Structural Steel Design CE 434

Analysis and Design of Compression Members

Lecture 21
Effective Length Factor (Stiffness Method)

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh

Eng. Mutaz AL-Dwairy

1
 Design of Compression Members 2

Definition of Sidesway
Sidesway is defined as a lateral movement of top of a vertical member relative to
its bottom.
Sidesway may occur in frames or columns.

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 3

Causes of Sidesway in Frames

Sidesway occurs in frames due to:
1. The presence of lateral loads
2. Unsymmetrical loads
3. The frames themselves are unsymmetrical.

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 4

Frames with Sidesway (Sidesway Uninhibited )

P

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Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 5

Frames Without Sidesway (Sidesway Inhibited )

No Sidesway No Sidesway No Sidesway

(symmetrical loads and frame) (frame is restrained) (frame is restrained)

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 6

Frames Without Sidesway (Sidesway Inhibited )

Frames with diagonal-bracing or rigid shear-wall are prevented from sidesway.

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 7

Sidesway In Columns
Sidesway occurs in columns whose ends can move transversely when
they are loaded until buckling occurs.

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 8

Rotational-Stiffness
Rotational Stiffness of the member is the moment needed to produce a unit
rotation at one end of a member.
For example if the member is hinged at near-end (A) and fixed at far-end (B), the
4𝐸𝐼
moment required at A to induce a unit rotation at A is (in other words,
𝐿
4𝐸𝐼
Rotational-Stiffness of the member is )
𝐿

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 9

Effective Length Factor

According to AISC, the effective length factor can be determined using two
methods:

1. Tabulated factors for columns with idealized support conditions.

2. Alignment charts for columns in a rigid framed structure.

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 10

1) Tabulated Factors
These factors had been explained
previously.
But it is worth to mention that
these factors were developed for
idealized conditions of end-restraint
for sway and nonsway columns,
which may be very different
from practical design conditions.

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 11

2) Alignment Charts
For columns in a frame with rigid joint, the effective-length factor depends on
amount of the rotational-restraint at the end of a particular column. So the
alignment charts were developed to determine the effective-length factor based on
the restraint provided at each end of the column.

rigid joints

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 12

2) Alignment Charts
The rotational-restraint at the end of a particular column depends on the column
rotational- stiffnesses and the girder rotational-stiffnesses meeting at that joint.
Therefore, it is rational to express the amount of the rotational-restraint at the end
of a column by this ratio:
Column Rotational−Stiffnesses
G=
Girder Rotational−Stiffnesses
The alignment charts have been developed based on this ratio G, which
represents an analogous Joint-weight.

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 13

Relationship between G-Factor and Rotational-Restraint

Column Rotational Stiffnesses
G=
Girder Rotational Stiffnesses

girder girder girder girder

Column

Column
Case (1) Beam-Column Joints Case (2)

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 14

Alignment Charts for Braced and Unbraced

Frames
𝐸 𝐼 𝐼
∑ 𝑐𝑐 ∑τ𝑐( 𝑐 )
𝐿𝑐 𝐿𝑐
𝐺= 𝐸𝑔 𝐼𝑔 = 𝐼𝑔
∑ ∑τ𝑔( )
𝐿𝑔 𝐿𝑔
Ec=Eg=29,000 ksi rigid joints

τ𝑐 →Stiffness-reduction factor
for columns
τ𝑔 → Stiffness-modification
factor for girders
Civil Engineering Department
Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 15

Example (1)
Determine the effective length factors for column ABC shown in the Figure below.
Column section is W14x82. Consider column buckling to occur in-plane about the
major-axis (x-axis) of column ABC and bending in the girders occur about the
major-axis (x-axis). The default case for the multi-story frame shown is sidesway
uninhibited for an unbraced column.
Pu
W18x50 C W18x50

W14x82 W14x82
L=35-ft L=35-ft
14-ft
W24x55 B W24x55
L=35-ft L=35-ft
14-ft
A

Civil Engineering Department

Multi-story multi-bay plane frame.
Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Civil Engineering Department
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 16

Solution (1)
Section stiffness parameters.

Section (Ix)-in4 (Iy)-in4 (Ix/L)

Pu
W18x50 800 40.1 22.85
W24x55 1360 29.1 38.86 C
22.85 22.85
W14x82 881 148 62.9

τc=1.0
62.93
38.86 B 38.86

τc=1.0
62.93
A

Multi-story frame showing (Ix/L) ratios.

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Civil Engineering Department
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 17

Joint Elastic-weights and Effective-Length Factors

𝐼
∑τ𝑐( 𝑐 )
𝐿𝑐
Joint 𝐼𝑔 Gj-value
∑τ𝑔( )
𝐿𝑔

A ----- 10

162.93  162.93
B 138.86  138.86 1.62

162.93
C 122.85  122.85 1.38 G=10 for Hinge and Roller supports
G=1 for fixed support

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Civil Engineering Department
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 18

Example (2)
Using the same multi-story frame of Example (1), let column part BC to be
subjected to Pu=250 kips and part AB to be subjected to Pu=600 kips.
Pu

c
 Pu  22.85 C 22.85
 ksi
A 

τc=1.0
 g 

(250kips)
62.93
38.86 B 38.86

τc=0.45
(600kips)
62.93
A

Values of  c → Table 4-1 (p. 4-20) Multi-story frame showing (Ix/L) ratios.

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Civil Engineering Department
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 19

Joint Inelastic-weights and Effective-Length Factors

𝐼 Column Ga-Gb Kx-value

∑τ𝑐 (𝐿𝑐 )
𝑐
Joint 𝐼𝑔
Gj-value
∑τ𝑔(𝐿 )
𝑔 AB 10-1.17 1.9
(Sidesway-uninhibited) (2.0)
A ----- 10
BC 1.17-1.38 1.4
162.93  0.4562.93
B 138.86  138.86 1.17 (Sidesway-uninhibited) (1.48)

162.93
C 1.38
122.85  122.85

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Civil Engineering Department
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 20

Alignment charts for effective length of columns in

continuous frames.

K=0.86

K=0.77

K=1.9

K=1.4

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Civil Engineering Department
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 21

Stiffness-Reduction Factor  c 

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Civil Engineering Department
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 22

Stiffness Modification Factors For Various

Girder Far Ends
𝐸 𝐼 𝐼
∑ 𝑐𝑐 ∑τ𝑐( 𝑐 )
𝐿𝑐 𝐿𝑐
𝐺= 𝐸𝑔 𝐼𝑔 = 𝐼𝑔 𝝉𝒈 = 𝟏 for continuous far-end
∑ ∑τ𝑔( )
𝐿𝑔 𝐿𝑔
in girders
Ec=Eg=29,000 ksi
(𝝉𝒈 )

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 23

Effect of Far-End Condition

Example (3)
For the column ABC of example 3.14, if the frame is modified such that end E is
hinged, as shown in Figure 3.17. Column and girder sections remain the same as
in the previous example. Determine the effective length factors of column ABC
using inelastic-weights. Pu

22.85 C 22.85
τg=2 D

τc=1.0
62.93
Multi-story frame showing (Ix/L) ratios, 38.86 B 38.86 E
τc , and τg. τg=1.5

τc=0.45
62.93
.
A

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Civil Engineering Department
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 24

Joint Inelastic-weights and Effective-Length Factors

𝐼
∑τ𝑐 (𝐿𝑐 )
𝑐
Joint Gj-value Column Ga-Gb Kx-value
𝐼𝑔
∑τ𝑔(𝐿 )
𝑔

AB 10-0.94 0.86
A ----- 10 (Sidesway-inhibited)

162.93  0.4562.93 BC 0.94-0.92 0.77

B 138.86  1.538.86 0.94 (Sidesway-inhibited)

162.93 Refer to slide 20 for alignment-charts

C 0.92
122.85  222.85

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Civil Engineering Department
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 25

Important Hints
Multi-story frame showing (Ix/L) ratios, Multi-story frame showing (Ix/L) ratios,
τc , and τg. τc , and τg.
. .

Pu Pu

22.85 C 22.85 D 22.85 C 22.85

τg=1 τg=2 D

τc=1.0
τc=1.0

62.93
62.93

(BC)-Braced-column
38.86 B 38.86 E 38.86 B 38.86 E
τg=1.5

τc=0.45
τg=1
τc=0.45

62.93
62.93

(BC)-Unbraced-column
(AB)-Braced-column
A (AB)-Braced-column A

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Civil Engineering Department
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy
 Design of Compression Members 26

Important Hints
Multi-story frame showing (Ix/L) ratios, Multi-story frame showing (Ix/L) ratios,
τc , and τg. τc , and τg.
. .

Pu Pu
Rolling Fixed-End
D 22.85 C 22.85
22.85 C 22.85
τg=2 D
τg=0.67

τc=1.0
τc=1.0

62.93
62.93

(BC)-Unbraced-column (BC)-Unbraced-column
38.86 B 38.86 E 38.86 B 38.86 E
τg=0.5

τc=0.45
τg=1.5
τc=0.45

62.93
62.93

(AB)-Braced-column (AB)-Unbraced-column
A A

Civil Engineering Department

Prof. Ghazi Abu-Farsakh
Civil Engineering Department
Eng. Mutaz M AL-Dwairy