TENSION MEMBERS

• Tension members in Steel buildings

• Dierent types of tension members
• Failure Modes in tension Members
• Calculation of Design Strength
• Design of a tension member
 TENSION MEMBERS

• Structural member subjected to two pulling (tensile) forces applied at its ends

• Member subjected only to axial tension is supposed to be most eicient and economical. why?

• Tension members are subjected to uniform stress because their entire cross-section is used for carrying

axial forces

EQUILIBRIUM
TENSION MEMBERS
TYPES
TYPES OFOF TENSION
TENSION MEMBERS
MEMBERS

1. WIRES AND CABLES

• Wire ropes for used for hoisting purposes
• Guy wires or stays in steel stacks and towers for stability
• Individual wires (0.32 to 2.6 mm) - twisted into a helix to form STRANDS →
Several strands laid helically around a core (natural or synthetic) → WIRE ROPE (6-125mm)
• Flexibility and strength

hps://mechanicaljungle.com/what-is-wire-rope/
TYPES
TYPES OFOF TENSION
TENSION MEMBERS
MEMBERS

GUY WIRES
 TYPES
TYPES OFOF TENSION
TENSION MEMBERS
MEMBERS

WIRES AND CABLES

• Used as floor suspenders in suspension bridges and stays in

cable stayed bridges
• Made from INDIVIDUAL STRANDS wound together
• Flexibility and strength
• Cannot resist compression
TYPES
TYPES OFOF TENSION
TENSION MEMBERS
MEMBERS

2. BARS AND RODS

• Used in bracing systems, as sag rods to support purlins between trusses , to support girts in
industrial buildings, in arches to resist the thrust of the arch
• simplest forms of tension members
• inadequate flexural stiness → self weight or large drift during strong winds and the disturbing
noise induced by vibrations (Disadvantage)
• welded to the gusset plate or may be threaded and bolted
TYPES
TYPES OFOF TENSION
TENSION MEMBERS
MEMBERS

SAG ROD EYE BAR

TURN BUCKLE

THREAD AND BOLT

 TYPES
TYPES OFOF TENSION
TENSION MEMBERS
MEMBERS

3. PLATES & FLAT BARS

• In transmission towers, foot bridges,

• In columns as. lacing flats, baen plates, end tie plates etc
TYPES
TYPES OFOF TENSION
TENSION MEMBERS
MEMBERS

4. SINGLE AND BUILT UP STRUCTURAL SECTIONS

for light and medium loads

• Angles, Channels and I-sections

• Circular, Square, Rectangular hollow sections
• Built up sections – double angles and double channels
with or without additional plates

-to meet the required area

-are more rigid
-suiciently sti to carry compression &tension
TYPES OF TENSION
CONNECTIONS MEMBERS
OF TENSION MEMBERS

LUG ANGLES SPLICES GUSSET PLATES

FAILURE OF TENSION MEMBERS

• Stress in an axially loaded tension member is given by

P - magnitude of load, and

A - the cross-sectional area normal to the load

• Stress in a tension member is uniform throughout the cross-section except:

- near the point of application of load, and
- at the cross-section with holes for bolts or other discontinuities, etc.
• the reduced area of section( eg:b – b) will be subjected to higher stresses

•The reduced area of the member is called its net area = An

Area of bar at section b – b = (100 – 2 x10) x 8 =640mm2

•The unreduced area of the member is called its gross area = Ag

Area of bar at section a – a = 100 x8= 800 mm2
FAILURE OF TENSION
FAILURE OF TENSION MEMBERSMEMBERS

• A tension member can fail by reaching one of two limit states:

(1) excessive deformation; or (2) fracture

• Excessive deformation can occur due to the

yielding of the gross section along the length of the
member
• Fracture of the net section can occur if the stress
at the net section reaches the ultimate stress
• The objective of design is to prevent these failure
before reaching the ultimate loads on the structure

When designing tension members in steel, modes of “ failure ” are considered

Due to Yielding of Gross Section

Due to Rupture of Critical Section

Due to Block Shear

LIMIT STATE METHOD

Design strength of material =Actual strength/ Partial factor of safety

1.1 or 1.25
FAILURE OF TENSION
FAILURE OF TENSION MEMBERSMEMBERS

FAILURE BY YIELDING
• Excessive elongation of the member in longitudinal direction may take place before it fractures

• Will require a significant design overload and usually forewarn the occupants

T - factored design tension

Tdg - the design strength,
Ag - gross sectional area (mm²)
fy - the yield strength (MPa) = 250 MPa for standard
structural steel Fe 410,
ϒmo - the partial safety factor (=1.1).
FAILURE OF TENSION
FAILURE OF TENSION MEMBERS MEMBERS

FAILURE BY RUPTURE

• The fracture of the member when the net cross section of the member reaches the ultimate stress.
An - area after reducing area of bolt holes,
• Failure / Rupture” occurs at a failure surface defined by the location and quantity of bolt holes

• Will cause a sudden failure

Tdn - design strength in fracture,

fu - Ultimate strength of the material
ϒm1 - Partial safety factor for material
governed by ultimate stress (=1.25)

hps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8_anE16Gi4
 FAILURE
FAILURE OF TENSION
OF TENSION
FAILURE OF TENSION MEMBERS
MEMBERS MEMBERS
BLOCK SHEAR FAILURE
• A segment of block of material at end of member tears out
• when fewer high strength bolts are used resulting in smaller connection length

• the failure of the member occurs along a path involving tension on one plane

and shear on a perpendicular plane

Tdb - design strength in block shear

Avg and Avn - minimum gross and net areas in shear along the
line of action of force, respectively, and
Atg and Atn - minimum gross and net areas in tension from the
hole to the toe of the angle or next last row
of bolts in plates perpendicular to the line of force,
respectively
 FAILURE
FAILURE OFTENSION
OF TENSION
FAILURE OF TENSION MEMBERS
MEMBERSMEMBERS

hps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-tzdceowZY
Why is fracture (& not yielding) the relevant limit state at the net section?
Yielding will occur first in the net section. However, the deformations induced by yielding
will be localized around the net section. These localized deformations will not cause
excessive deformations in the complete tension member. Hence, yielding at the net section
will not be a failure limit state

hps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJSrZZKe2d8
 FAILURE OF TENSION MEMBERS – IS 800 :
FAILURE
DESIGN OF OF TENSION MEMBERS
TENSION MEMBERS
2007
IS 800:2007 SECTION 6: PG 30-34
 FAILURE OF TENSION MEMBERS – IS
FAILURE
DESIGN OF OF TENSION MEMBERS
TENSION MEMBERS
800:2007
 OTHER
SLENDERNESS PARAMETERS
OF TENSION MEMBERS

IS 800:2007 TABLE 3: PG 25
should be < Max Effective
Slenderness ratio

• Slenderness limits prevent undesirable lateral deflections and vibrations

• Also minimum specified compression strength is achieved
 OTHER
DISPLACMENT PARAMETERS
OF TENSION MEMBERS

Displacement/Deformation
- Increase in the length of tension member, under service load is

Δ - elongation of the member in mm

P - unfactored axial load in N
L - length of the member in mm
E - modulus of elasticity = 2 × 10⁵ MPa
Ag - gross cross-sectional area of member in mm²
Δ+L
L
 STRENGTH OF TENSION
NET AREA
MEMBERS
FINDING NET AREA – PLATES – SINGLE BOLT

= [ 100-1 x 22]10
=780 mm²

bolt dia +2
 STRENGTH OF TENSION
NET AREA
MEMBERS
FINDING NET AREA – PLATES – GROUP OF BOLTS-case 1
 STRENGTH OF TENSION
NET AREA
MEMBERS
FINDING NET AREA – PLATES – GROUP OF BOLTS-case 2
DESIGN STRENGTH OF TENSION MEMBERS

Tdg : STRENGTH BY YIELDING – ANGLES – WELDED /BOLTED

Compute the tensile strength of a single angle section ISA 150 × 115 × 8 mm connected, as shown in Fig for yielding
fu = 410 MPa, fy = 250 MPa ,

= 467727.7 N = 467.7kN
DESIGN STRENGTH OF TENSION MEMBERS

Tdn : STRENGTH BY RUPTURE – ANGLES - BOLTED

Compute the tensile strength of a single angle section ISA 100 × 75 × 8 mm connected through long leg with 20 mm diameter
bolts, 4 in numbers, as shown in Fig for net section rupture
fu = 410 MPa, fy = 250 MPa ,
DESIGN STRENGTH OF TENSION MEMBERS

< 1.44
DESIGN STRENGTH OF TENSION MEMBERS

Tdb : BLOCK SHEAR STRENGTH -BOLTED

Determine the block shear strength of the tension member shown in Fig. The steel is of grade Fe 410.
fu = 410 MPa, fy = 250 MPa ,
Shear area

Tension area

minimum
DESIGN STRENGTH OF TENSION MEMBERS

Tdn : STRENGTH BY RUPTURE – ANGLES -WELDED

Compute the tensile strength of an angle section ISA 150 × 115 × 8 mm of Fe 410 grade of steel connected
with the gusset plate as shown in Fig. for net section rupture

fu = 410 MPa, fy = 250 MPa ,

DESIGN STRENGTH OF TENSION MEMBERS

(average)

< 1.44
DESIGN STRENGTH OF TENSION MEMBERS

Tdb : BLOCK SHEAR STRENGTH -WELDED

Determine the block shear strength of the welded tension member shown.
fu = 410 MPa, fy = 250 MPa
DESIGN OF TENSION
DESIGN OF TENSION MEMBERS
MEMBERS
1. The trial gross area is also determined from its yield strength by

fy - yield strength of the material

ϒm0 - 1.1

2. Selecting Trial Section

From IS Handbook No.1, a suitable rolled section/built-up section providing a cross-sectional area
matching with the computed gross-sectional area is selected.
DESIGN OF TENSION
DESIGN OF TENSION MEMBERS
MEMBERS
3. Suitable connection detail
The number of bolts (or weld) required to make the connection is calculated.
These are arranged in a suitable paern and the net area of the section provided is calculated.
Eective net area is determined if the section selected is not connected with all of its elements.

4. Calculating Design Strength of the chosen section

The design strength Td of the trial section is calculated.
Tdn
Minimum of Tdg
Tdb

5. Check if design strength, Td > T, factored design load.

6.Check for slenderness

The slenderness ratio of the member is checked as per the IS specification
DESIGN PROBLEM

Design a tension member ( Equal Angle ) to resist an axial load of 200kN .

1. Calculating Area
Factored load = 1.5x200 kN = 300kN
Net area Ag = 300 x1000 / (250/1.1)
= 1321.5mm2

2. Selecting Trial Section

Selecting ISA 90X90X8 with area 1379 mm2

3. Suitable connection detail

4. Calculating Design Strength

5. Check if design strength, Td > T

6.Check for slenderness, if length is given

DESIGN PROBLEM

Design Strength
= minimum of
313.4
281.02
236.4
215.89

=215kN
 FACTORS AFFECTING STRENGTH OF TENSILE
FACTORS AFFECTING STRENGTH OF TENSION MEMBERS
MEMBERS
• Ductility
− increase in ductility allows a beer redistribution of stress concentration over the cross
section

• Eect of bolt holes

− Method of fabrication →Punching and Drilling
− Area of cross section → Arrangement of holes – Straight or Staggered → Net Area
− Spacing of fasteners
− Area reduces → strength reduces

• Geometry factor
− Ratio of gauge length to the bolt diameter of a bolted joint
− Smaller geometry factor → more eicient joint → higher tensile strength
− Large geometry factor → widely spaced bolts → non-uniform straining →
initiates local fracture of steel before stress equalization over the net section can take
place

• Bearing stress
− If the strength of plate material is lesser than that of the bolt material, the hole will
elongate and plate yields

• Shear Lag
− Non uniform stress distribution along connected and outstanding leg
FACTORS AFFECTING STRENGTH OF TENSILE
FACTORS AFFECTING STRENGTH OF TENSION MEMBERS
MEMBERS
BEARING STRESS ? SHEAR LAG ?

• Bearing stress is the force pushing against a • Occurs when members are connected to gusset plates by one
structure divided by the area. leg only.

• Magnitude of the bearing stresses aect the • The force transferred from the first bolt hole up to the last bolt
eiciency of the connected parts. hole will not be uniform. Consequently, connected leg will have
higher stress at failure than the outstanding leg. Since stress in
one part lags behind the other part of the section, it is referred to
as shear lag.

• However, at some distance away from the connection the stress

becomes uniform throughout the section.
FACTORS AFFECTING STRENGTH OF TENSILE
FACTORS AFFECTING STRENGTH OF TENSION MEMBERS
MEMBERS
WHAT ARE RESIDUAL STRESSES ?

• Residual stresses are the leftover stresses that

remained after the unequal cooling of hot-rolled
sections

• More prominent at joints where two or more plates are

connected. The fact that the joints are tending to
expand and push outwardly, other areas of the section
therefore strives to maintain equilibrium by pulling the
tensioned joint inwards.

• The materials in the section plates stretch even more

than what appears on the outside, creating premature
yielding and the stiness drops.

Why are unequal angles with long legs connected more eicient for tension members?

The shear lag reduces the eectiveness of the component of the section which is not
connected to the gusset plate. This results in a decrease in the strength of a tension
member. Therefore, area of steel in outstanding leg should be as small as possible. This
consequently results in unequal angle section with long leg connected since this will be
more eicient.