Civil Engineering Association

Steel structural hollow sections, circular, square and rectangular, are some of the most efficient structural sections under compression loading. This design guide has been written to give the design engineer the information one needs to design hollow section column connections in the most efficient and economic way. Steel structural hollow sections are unique in the world of structural steel sections, because their geometry is such that their mass is distributed away from their longitudinal axis, making them ideal for use as columns. This design guide is the 9th in a series that CIDECT has published under the general series heading “Construction with Hollow Steel Sections“. The previously published design guides in the series, which are all available in English, French, German and Spanish, are:
1. Design guide for circular hollow section (CHS) joints under predominantly static loading (1991)
2. Structural stability of hollow sections (1992, reprinted 1996)
3. Design guide for rectangular hollow section (RHS) joints under predominantly static loading (1992)
4. Design guide for structural hollow section columns exposed to fire (1995, reprinted 1996)
5. Design guide for concrete filled hollow section columns under static and seismic loading (1995)
6. Design guide for structural hollow sections in mechanical applications (1995)
7. Design guide for fabrication, assembly and erection of hollow section structures (1998)
8. Design guide for circular and rectangular hollow section welded joints under fatigue loading (2000)
CIDECT’s sincere and grateful thanks go to the authors of this design guide, Prof. Dr. Yoshiaki Kurobane of Sojo University in Japan, Prof. Dr. Jeffrey Packer of University of Toronto in Canada, Prof. Dr. Jaap Wardenier of Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands and Mr. Noel Yeomans of Corus Tubes in The United Kingdom, for their thoroughness and professionalism in writing the various chapters and to CIDECT and its members for their useful comments and support.

Structural hollow sections are widely used in many applications in the field of construction and mechanical engineering, where fatigue is an essential aspect in design and fabrication. Basically, the same fatigue design aspects and design principles apply for hollow sections as they do for open profiles. However, the welded connections between hollow sections (for example K-joints) need to be considered in a different way, based on the non-uniform stress distribution around the welded intersection and the secondary bending stresses in the joint. The objective of this design guide is to give design recommendations for structural hollow sections under fatigue loading. Principally the theory applied in this book is based on the hot spot stress approach. The latest results of research work carried out by CIDECT and other research organisations, particularly dealing with the stress concentration factors, have been utilised in this design guide. This design guide is the eighth in the series “Construction with Hollow Steel Sections”, which CIDECT has published:
1. Design guide for circular hollow section (CHS) joints under predominantly static loading
2. Structural stability of hollow sections
3. Design guide for rectangular hollow section (RHS) joints under predominantly static loading
4. Design guide for structural hollow section columns exposed to fire
5. Design guide for concrete filled hollow section columns under static and seismic loading
6. Design guide for structural hollow sections in mechanical applications
7. Design guide for fabrication, assembly and erection of hollow section structures
8. Design guide for circular and rectangular hollow section welded joints under fatigue loading
We express our sincere thanks to Dipl.-Ing. D. Dutta, Germany, Dr.-Ing. D. Grotmann of RWTH Aachen, Germany, Dr.-Ing. S. Herion of University of Karlsruhe, Germany, Prof. Dr.- Ing. F. Mang of University of Karlsruhe, Germany, Prof. Dr. J.A. Packer of University of Toronto, Canada, Dr.Ir. E. Panjeh Shahi of Vekoma, The Netherlands, Prof. Dr.-Ing. R. S. Puthli of University of Karlsruhe, Germany, Dr.Ir. A. Romeijn of Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, Prof. Dr.-Ing. G. Sedlacek of RWTH Aachen, Germany, Dr.- Ing. N. Stranghöner of RWTH Aachen, Germany, Prof.Dr.Ir. J. Wardenier of Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, Dr.-Ing. K. Weynand of RWTH Aachen, Germany, Dr.Ir. A. M. van Wingerde of Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, Mr. N.F. Yeomans of British Steel Tubes and Pipes, United Kingdom, and Dr. X.-L. Zhao of Monash University, Australia, for their valuable contributions and comments. Further, the support of the CIDECT member firms is gratefully acknowledged.

The objective of this 2nd edition of the Design Guide No. 3 for rectangular hollow section (RHS) joints under predominantly static loading is to present the most up-to-date information to designers, teachers and researchers. Since the first publication of this Design Guide in 1992 additional research results became available and, based on these and additional analyses, the design strength formulae in the recommendations of the International Institute of Welding (IIW) have recently been modified. These recommendations are the basis for the new ISO standard in this field and also for this Design Guide. However, these new IIW recommendations (2009) have not yet been implemented in the various national and international codes, which are still based on the previous 1989 edition of the IIW rules. Therefore, the recommendations in the previous version of (this Design Guide and) the IIW 1989 rules, which are moreover incorporated in Eurocode 3, are also given. Further, the new IIW formulae and the previous IIW (1989) recommended formulae are compared with each other. Under the general series heading “Construction with Hollow Steel Sections”, CIDECT has published the following nine Design Guides, all of which are available in English, French, German and Spanish:
1. Design guide for circular hollow section (CHS) joints under predominantly static loading (1st edition 1991, 2nd edition 2008)
2. Structural stability of hollow sections (1992, reprinted 1996)
3. Design guide for rectangular hollow section (RHS) joints under predominantly static loading (1st edition 1992, 2nd edition 2009)
4. Design guide for structural hollow section columns exposed to fire (1995, reprinted 1996)
5. Design guide for concrete filled hollow section columns under static and seismic loading (1995)
6. Design guide for structural hollow sections in mechanical applications (1995)
7. Design guide for fabrication, assembly and erection of hollow section structures (1998)
8. Design guide for circular and rectangular hollow section welded joints under fatigue loading
(2000)
9. Design guide for structural hollow section column connections (2004)
Further, the following books have been published:
“Tubular Structures in Architecture” by Prof. Mick Eekhout (1996) and “Hollow Sections in Structural
Applications” by Prof. Jaap Wardenier (2002).
CIDECT wishes to express its sincere thanks to the internationally well-known authors of this Design Guide, Prof. Jeffrey Packer of University of Toronto, Canada, Prof. Jaap Wardenier of Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands and National University of Singapore, Singapore, Prof. Xiao-Ling Zhao of Monash University, Australia, Dr. Addie van der Vegte of Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands and the late Prof. Yoshiaki Kurobane of Kumamoto University, Japan for their willingness to write the 2nd edition of this Design Guide

The objective of this 2nd edition of the Design Guide No. 1 for circular hollow section (CHS) joints under predominantly static loading is to present the most up-to-date information to designers, teachers and researchers. Since the first publication of this Design Guide in 1991 additional research results became available and, based on these and additional analyses, the design strength formulae in the recommendations of the International Institute of Welding (IIW) have recently been modified. These recommendations are the basis for the new ISO standard in this field and also for this Design Guide. However, these new IIW recommendations have not yet been implemented in the various national and international codes, which are still based on the previous 1989 edition of the IIW rules. Therefore, the recommendations in the previous version of (this Design Guide and) the IIW 1989 rules, which are moreover incorporated in Eurocode 3, are also given. Further, the new IIW formulae, the previous IIW (1989) recommended formulae and those in the API (2007) are compared with each other. Under the general series heading “Construction with Hollow Steel Sections”, CIDECT has published the following nine Design Guides, all of which are available in English, French, German and Spanish:
1. Design guide for circular hollow section (CHS) joints under predominantly static loading (1st edition 1991, 2nd edition 2008)
2. Structural stability of hollow sections (1992, reprinted 1996)
3. Design guide for rectangular hollow section (RHS) joints under predominantly static loading (1st edition 1992, 2nd edition 2009)
4. Design guide for structural hollow section columns exposed to fire (1995, reprinted 1996)
5. Design guide for concrete filled hollow section columns under static and seismic loading (1995)
6. Design guide for structural hollow sections in mechanical applications (1995)
7. Design guide for fabrication, assembly and erection of hollow section structures (1998)
8. Design guide for circular and rectangular hollow section welded joints under fatigue loading (2000)
9. Design guide for structural hollow section column connections (2004)
Further, the following books have been published:
“Tubular Structures in Architecture” by Prof. Mick Eekhout (1996) and “Hollow Sections in Structural Applications” by Prof. Jaap Wardenier (2002). CIDECT wishes to express its sincere thanks to the internationally well-known authors of this Design Guide, Prof. Jaap Wardenier of Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands and National University of Singapore, Singapore, the late Prof. Yoshiaki Kurobane of Kumamoto University, Japan, Prof. Jeffrey Packer of University of Toronto, Canada, Dr. Addie van der Vegte of Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands and Prof. Xiao-Ling Zhao of Monash University, Australia for their willingness to write the 2nd edition of this Design Guide.

The book is part from the set of works by the CIDECT under the general title “Construction with Hollow Steel Sections” is dedicated to phenomena of instability: buckling, distortion, spreading. Because of the shape of its section and the particularly favourable distribution of matter in the straight section, a hollow profile, of circular or rectangular shape, behaves distinctly better than an open profile section under the demands of compression. In remaining within the limits of the relation of the diameter or the width of side divided by the thickness of partition, given in this dimensioning guide, the local hollow profile distortion can be disregarded. On the other hand, the resistance to spreading is, in practice, not verified because hollow profiles possess a distinctly larger polar rigidity than open section profiles.
While using this book, architects, engineers and constructors will be able to extract to the maximum the advantage of the remarkable properties of hollow profile stability.

This guide is the fourth in the set of works by the CIDECT under the general title "Construction with Hoollow Steel Sections". It is dedicated to fire protection of columns in hollow profiles exposed to fire. One of the major advantages of columns in hollow profiles is to give possible protection against fire without resorting to the addition of classic materials on the external faces of the profiles. In filling the hollow profiles with water or concrete, not only does it allow the reduction of clutter of the columns but one also obtains a cleaner and more elegant solution.
The three types of fire protection - external protection with insulating materials or special paints, water cooling, statically or with circulation, and filling with concrete - are described in this book, that contains many examples permitting a better understanding of the topic.