appendix G3 is
appropirate;, if not, sect; F2 should be employed
Need for bearing stiffeners is determined. The factored load
must not exceed φRn (section K1)
if any of the appropirate φRn values are exceeded by an end
reaction or concentrated load, bearing stiffeners are required
Flexure shear interaction is checked
Design bearing stiffeners
Design intermediate stiffeners

LRFD Plate Girder design procedure
Factored load
Maximum moment and shear
I. Flexure design of plate girder

A. Priliminary web design
◮ assume depth of girder h = L/12 to L/8
◮ assume depth of web hw = h − 2tf
◮ max; web slenderness based on non-copact section requirement
(section B5, Table B5.1, webs in flexural compression)
◮ web slenderness based on compression flange vertical buckling
(LRFD A-G1-1, A-G1-2)
◮ select optimum tw

B. Priliminary flange design
◮ Tentative area of flange Af
◮ select suitable tf
◮ Check for compactness (section B5, Table B5.1)
C. Check trial girder section

◮ Check remaining compression flange vertical buckling/ web
slendreness check
p
◮ If web slenderness is larger then 970/ Fy then;
◮ Check flange local buckling limit state (A-G2-11, A-G2-12,
A-G2-13)
◮ Calculate geometrical properties Ix , Sx , Iy
◮ Check Lateral-torsional buckling limit state (A-G2-7, A-G2-8,
A-G2-9, A-G2-10)
◮ Calculate design flexure strength (A-G2-1, A-G2-2)

II. Siffener design
D. Stiffener requirement
◮ Need for bearing stiffener is checked (section K1)
◮ Check need for intermediate stiffener (app G3)
◮ Determine stiffener spacing
◮ Flexure-shear interaction (app G5)
E. Design stiffener
◮ Design intermediate stiffener
◮ Design bearing stiffener
Example 4-10 (LRFD)

Design a welded plate girder to support a factored uniform load of 7
kips per foot and two concentrated factored loads of 150 kips
located 17 feet from each end. The compression flange of the girder
will be laterally supported only at points of concentrated load.

Example 4-10 (LRFD)
Given Maximum bending moment = 4,566 k-ft
Maximum vertical shear = 318k
Span = 48ft
Steel Fy = 50ksi
Assuming depth of girder: L/8 = (6)(12)/8 = 72in
Example 4-10 (LRFD)

A. Priliminary web design
Solution Assuming depth of girder: L/8 = (6)(12)/8 = 72in
Assuming web depth = 70in
1. Web thickness based on noncompactness
h 970
Table B5.1 ≤ ⇒ tw = 0.51in
tw Fy
2. Assuming a/h > 1.5,
A-G1-2 minimum thickness of Web based on flange vertical
buckling,
h 14, 000
≤p ⇒ tw = 0.29in
tw Fyf (Fyf + 16.5)
Choose thinnest web

Try web plate 70 x 5/16

Example 4-10 (LRFD)
B. Priliminary flange design
1. Required flange area
Mu (4566)(12)
Af = = = 15.7in2
Fy h w (50)(70)
Try 1 x 16 plate, Af = 16in2
Table B5.1 2. Check for compactness

bf 16 √
= = 8 ≤ 65/ 50 = 9.2, section is compact
2tf 2(1)
Example 4-10 (LRFD)

C. Check the trial girder section
Check web slenderness
p for a/h < 1.5
(A-G1-1) h/tw = 224 < 2000/ Fy = 282.8 0.k.
Calculate section modulus, Sx

X
Section A in2 d in Ay2 in4 Io in4 Igr in4
web 21.9 8932.3 8932.3
flange 16 35.5 20164 1.33 20165.33
flange 16 35.5 20164 1.33 20165.33
49263
Section modulus Sx = I/c = 49263/36 = 1368 in3

(App: G2) Calculate radius of gyration rT
rT = radius of gyration of compression flange plus
one-third of the compression portion of the web
Ioy = (1)(16)3 /12 = 341in4
1/6Aw = 16 + 1/6(21.9) = 19.65in2
Af + p
rT = 341/19.65 = 4.17 in
Example 4-10 (LRFD)
Check LTB of unbraced segment of beam
Check strength of 14ft segment

The moment in the unbraced segment is
nearly constant
Section F1.2a Therefore, Cb ≈ 1.0
Appendix G2 1. Limit state of latral torsional buckling

Lb (14)(12)
A-G2-7 λ= = = 36.0
rT p 4.67
A-G2-8 λp = 300/pFyf = 42.4
A-G2-9 λr = 756/ Fyf = 106.9
A-G2-4 Since λ < λp , Fcr = Fyf = 50ksi
Example 4-10 (LRFD)

2. Limit state of flange local buckling
A-G2-11 λ = bf /2tp
f = 16/2(1) = 8
A-G2-12 λp = 65/ Fyf = 9.2
A-G2-13 λr
A-G2-4 Since λ < λp , Fcr = Fyf = 50ksi
3. Find Rpg and moment capacity of the section

ar = 21.9/16.0 = 1.37
1.37 70 970
Rpg = 1 − −√ = 0.927
1200 + 300(1.37) 0.313 50
A-G2-1/2 Mn = 1368(1/12)(0.927)(1.0)(50) = 5284k − f t
φMn = 0.9(5284) = 4756k − f t > 4566k − f t 0.k

Example 4-10 (LRFD)
Check strength of 17ft panel
Appendix G2 or F1-3 For moment increasing approximately linearly
from zero at one end of the unbraced segment
to a maximum value at the other end,
Cb = 1.67
1. LTB check
Lb 17(12)
(A-G2-7) λ= = = 48.9
rT p4.17
(A-G2-8) λp = 300/pFyf = 42.4
(A-G2-9) λr = 756/ Fyf = 106.9
(A-G2-5) Since λp ≤ λ ≤ λr ,
1 λ − λp
Fcr = Cb Fyf 1 − ≤ Fyf
2 λ r − λp
Fc r = Fyf = 50ksi
Example 4-10 (LRFD)

2. Flange Local buckling
(A-G2-4) Fcr = Fyf = 50ksi (as for the 14-ft panel)
3. Moment capacity
(A-G2-3) Rpg = 0.927 (as for the 14-ft panel)
With Fcr = 50ksi, use equation A-G2-1 or A-G2-2
as applicable
Mn = 5284k − f t
φMn = 4756k − f t > 4395k − f t o.k

Example 4-10 (LRFD)
Use: Web : One plate 5/16 x 70
Flanges: Two plates 1 x 16
Example 4-10 (LRFD)

D. Stiffener requirement
1. Bearing Stiffeners
Section K1 a. Check bearing at end reactions

Assume point bearing (N=0) and 5/16-in web-flange
welds
check local web yielding

(K1-2) Rn = (5k + N )Fyw tw ; k = 7/8 + 5/16 = 1.3125in
φRn [5(1.3125) + 0](50)(5/16)
= 102.5k < 318k N.G
Therefore, provide stiffeners at unframed girder ends
(Note: if local web yielding criteria are satisfied,
criteria set forth in section K1.4 and K1.5 should also
be checked)
b. Bearing stiffeners are also required at concentrated

load points since102.5 < 150 N.G

Example 4-10 (LRFD)
2. Intermediate stiffeners
Appendix G3 a. Shear strength inpunstiffened end panel

h/tw = 224 > 418/ Fyw = 59.1
a/h = (15)(12)/70 = 2.9
Vu /Aw = 318/21.9 = 14.5ksi
Appendix G3 Tension field action is not permitted for end
panels or when a/h > 3.0 or [260/(h/tw )]2
Here, 2.9 > (260/224)2 = 1.35
In either of these cases, equations A-G3-3 and

F2-3 are both applicable,as they are equivalent
formulas
Section F2.2 Using equationF2-3

φ v Vn 0.9(132000)
F2-3 or table 9-50 = = 2.4 < 14.5 ksi
Aw (224)2
Therefore, provide intermediate stiffeners
Example 4-10 (LRFD)

b. End panel stiffener spacing
φ v Vn
F2-3 or table 9-50 Let = 14.5ksi and solve for a/h
Aw
Result: a/h = 0.45
a ≤ (0.45)(70) = 31.5in
Use a = 30in

Example 4-10 (LRFD)
Section F2.2 c. Check for additional stiffeners
Shear at first intermediate stiffener:
Vu = 318 − [7(30/12)] = 301k
Vu 301
= = 13.7ksi
Aw 21.9
Distance between first intermediate stiffener
and concetrated load
a = (17)(12) − 30 = 174in
a/h = 174/70 = 2.5
Then k = 5.8, and shear strength is inadequate
Therefore, provide intermediate stiffeners
spaced at 174/2 = 87in
a/h = 87/70 = 1.24
Example 4-10 (LRFD)

Appendix G3 maximum a/h for tension field action:
2 2
260 260
= = 1.35 > 1.24
(h/tw ) 224
Design for tension field action

For a/h = 1.24 and h/tw = 224
5
A-G3-4 k =5+ = 8.2
1.242 p
Appendix G3 h/tw = 224 > 234 8.2/50 = 95
44, 000(8.2)
A-G3-6 Cv = = 0.14
(224)2 (50) " #
φ v Vn 1 − 0.14
A-G3-2 = (0.9)(0.6)(50) 0.14 + p
Aw 1.15 1 + (1.24)2
= 16.5 ksi > 13.7 ksi

Example 4-10 (LRFD)
d. Check center 14-ft panel
h/tw = 224
a/h = (14)(12)/70 = 2.4 > 1.35
k = 5.0
Cv = 0.12
φ v Vn
(A-G3-3) = 2.4ksi
Aw
Vu 49
= = 2.2ksi <2.4 ksi o.k
Aw 21.9
Example 4-10 (LRFD)

3. Flexure-Shear interaction
Appendix G5 Check Vu /φVn and Mu /φMn at intermediate stiffener

and concetrated load locations in tension field panel:
Location Vu φVn Vu /φVn Mu φMn Mu /φMn
2.5 ft 301 318 0.95 744 4756 0.16
9.75 ft 250 361 0.69 2769 4756 0.58
17 ft 199 361 0.55 4395 4756 0.92
Vu Mu
Since 0.6 ≤ ≤ 1.0 and 0.75 ≤ ≤ 1.0
φVn φMn
do not occur simultaneously at 2.5, 9.75 and 17ft
Interaction equation A-G5-1 need not be checked
Space stiffener as shown in figure

Example 4-10 (LRFD)
Example 4-10 (LRFD)

E. Stiffener design
Let stiffener Fyst = 36ksi
1. Intermediate stiffeners
a. Area required (Single plate stiffener)
Vu
For single plate stiffener or when <1
φVn
use equation
A-G4-2
Fyw Vu 2
A-G4-1 Ast = 0.15Dhtw (1 − Cv ) − 18tw ≥ 0
Fyst φVn
h=70in
tw = 0.3125in
D = 2.4
Cv = 0.14
Vu = 250k
φVn = 361k
Ast = 4.07in2
Try one bar 5/8 x 7

Example 4-10 (LRFD)
b. Check width-thickness
p ratio
Table B5.1 7/0.625 = 11.2 < 95/ Fy = 15.8 o.k
c. Check moment of inertia

Appendix F2.3 Ireq = at3w j
A-F2-4 j = −0.4 < 0.4, take j = 0.5
Ireq = 87(5/16)3 (0.5) = 1.33in4
If urn = (1/3)(0.625)(7)3 = 71.5in4 o.k
Example 4-10 (LRFD)

2. Bearing stiffeners
At end of girder, design for end reactions
Try two 5/8 x 8 in bars
a. Check width-thickness
p ratio (local buckling check)
Table B5.1 8/0.625 = 12.8 < 95/ Fy = 15.8 o.k
b. Check compressive strength

I = (5/8)(16.31)3 /12 = 226in4
Aef fr= (2)(8)(5/8) + [(12)(5/16)2 ] = 11.17in2
226
r= = 4.50in
11.17
KL = 0.75h = 0.75(70) = 52.5in
KL/r = 52.5/4.5 = 11.7, λc = 0.13
E2-2 φFcr = 30.38

Example 4-10 (LRFD)
Example 4-10 (LRFD)

Design strength
φPn = φFcr Ag = (30.38)11.17 = 339k
339k > 318k o.k
c. Check bearing criterion

Design strength:
φRn = (0.75)1.8Fy Apb
Apb = 2(8 − 0.5)(5/8) = 9.4in2
0.5 accounts cutout for the fillet weld connecting flange
and web
φRn = 456k > 318k o.k
Use two plates 5/8
5/ x 8

Home assignment
1 Give a flexure design of a welded plate girder to support a
factored uniform load of 4.3 kips per foot and two concentrated
factored loads of columns 188 kips located 20 feet from each
end. Total span of girder is 60ft. The compression flange of the
girder will be laterally supported only at points of concentrated
load. A36 steel
2 Determine the spacing and design intermediate stiffeners for the

above girder. A36 steel
3 Determine bearing stiffeners for the above girder. A36 steel

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Design of Plate Girders

Department of Civil Engineering

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 1

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 2

Commonly, the term girder refers to a flexural x-section made

They are generally considerably deeper than the deepest rolled

Modern plate girders are normally fabricated by welding

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 3

Figure : Buffalo Bayou Twin Bridges in Houston (before WWII)

Equally, in a zone of high shear, the designer might choose to

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 5

The primary function of the web plate is to resist the applied

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 6

◮ Yielding limit state

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 7

⇒ As a consequence, in many situations the web plate is of slender

⇒ A web is usually proportioned with h/t ratio large enough to

Web buckling does not determine the ultimate strength of a

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 9

The designer has the choice of following four combinations

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 10

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 11

Elastic bend buckling strength

AISC/LRFD specified slenderness limits are given in TableB5.1

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 12

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 13

Elastic bend buckling strength

Thin webs also require transverse stiffeners to increase their

Longitudinal stiffeners are usually placed on one side of web

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 14

Efficiency of stiffener is a function of its location in the

The optimum location for a longitudinal stiffener has been

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 15

Elastic bend buckling strength

Stiffener acts as a beam column and hence must be

The stiffeners must also be proportioned to resist local buckling

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 16

⇒ Longitudinal stiffeners are not covered by the AISC

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 17

Postbuckling bending strength

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 18

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 19

Postbuckling bending strength

Mn = Sxt Rpg Re Fyf

and on compression-flange buckling

Mn = Sxc Rpg Re Fcr

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 20

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 21

Vertical buckling of compression flange

In case of transverse stiffeners higher ratios are permitted

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 22

Nominal shear strength for elastic shear buckling is given by

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 23

Elastic shear buckling

Transverse stiffener spacing can be determined from the

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 24

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 25

Elastic shear buckling

This condition is satisfied provided the stiffener has a second

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 26

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 27

On the other hand tensile principal stress continues to increase

⇒ Such a panel has a considerable post buckling strength, since

Asst.Prof. A. Ahmed CE409-Design of steel structures 28