NCCI: Critical axial load for torsional and flexural torsional buckling modes

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NCCI: Critical axial load for torsional and flexural torsional

buckling modes

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This NCCI gives the expressions for the critical axial load for the torsional buckling mode
and the flexural-torsional buckling mode.

General

2.

Torsional buckling

3.

Flexural-torsional buckling

4.

References

2
2
3
4

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Contents

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NCCI: Critical axial load for torsional and flexural torsional buckling modes
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General

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For the following common cases, torsional and flexural torsional buckling will not give a
lower mode than flexural buckling :

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Doubly symmetric I and H sections (provided that both flanges are restrained at positions
of lateral restraint)
Hollow sections

ya

However, in some particular cases, the torsional buckling mode or the flexural-torsional
buckling mode of an axially loaded member may correspond to a critical load lower than the
one corresponding to the flexural buckling mode, especially for open sections. This document
gives rules to determine the critical load for such cases.

04

This document deals with uniform members only and for which the conditions of restraint at
each end of the member are at least :

i_r

Torsional buckling

at

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restrained against lateral movement

restrained against rotation about the longitudinal axis

to

2 EI w
1

+
GI
t
io2
lT2

(1)

ed

N cr, T =

ha

The critical axial load Ncr.T for torsional buckling mode may be calculated from :

ns

with:

(2)

ial
.

where:

Li
ce

io2 = iy2 + iz2 + yo2 + z o2

is the Young modulus (E = 210000 N/mm2)

is the shear modulus (G = 80770 N/mm2)

It

is the torsion constant

Iw

is the warping constant

lT

is the buckling length regarding the torsional buckling mode. In general, lT should be
taken as the system length, except when a special device prevents the warping at the
ends of the member.

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yo and zo are the coordinates of the shear centre with respect to the centroid (see Figure 2.1).
For a doubly symmetric cross-section, the shear centre coincides with the centroid;
then yo = 0 and zo = 0
iy

is the radius of gyration of the cross-section about the strong axis

iz

is the radius of gyration of the cross-section about the weak axis

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NCCI: Critical axial load for torsional and flexural torsional buckling modes
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yo

zo

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Coordinates of the shear centre S with respect to the centroid G

Flexural-torsional buckling

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Figure 2.1

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The flexural-torsional buckling mode should be considered only when the shear centre does
not coincide with the centroid.

at

i_r

The critical axial load Ncr.TF for the flexural-torsional buckling mode is the smallest root of the
following cubic equation in N :

ha

io2 (N N cr, y )(N N cr, z )(N N cr, T ) N 2 yo2 (N N cr, z ) N 2 zo2 (N N cr, y ) = 0

ed

to

where

(3)

ns

Ncr,y and Ncr,z are the critical axial loads for flexural buckling about yy and zz axes
respectively

Li
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Ncr.T is the critical axial load for torsional buckling mode, see 2.
The equation may also be written as follows :
iy2 + iz2 3 1

2 N + 2 N cr, y zo2 + N cr, z yo2 (N cr, y + N cr, z + N cr, T ) N 2

i

io

ial
.

(4)

+ (N cr,y N cr,z + N cr,z N cr,T + N cr,T N cr,y )N N cr,y N cr,z N cr,T = 0

ed

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When the cross-section is symmetric about the y-y-axis (see Figure 3.1), the critical axial load
may be obtained from :

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N cr,TF =

io2
N + N
cr, y
cr,T
2
2
2 i y + iz

(N

+ N cr,T ) 4 N cr,y N cr,T

2

cr, y

iy2 + iz2
io2

(5)

When the cross-section is symmetric about the z-z-axis, Ncr.y should be replaced by Ncr.z in the
above expression.

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NCCI: Critical axial load for torsional and flexural torsional buckling modes
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yo

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Cross-section symmetric about y-y-axis

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References

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4.

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Figure 3.1

Timoshenko, S.P. and Gere, J.M.

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Theory of elastic stability. 2nd Edition. Mc Graw-Hill. 1961.

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Quality Record

RESOURCE TITLE

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NCCI: Critical axial load for torsional and flexural torsional buckling
modes

Reference(s)

Company

Date

Created by

A. BUREAU

CTICM

02/02/05

Technical content checked by

Y. GALEA

CTICM

02/02/05

Editorial content checked by

D C Iles

SCI

2/3/05

Name

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ORIGINAL DOCUMENT

G W Owens

2. France

A Bureau

3. Sweden

A Olsson

4. Germany

C Mueller

5. Spain

J Chica

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1. UK

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Technical content endorsed by the

following STEEL Partners:

Resource approved by Technical

Coordinator

CTICM

1/3/05

SBI

1/3/05

RWTH

1/3/05

Labein

1/3/05

SCI

21/04/06

to

1/3/05

ed

TRANSLATED DOCUMENT

G W Owens

SCI

ns

This Translation made and checked by:

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Translated resource approved by:

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