UNDERSTANDING ASCE-10 COMPRESSION AND TENSION DESIGN IN PLS-TOWER

Author: Alberto Len Zuluaga Gmez, BS in Civil Engineering, Universidad Nacional de Colombia,
Colombia and MS in Structural Engineering and Civil Construction, Universidade de Braslia, Brazil.
Company: Interconexin Elctrica S.A. - ISA. (www.isa.com.co)
E-Mail: alzuluaga@isa.com.co; alzgnike@hotmail.com

ABSTRACT

This paper has the objective of showing through two simple flow charts, how PLS-Tower develops
the compression and tension design according to the ASCE-10 requirements. It is intended to
present information about the design results that the program performs internally, and do so in a
simpler, more understandable form.

The information contained in this article only applies when dealing with ASCE-10 requirements;
however, it could be easily extrapolated to other design codes that the PLS-Tower supports, like
AS-3995, Canada S37, PN-90/B-03200, etc.

NOTATION

Variable Short definition

a Width of single angle short leg [in]
Member effective area [in]
Gross cross-sectional area [in]
Net cross-sectional area [in]
Minimum net area in tension from the hole to the toe of the angle perpendicular to the
At
line of force [in]
Minimum net area in shear [in]
b Width of single angle long leg [in]
Connection bearing capacity [kips]
1 Eccentricity code
2 Restrain code
Column slenderness ratio
Compression capacity based on member slenderness L/r column slenderness ratio

[kips]
Angle legs connection code (Both, Long only or Short only)
Nominal diameter of bolt [in]
Diameter of attachment hole [in]
End distance of bolt hole [in]
Modulus of elasticity of steel [ksi]
f Short edge distance of bolt hole [in]
Design axial compressive stress [ksi]
Critical stress for local buckling [ksi]
Design axial tensile stress [ksi]
Specified minimum tensile strength [ksi]
Variable Short definition
Specified minimum yield stress [ksi]
Effective length factor
Unbraced length of member [in]
Unbraced member length about its local x-axis [in]
Unbraced member length about it local y-axis [in]
Unbraced member length about it local z-axis [in]
Number of angles in cross section
Number of bolts in end connection
Number of bearing areas per bolt
Number of holes to be deducted
Number of shear planes per bolt
Tension capacity based on net section [kips]
Member radii of gyration [in]
Connection block shear capacity [kips]
Connection rupture capacity [kips]
Connection end, edge or spacing distance capacity [kips]
Alternate unbraced length ratio for crossing diagonals
Member unbraced length ratio for its local x-axis
Member unbraced length ratio for its local y-axis
Member unbraced length ratio for its local z-axis
Member radii of gyration for its local x-axis [in]
Member radii of gyration for its local y-axis [in]
Member radii of gyration for its local z-axis [in]
Bolt spacing [in]
Connection shear capacity [kips]
Thickness of element [in]
Design shear capacity of one bolt [ksi]
Flat-width of element [in]
/ Width to thickness ratio
Unit factor (1.0 for in ksi and 2.62 for in MPa)
%ratio Absolute value of the tension force in the supporting member divided by the force in
the compressed member

DISCLAIMER

The author will be not responsible for any information contained in this article. The conclusions
and recommendations should be used by an experienced engineer, and Licensee assumes all
responsibility for the design assumptions and results.
Figure 1. Compression design flow chart

Tension capacity based on net section,
Members connected by Members connected by
both legs, (CL=Both): long leg, (CL=Long Only):
CAPACITY IN TENSION
Figure 2. Tension design flow chart
Connection shear capacity, Connection bearing capacity, Connection rupture capacity,
Members connected by short leg, 1
(CL=Short Only): (number of angles in cross section) if
= 1 or 2, or /1
t / 2 if = 4 / 2
1 /
12
REFERENCES

(1) TOWER Version 12.3 Manual. Power Line System, Inc . 2012.
(2) ASCE 10 (1997). Design of Latticed Steel Transmission Structures. American Society of Civil
Engineers. Reston, Va.