16.1–16 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
Sect. B4.] MEMBER PROPERTIES 16.1–17

TABLE B4.1b
Width-to-Thickness Ratios: Compression Elements
Members Subject to Flexure
Limiting
Width-to-Thickness Ratio
Case

Width-to- ␭p ␭r
Description of Thickness (compact/ (noncompact/
Element Ratio noncompact) slender) Examples
10 Flanges of rolled
I-shaped sections, E E
channels, and tees b/t 0.38 1.0
Fy Fy

11 Flanges of doubly [a] [b]

and singly symmet- E k E
Unstiffened Elements

ric I-shaped built-up b/t 0.38 0.95 c

sections Fy FL

12 Legs of single
angles E E
b/t 0.54 0.91
Fy Fy

13 Flanges of all
I-shaped sections E E
and channels in b/t 0.38 1.0
flexure about the Fy Fy
weak axis
14 Stems of tees E E
d/t 0.84 1.03
Fy Fy
15 Webs of doubly-
symmetric I-shaped E E
h/tw 3.76 5.70
sections and Fy Fy
channels
16 Webs of singly- hc E [c]
symmetric I-shaped hp Fy E
hc /tw ⎛ ⎞
2
≤ λr 5.70
sections Mp
⎜ 0.54 M − 0.09⎟
Fy
⎝ y ⎠

17 Flanges of
Stiffened Elements

rectangular HSS E E
b/t 1.12 1.40
and boxes of Fy Fy
uniform thickness
18 Flange cover plates
and diaphragm E E
plates between b/t 1.12 1.40
Fy Fy
lines of fasteners
or welds
19 Webs of rectangular
E E
HSS and boxes h/t 2.42 5.70
Fy Fy

20 Round HSS
E E
D/t 0.07 0.31
Fy Fy

[a] kc = 4兾 h / t w but shall not be taken less than 0.35 nor greater than 0.76 for calculation purposes.
[b] FL = 0.7Fy for major axis bending of compact and noncompact web built-up I-shaped members with Sxt /Sxc ≥ 0.7;
FL = Fy Sxt /Sxc ≥ 0.5Fy for major-axis bending of compact and noncompact web built-up I-shaped members with Sxt /Sxc < 0.7.
[c] My is the moment at yielding of the extreme fiber. Mp = plastic bending moment, kip-in. (N-mm)
E = modulus of elasticity of steel = 29,000 ksi (200 000 MPa)
Fy = specified minimum yield stress, ksi (MPa)

Specification for Structural Steel Buildings, June 22, 2010

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION