Steel Frame Design Course

Lesson 1 • Structural Steel Product Forms

Surveys rolled sections, plates, hollow sections, and built-up members. Connects product geometry to structural efficiency in frame design.

Lesson 2 • Steel Composition and Material Grades

Covers carbon content, alloying elements, and standard structural steel grades. Establishes material selection criteria used throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Mechanical Properties Under Load

Examines stress-strain behavior, elastic modulus, and ductility. Links material response to structural performance expectations.

Lesson 1 • Gravity Load Types and Sources

Defines dead, live, and superimposed loads and their typical magnitudes. Provides the load inventory needed for all subsequent design calculations.

Lesson 2 • Lateral and Environmental Loads

Covers wind pressure, seismic forces, and soil or fluid lateral pressures. Establishes lateral demand inputs for frame stability analysis.

Lesson 3 • Load Path and Tributary Area

Traces how loads travel from slabs through beams, columns, and foundations. Tributary area concepts enable accurate load assignment to members.

Lesson 1 • Second-Order Effects and P-Delta Analysis

Introduces geometric nonlinearity and amplified moment demands in slender frames. Establishes when second-order analysis is required by design standards.

Lesson 2 • Determinate and Indeterminate Frame Analysis

Distinguishes statically determinate from indeterminate frames and selects appropriate methods. Covers stiffness and moment distribution for multi-bay frames.

Lesson 3 • Shear, Moment, and Axial Force Diagrams

Constructs internal force diagrams for beams and columns under combined loading. Diagrams directly feed member sizing and connection design.

Lesson 4 • Plastic Analysis and Mechanism Method

Applies plastic hinge theory to determine collapse loads and redistribution capacity. Provides basis for plastic design of continuous beams and frames.

Lesson 1 • Composite Beam Design

Integrates steel beams with concrete slabs via shear studs for increased efficiency. Covers partial and full composite action and stud layout requirements.

Lesson 2 • Serviceability: Deflection and Vibration

Evaluates live-load deflection and floor vibration against occupancy-based limits. Serviceability often controls beam depth selection in long-span applications.

Lesson 3 • Lateral-Torsional Buckling of Beams

Quantifies LTB reduction in flexural capacity as unbraced length increases. Bracing requirements and modification factors are derived and applied.

Lesson 4 • Shear Design of Beams

Calculates web shear capacity and checks tension field action for slender webs. Shear design complements flexural checks for complete beam adequacy.

Lesson 1 • Combined Axial and Bending: Beam-Columns

Applies interaction equations for members carrying simultaneous axial force and bending. Beam-column design governs most columns in moment-resisting frames.

Lesson 2 • Column Buckling Theory and Effective Length

Derives Euler buckling load and introduces effective length factors for various end conditions. Effective length is the primary variable controlling column capacity.

Lesson 3 • Column Strength Curves and Design Equations

Applies inelastic buckling curves that account for residual stresses and initial imperfections. Design equations translate slenderness into available compressive strength.

Lesson 4 • Local Buckling of Compression Elements

Checks flange and web plate slenderness against limits for compression members. Local buckling can reduce global column capacity if not controlled.

Lesson 1 • Bolted Connection Fundamentals

Covers bolt grades, hole types, and bearing vs. slip-critical behavior. Bolt selection and pretension requirements are established for each connection type.

Lesson 2 • Simple, Shear Tab, and Moment Connections

Designs shear tabs, clip angles, and fully restrained moment connections for frames. Connection type selection balances stiffness, ductility, and fabrication cost.

Lesson 3 • Welded Connection Strength Design

Applies directional strength increase and instantaneous center method for weld groups. Covers common welded connection configurations in steel frames.

Lesson 4 • Weld Types and Effective Throat

Identifies fillet, groove, and plug welds and calculates effective throat dimensions. Weld geometry directly determines available strength for each weld type.

Lesson 1 • Lateral System Selection and Behavior

Compares concentrically braced, eccentrically braced, and moment frame systems. System selection drives member sizing, connection complexity, and drift performance.

Lesson 2 • Drift, Stability, and Overturning

Checks inter-story drift against limits and evaluates global frame stability. Overturning moment is resolved into column axial forces and foundation demands.

Lesson 3 • Concentrically Braced Frame Design

Sizes brace members for tension and compression under lateral loads. Gusset plate connections and brace buckling behavior are addressed in detail.

Lesson 4 • Diaphragm Action and Load Distribution

Models floor and roof diaphragms as rigid or flexible to distribute lateral loads. Diaphragm chord and collector forces are calculated and designed.

Lesson 1 • Design Review and Code Compliance Verification

Performs systematic checks against design standard requirements before submission. Identifies and resolves deficiencies in strength, serviceability, and detailing.

Lesson 2 • Iterative Member Sizing Workflow

Applies a systematic trial-and-check cycle to size all frame members efficiently. Iteration converges on sections satisfying strength, serviceability, and drift limits.

Lesson 3 • Weight Optimization and Material Efficiency

Minimizes total steel tonnage through section selection, continuity, and load sharing. Optimization balances material cost against fabrication and erection complexity.

Lesson 4 • Framing Layout and Structural System Planning

Establishes column grids, bay sizes, and framing hierarchy for a complete building. Early layout decisions control material efficiency and construction cost.