Steel Column Design for Multistory Rigid Frames

The design of a continuous steel column in an irregular and unsym-metrical multistory rigid frame for axial compressive forces and biaxial bending is a difficult task without the aid of the computer. The designer must consider the stability of the frame, over-all column buckling, lateral buckling, and local buckling in the design of a column section. A method is presented for the analysis of these requirements within the writers’ interpretation of the AISC Code (1961) and CRC's Guide to Design Criteria for Metal Compression Members. Various loading conditions and combinations make it necessary to proportion a section to satisfy a great number of interaction relationships between points of end restraint and at points of restraint. The functioning of the column program, input parameter requirements, input format, and interpretation of results from the computer are examined. Illustrative examples further demonstrate the design concepts outlined. The advantages of computer utilization in column design are presented.