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Aluminium Design and Construction John Dwight

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9.1.2 Classification of the cross-section (compression members)<br />

An early step in the checking of a compression member is to classify<br />

the section as compact or slender. If it is compact, local buckling is not<br />

a factor <strong>and</strong> can be ignored. If it is slender, local buckling will reduce<br />

the strength <strong>and</strong> must be allowed for.<br />

The classification procedure is first to classify the individual plate<br />

elements comprising the section, by comparing their slenderness ß with<br />

the limiting value ß s (Section 7.1.4). The classification for the section as<br />

a whole is then taken as that for the least favourable element. Thus for<br />

a section to be compact, all its elements must be compact. If one element<br />

is slender, then the overall cross-section is slender.<br />

Refer to Chapter 7 for the definition of the plate slenderness ß (Section<br />

7.1.3 or 7.4.5), <strong>and</strong> also for the determination of ß s (Table 7.1).<br />

9.2 EFFECTIVE SECTION<br />

9.2.1 General idea<br />

It is important to consider three possible effects which may cause local<br />

weakening in a member, namely HAZ softening at welds, buckling of thin<br />

plate elements in compression <strong>and</strong> the presence of holes. These are allowed<br />

for in design by replacing the actual cross-section with a reduced or effective<br />

one (of area Ae ) which is then assumed to operate at full strength.<br />

Reference should be made to Chapter 6 in dealing with HAZ softening,<br />

<strong>and</strong> Chapter 7 for local buckling. Chapter 10 gives advice on the<br />

determination of section properties.<br />

9.2.2 Allowance for HAZ softening<br />

Referring to Chapter 6, we assume that at any welded joint there is a<br />

uniformly weakened zone (HAZ) of nominal area Az , beyond which a<br />

step-change occurs to full parent properties. We take an effective thickness<br />

of kzt in this zone <strong>and</strong> calculate Ae accordingly, with the softening factor<br />

kz put equal to kz1 or kz2 depending on the type of resistance calculation<br />

being performed:<br />

Local failure of the cross-section kz =kz1 General yielding kz =kz2 Overall buckling kz =kz2 Alternatively a ‘lost area’ of Az (1-kz ) can be assumed at each HAZ,<br />

which is then deducted from the section area. This procedure is often<br />

preferable at a cross-section just containing small longitudinal welds,<br />

as it avoids the need to find the actual disposition of the HAZ material,<br />

Az for such welds being a simple function of the weld size (Section<br />

Copyright 1999 by Taylor & Francis Group. All Rights Reserved.

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