Design of Single and Multiple Angle Columns and Beams

Abstract

Metal angle sections, singly or in combination, acting as concentric or eccentric columns, beams, or beam-columns, may buckle in flexure or torsion, or combinations thereof. The behavior of such structural elements is discussed, and simplified design formulas using a uniform treatment are suggested. The use of normalized slendernesses for all modes of buckling, with a normalized buckling curve, is described. Local buckling and torsional buckling are differentiated and the special cases in which local buckling can occur are identified. Single and double angles acting as concentrically and eccentrically loaded columns, and as beams with combined moments are treated. Failure modes are overall buckling in columns, beams, and beam-columns, and yielding or local buckling at the extreme fibers of beams and beam-columns.