1.

Introduction to Structural Steel

Steel as Structural Materials of Construction

Steel is one of the most important structural materials of construction. It can be used for
construction of roof trusses of residence and industrial buildings of large span, frame work of
high rise and industrial buildings, long span bridges, storage tanks, transmission towers, any
structures built over poor foundation condition, and etc. A significant difference between steel
and concrete structures is that the designer has more control over the shape of reinforced concrete
elements. For steel structure, the designer is normally compelled to use standard rolled sections.
Advantages of Steel as Structural Materials
1. It is homogeneous, isotropic and elastic materials. These make structural steel design closer to
the assumption.
2. Steel members have high tensile and compressive strength compared to its unit weight.
Therefore, a steel member of a smaller section which has little self weight is able to support
heavy imposed loads.
3. Steel members are light in weight, and they can be conveniently handled and transported.
4. Steel, being a ductile material, does not fail suddenly, but gives visible evidence of impending
failure by large deflections.
5. Speed of erection of members of frame work of structures.
6. Additions and alterations can be made easily to steel structures.
7. Possible re-use after a structure is disassembled (steel has highest scrap value).
Disadvantages of Steel as Structural Materials
1.Steel rust or corrodes in normal exposure condition. Therefore, it needs frequent periodic
painting may be every two years. Alloying steel with copper may improve the situation, but
alloyed-steel is expensive.
2. Steel is not fire resistance material. Structural steel member is better to be imbedded in
concrete or other insulating materials to protect from fire.

Mechanical Properties of Structural Steel

The mechanical properties of structural steel are best be represented by stress-strain curve. Stress-
strain curve of steel are obtained by tension test of steel specimen, by continuously recording the
applied incremental tension load and the corresponding dial measuring of extension of gage
length of specimen. A typical stress-stain curve for structural steel is shown below.
Fu
Aproportional limit
D Byield point (for no obvious yield
F point, it is defined by 0.2% offset)
Fy
A Dultimate strength point
B C Ffracture point
stress ,
MPa OAelastic range
BCplastic range (continuous deformation
without any increase of loads)
CDstrain (work) hardening range (where
ES = 200GPa molecular arrangement takes place)
O
strain, (mm/mm)
In all structural steel design, either yield-strength or ultimate tensile strength of steel is
considered. Steel producers provide different grades for their products. These grades are based on
yield-strength of steel defined by point B of stress-strain diagram. The yield-strength specified
by steel produces is the guaranteed minimum value, and it is based on statistics of large number

1 Chapt.-1: Introduction to Steel Structures by Haftom G.

of tests. For example for A-36 steel, the guaranteed yield-strength is 250 MPa , but the most
likely value is on the order of 300 to 330 MPa .
The most commonly used grades of structural steel according to ASTM are:
A-36 steel (the most economical in terms of cost/unit mass) F y 250 MPa and
Fu 400 MPa and, A-50 steel (ASTM A-441 and A-588)
Fy 345 MPa and Fu 485 MPa
Other higher strength of structural steels are available with ASTM A-572 specification covering
several grades as A-42, A-45, A-55, A-60, and A-65 corresponding to guaranteed minimum yield
strengths of 290, 310, 380, 415, and 450 MPa , respectively. But, yield strength of these steels is
thickness dependent.
t 40 mm 40 mm t 100 mm
Fe-360 Fy = 235 MPa Fu = 360 MPa Fy = 215 MPa Fu = 340 MPa
Fe-430 Fy = 275 MPa Fu = 430 MPa Fy = 255 MPa Fu = 410 MPa
Fe-510 Fy = 355 MPa Fu = 510 MPa Fy = 335 MPa Fu = 490 MPa
Structural steel grades according to EBCS-3/95 are given in the table below.

Other important properties of steel that may be incorporated in design of steel structures
are as follows:
1. Modulus of Elasticity, Es: the typical range for all steel grades is 193 to 207 GPa . The value
for design is commonly taken as 200 GPa .
2. Shear Modulus, G: the shear modulus of any elastic material is computed as
E
G
2 1
where --poissons ratio taken as 0.3 for steel
Using = 0.3 gives G = 77 GPa .
3. Coefficient of Expansion, : may be taken as
11 .25 x 10 6 / 0 c
4. Mass density or weight density of steel:
Mass density = 7850 kg/m3
Weight density = 76.975 kN/m3
5. High Temperature Effects on Steel: Special consideration is not required for steel under
normal temperature. When the temperature is exceeding 200 0c, modulus of elasticity, yield-
strength and ultimate tensile strength of steel are deceasing. For example yield-strength of steel
at 500 0c is about 60 to 70 % of yield strength at normal temperature. The drop in strength is
rather marked at higher temperatures where the strength at 850 0c is about 15 %. Steel frames
need to be enclosed by insulating material to give fire protection to control the temperature of
the metal for a sufficient time for the occupants to seek safety. These fire insulators may
include gypsum-based products or light weight concrete that can be sprayed onto the member or
fiber insulation boards that are placed and banded to protect the steel.
6.Fatigue-Limit: Fatigue failure occurs when the structure is repeatedly loaded and unloaded
even if the stress developed at point in structure due to repeated loading is never exceeding the
yield point of steel. Large number repeated stress applications tend to cause a fracture of the

2 Chapt.-1: Introduction to Steel Structures by Haftom G.

 material at the location where small imperfection (may be microscopic) exists. A crack forms,
and depending on stress level, slowly progresses to failure of the part of member. Fatigue
problem exist only when tension involves. Fatigue strength of steel is the stress-level at which
member of material of steel is fractured up on application of given number of cycles of loading
of the same stress-level. The fatigue strength of steel is decreasing with the increase of the
loading cycles. The stress level that steel fails at constant value of stress after large number of
cycles of loading (at about 2 millions cycles) is known as fatigue-limit. Therefore, for design of
structure (like steel-bridge) subjected to more than 2 millions of cycles of loading in its life
time, fatigue-limit of steel has to be considered in addition to yield-strength and ultimate tensile
strength of steel. Since building structure is assumed on average subjected to less than 100,000
cycles of loading in its life time, fatigue is not important in design. A typical plot of fatigue-
strength viz. number of loading cycles of steel is shown below.
Fy
fatigue
strength,
MPa fatigue-Limit

100,000 2 millions N (no. of loading)

cycles

Rolled Structural Steel Sections

The followings are the most common types of steel rolled sections produced by steel mills and
they are available with different sizes. The design of steel sections is governed by cross-sectional
area and section-modulus. Therefore, tables of standard rolled sections must contain section
properties including cross-sectional area and section modulus that may be useful in selection of
the required section of members of structure.

Solid round Solid square Solid rectangular Plate Angle section

bar bar bar PL b x t (equal or unequal leg)
L b1 x b2 x t

Channel section Wide-flanged section Small-flanged section Tee section Square tube
C d x wt. W d x wt. (American standard beam) WT d x wt. ST d x t
S d x wt.

Plate-girders made up
of connection of
flanges and web plates

single wire or cables Built-up sections

Rectangular tube Circular tube composed of several made-up of connection
RT d x b x t CT d x t small wires of basic rolled sections

3 Chapt.-1: Introduction to Steel Structures by Haftom G.

4 Chapt.-1: Introduction to Steel Structures by Haftom G.