DESIGN OF STEEL

STRUCTURES: EC-3
In terms of Questions and Answers

Abstract
This reports presents the explanation of various concepts in the design of steel structures in
terms of questions and answers

Kiran Acharya
acharyakiranraj@gmail.com
 Concepts in Structural Steel Design: EC-3

Table of Contents
A. General .................................................................................................................2
1) How are steel cross sections classified as per Eurocode? ....................................2
2) How the effects of local buckling is taken into account in class 4 sections? ........2
3) What are the various partial safety factors for steel and connections in Eurocode
3? 2
B. Materials ...............................................................................................................3
1) Material Properties for hot rolled steel ................................................................3
2) Material Properties for cold formed steel. ............................................................3
3) Design Values and Material Coefficients .............................................................3
C. Weld and Bolts ......................................................................................................4
1) What are the various types of welds? ..................................................................4
2) Explain in details the geometric considerations of the fillet weld. .......................6
3) How to calculate the resistance of a fillet weld? ..................................................6
4) How to calculate the resistance of bolts? ............................................................7
D. Design Checks.......................................................................................................9
1) What are the various checks for Tension and compression members? ................9
2) Explain in details the design checks for Tension Members. ................................9
3) How the net cross-section area Anet is calculated? ..............................................9
4) Explain in details the design checks for Compression Members. ........................9
5) Explain in detail the calculation of 𝝌 reduction factor for buckling. ..................10
E. Structural Analysis Type .....................................................................................12
1) What are the various types of structural analysis as per Eurocode-3? ..............12
2) What are the conditions for performing First-Order Analysis? .......................... 12
3) What are the various imperfections and how they are considered in EC-3? ......13
4) What are the various methods of analysis?....................................................... 14
5) How the effects of deformations are considered?...............................................14

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 Concepts in Structural Steel Design: EC-3

A. General

1) How are steel cross sections classified as per Eurocode?

(Ref : Eurocode 3, section 5.3.2, pg 76(52))
Four classes of cross-sections are defined as follows:

 Class1 cross-sections are those which can form a plastic hinge with the
rotation capacity required for the plastic analysis.
 Class 2 cross sections are those which can develop their plastic moment
resistance, but have limited rotation capacity.
 Class 3 cross-sections are those in which the calculated stress in the
extreme compression fibre of the steel member can reach its yield
strength, but local buckling is liable to prevent development of the
plastic moment resistance.
 Class 4 cross-section are those in which it is necessary to make explicit
allowances for the effects of local buckling when determining their
moment resistance or compression resistance.

2) How the effects of local buckling is taken into account in class 4

sections?
It is taken in to account by considering the effective width of Class 4 cross-
sections.

3) What are the various partial safety factors for steel and connections
in Eurocode 3?
(Ref : Eurocode 3, Table-1, pg 8(vi))

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 Concepts in Structural Steel Design: EC-3

B. Materials

1) Material Properties for hot rolled steel

(Ref: EC-3 3.2.2.1)

2) Material Properties for cold formed steel.

3) Design Values and Material Coefficients

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 Concepts in Structural Steel Design: EC-3

C. Weld and Bolts

1) What are the various types of welds?

(Ref : Eurocode 3, 6.6.2.1 pg 150 (126))

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Concepts in Structural Steel Design: EC-3

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 Concepts in Structural Steel Design: EC-3

2) Explain in details the geometric considerations of the fillet weld.

(Ref : Eurocode 3, 6.6.5 pg 157 (133))
a) Effective Length= overall length of the full-size fillet including the end
returns.
Note: No reduction in effective length need to be made for full size fillet weld.
Refer the code for further
b) Throat Thickness= minimum is 3 mm
SN Geometry Considerations
Effective Length  Overall length including end returns
for full size fillet. No need for
reduction in effective length.
 Should be ignored if effective
length=𝑀𝑖𝑛(40𝑚𝑚, 6𝑎), a=throat
thickness
Throat thickness  Shown in figure 6.6.6
 Should not be < 3 mm


3) How to calculate the resistance of a fillet weld?

(Ref : Eurocode 3, 6.6.5.3 pg 157 (133))

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 Concepts in Structural Steel Design: EC-3

The design resistance per unit length 𝐹𝑤,𝑅𝑑 is calculated as below.

𝑭𝒘,𝑹𝒅 = 𝒇𝒗𝒘,𝒅 𝒂

𝑓𝑣𝑤,𝑑 = 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑏𝑦

𝑓𝑢
𝒇𝒗𝒘,𝒅 =
√3 𝛽𝑤 𝛾𝑀𝑤
𝑓𝑢 = 𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑗𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑑
𝛽𝑤 = 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟
𝛾𝑀𝑤 = 1.25 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐸𝐶 𝑎𝑛𝑑 1.35 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑈𝐾

4) How to calculate the resistance of bolts?

(Ref : Eurocode 3, 6.6.5.3 pg 157 (133))

a) The design tension resistance is calculated for the bolt plate assembly. The design
tension resistance for the bolt plate assembly, 𝐵𝑡,𝑅𝑑 is the smaller of the design tension
resistance of the bolt, 𝐹𝑡,𝑅𝑑 and the design punching shear resistance of the bolt head
and the nut, 𝐵𝑝,𝑅𝑑 , calculated as below.

0.9𝐹𝑢𝑏 𝐴𝑠
𝐹𝑡,𝑅𝑑 =
𝛾𝑀𝑏

0.6𝜋𝑑𝑚 𝑡𝐹𝑢
𝐵𝑝,𝑅𝑑 =
𝛾𝑀𝑏

𝐵𝑡,𝑅𝑑 = 𝑀𝑖𝑛(𝐹𝑡,𝑅𝑑 , 𝐵𝑝,𝑅𝑑 )

𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒,

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Concepts in Structural Steel Design: EC-3

𝑓𝑢𝑏 = 𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑙𝑡

𝐴 = 𝐺𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑙𝑡
𝐴𝑠 = 𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑙𝑡
𝐷 = 𝑏𝑜𝑙𝑡 𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟
𝑡 = 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠

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 Concepts in Structural Steel Design: EC-3

D.Design Checks

1) What are the various checks for Tension and compression members?
(Ref : Eurocode 3, Section 5.1.3, pg 63(39))

2) Explain in details the design checks for Tension Members.

(Ref : Eurocode 3, Section 5.4.3, pg 89(65))
The design tension resistance 𝑁𝑠𝑑 of the cross-section is taken as the smaller
of:

a) The design plastic resistance of the gross cross-section

(𝐴𝑔 𝑓𝑦 )
𝑁𝑝𝑙,𝑅𝑑 =
𝛾𝑀𝑜
b) The design ultimate resistance of the net cross-section at holes for fasteners
(0.9𝐴𝑛𝑒𝑡 𝑓𝑢 )
𝑁𝑢,𝑅𝑑 =
𝛾𝑀2
Summary, 𝑁𝑠𝑑 = min(𝑁𝑝𝑙,𝑅𝑑 , 𝑁𝑢,𝑅𝑑 )

3) How the net cross-section area Anet is calculated?

(Ref : Eurocode 3, Section 5.4.2.2, pg 87(63))
The net area of a cross-section should be its gross area less the appropriate
deductions for all holes and other openings.
Unlike in AISC, gross area is deducted for a fastener hole, where 𝑑ℎ +
1/16 𝑖𝑛 (2𝑚𝑚) is considered in AISC.

4) Explain in details the design checks for Compression Members.

(Ref : Eurocode 3, Section 5.4.2.2, pg 87(63))
The design compression resistance 𝑁𝑐,𝑅𝑑 of the cross-section is taken as the
smaller of:

a) The design plastic resistance of the gross cross-section

(𝐴𝑔 𝑓𝑦 )
𝑁𝑝𝑙,𝑅𝑑 =
𝛾𝑀𝑜
b) The design local buckling resistance of the gross section

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 Concepts in Structural Steel Design: EC-3

(𝐴𝑒𝑓𝑓 𝑓𝑦 )
𝑁𝑜,𝑅𝑑 =
𝛾𝑀1
Note: The local buckling should be checked only for Class 4 section.
c) The buckling resistance of the member (section 5.5.1)
(𝜒𝛽𝐴 𝐴𝑔 𝑓𝑦 )
𝑁𝑏,𝑅𝑑 =
𝛾𝑀1

𝛽𝐴 = 1 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐶𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 1, 2, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 3 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠

𝐴𝑒𝑓𝑓
𝛽𝐴 = 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐶𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 4 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠
𝐴𝑔
𝜒 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑏𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑒 (𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒
𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑥𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑏𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑥𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑏𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑒)

5) Explain in detail the calculation of 𝝌 reduction factor for buckling.

(Ref: Eurocode 3, Section 5.5.1, pg 96(72))

The reduction factor for buckling,𝜒, depends on the buckling mode of the
compression member. In most of the case, the buckling mode is flexural
buckling and in some case it may be torsional or flexural torsional buckling
mode.
𝜒, can be calculated for uniform members and non-uniform members as
explained below.
𝑎) 𝑈𝑛𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚 𝑀𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑠 (5.5.1.2)
1
𝜒=
𝜑+ (𝜑2 − 𝜆`2 )0.5
𝜒≤1

Calculation of individual items

i) 𝛼 = 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟
 Get the imperfection factor from the table below corresponding
the buckling curve.

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Concepts in Structural Steel Design: EC-3

a, b, c and d is obtained corresponding to

 Calculate as below
0.5
𝛽𝐴 𝐴𝑓𝑦 𝜆
=( ) = (𝛽𝐴 )0.5
𝑁𝑐𝑟 𝜆1
 Calculate 𝜆1
𝜆1 = 𝜋(𝐸/𝑓𝑦 )0.5

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 Concepts in Structural Steel Design: EC-3

E. Structural Analysis Type

1) What are the various types of structural analysis as per Eurocode-

3?
(Ref: Eurocode 3, Section 5.5.1, pg 96(72))

There are four types of global analysis:

2) What are the conditions for performing First-Order Analysis?

First-order analysis is used if the following criteria is satisfied:

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3) What are the various imperfections and how they are considered in
EC-3?
The typical imperfections that will be present when designing a structure are:

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 Concepts in Structural Steel Design: EC-3

4) What are the various methods of analysis?

Ans: (Ref : 5.2.1.1)
There are two methods of analysis:
a) Elastic global analysis
b) Plastic global analysis

5) How the effects of deformations are considered?

It is considered by performing first order analysis or 2nd order analysis

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Concepts in Structural Steel Design: EC-3

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