Simple Braced Non-Sway Multi-Storey Buildings

Lecture 13

1. INTRODUCTION
Simple braced non-sway frames probably offer at present the most cost effective structural solution for multistorey steel buildings. As a simple frame is not able to resist any horizontal loads, the lateral stability of the entire structure is provided by the bracing system(s), while vertical loads are resisted by both the frame and the bracing system.

Figure 1: A simple braced, non-sway frame

2. ELEMENTS OF THE STRUCTURE

2.1 Bracing Systems Possible configurations of bracing systems as shown in Figure 2 are:
Braced-bay frames Reinforced concrete cores/walls Rigid jointed frames

Figure 2: Configurations of bracing systems

Figure 3: Details appropriate to cross-braced system

Figure 4: Construction details appropriate to K-braced system

 The location of the bracing systems in plan within the structure will influence the efficiency with which the lateral forces can be resisted. The most appropriate position for the bracing systems is in the periphery of the building (Figure 5a) since this arrangement provides the largest overall torsional resistance. The minimum number of bracing planes required for the provision of translational and torsional stability is 3. These planes should not meet at one point since this could be a pole of rotation.

Figure 5: Positions of bracing systems within a structure

2.2 Simple Frames (a) The structural grid In all structural framing, the greatest cost effectiveness can be achieved through a high repetition of similarly fabricated components. Essentially, a regular column grid is significantly less expensive than a non-regular grid for a given floor area,

Figure 6: Alternative beam arrangements

Figure 7: Span ranges of different beam systems

Figure 8: Typical arrangement of beams for a composite floor system

(b) Connections As discussed above, the beam-to-column and beam-to-beam connections are assumed to function as 'pins' and should therefore be detailed accordingly. It should be noted that a 450mm deep steel 'I' section spanning 6m experiences a 10mm shift between the upper and lower flange at the connection when subjected to the ultimate uniformly distributed load (Figure 9). Consequently, connection details should be adopted which can accommodate this magnitude of rotation without transferring significant moment.

Figure 9: Potential rotation at the end of a simply supported beam

Figure 10: Types of simple connection

3. DESIGN OF THE STRUCTURE

3.1 Loads and Their Combination Permanent loads (G) including the self weight of:
structural elements secondary non-structural elements services

Imposed floor loads (Q) Wind loads (W) Seismic loads (E) Snow loads (S) for the design of the roof.

The most usual combinations of actions for the type of buildings under discussion are: Serviceability limit state
Beam deflections Frd = G + Q Frd = Q

It should be noted that the deflection limits are different for the combinations above Ultimate limit state
For the simple frame: FHd = 1,35 G + 1,5 Q For the bracing system: Vr,Hd = 1,35 G + 1,5 Q + y 1,5 W Vr,Hd = 1,35 G + 1,5 yo Q + 1,5 W Vr,Hd = G + Q + E

3.2 Beam Design Beams are designed as simple spans, neglecting any continuity at the supports. When the beam moments and shears are known from the analysis, the beam dimensions may be determined. It should be noted that most conventional types of floor slab construction will provide adequate positional restraint to the top (compression flange) of the beam.

Figure 11: Dominant design criterion for different beam span

3.3 Column Design The ultimate axial load in columns is derived from the cumulative total of the ultimate support reactions from those beams which frame into the column. As the column node points are positionally restrained, the maximum effective column length (Le) for buckling considerations is 1,0L, where 'L' is the length of the column segment.

3.4 Bracing System The bracing system must satisfy certain criteria in order that the frame may be correctly classified as braced and nonsway. This requires that both the interstorey shifts and the lateral deflections of the structure as a whole must be limited, the limits depending on the sensitivity of the structural elements to shear deformations.

 The limits recommended by Eurocode 3 [1] are:

h/300 for the interstorey drifts ho/500 for the structure as a whole

where
h is the storey height ho is the overall height of the building

3.5 Connections The connections should be designed and detailed to prevent excessive transfer of moment between the beams and columns. The beam-to-column and beam-to-beam connections are designed principally to resist the shear due to the vertical beam reaction.