Optimum Unbraced Length Ratios of Slender Steel Sections

Abstract

To get minimum weight design of steel structures, selection of suitable steel section for design of a steel member is always been a point of great interest from a designer's point of view. Because of thin flanges and webs slender sections are lighter as compared to compact and non-compact sections. Aim of this research study is to determine the optimum unbraced length of slender steel sections under bending and compression effects. Required objectives are achieved by selecting a wide range of steel sections having non compact to slender webs and flanges. After making a careful selection of different steel sections, each steel section is analyzed under compression and bending for a given unbraced length of steel member and optimum values of flange and web slenderness are determined. Same procedure is repeated for all selected steel sections for different unbraced length ratios. Results have determined the optimum values of flange and web slenderness which can lead towards the minimum weight and cost of steel structures.