16.116 MEMBER PROPERTIES [Sect. B4.

TABLE B4.1a
Width-to-Thickness Ratios: Compression Elements
Members Subject to Axial Compression
Limiting
Case

Width-to- Width-to-Thickness
Description of Thickness Ratio r
Element Ratio (nonslender/slender) Examples
1 Flanges of rolled
I-shaped sections,
plates projecting
from rolled I-shaped
sections; outstanding
E
legs of pairs of b/t 0.56
angles connected Fy
with continuous
contact, flanges of
channels, and
flanges of tees
Unstiffened Elements

2 Flanges of built-up [a]

I-shaped sections
and plates or angle kcE
b/t 0.64
legs projecting from Fy
built-up I-shaped
sections

3 Legs of single
angles, legs of
double angles with
separators, and all
E
b/t 0.45
other unstiffened Fy
elements

4 Stems of tees E
d/t 0.75
Fy

5 Webs of doubly-
symmetric I-shaped E
h/tw 1.49
sections and Fy
channels

6 Walls of rectangular
HSS and boxes of E
b/t 1.40
uniform thickness Fy
Stiffened Elements

7 Flange cover plates

and diaphragm E
plates between lines b/t 1.40
Fy
of fasteners or welds

8 All other stiffened

elements E
b/t 1.49
Fy

9 Round HSS
E
D/t 0.11
Fy

Specification for Structural Steel Buildings, June 22, 2010

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION