Limit States Design

AS1170.0-2002

Structural Performance
Structures must comply with BCA:
Includes level of safety

Structures must perform reliably

under all expected actions
withstand extreme or frequent actions
Clients have an expectation of satisfactory
performance to fulfill design function

Limit State Design

Limit states different design situations where the
structure is at its limit of satisfactory
performance
Targets performance at all stages of the design life of
structure.

Each limit state has different:

load combinations
behaviour models
performance limits

Limit States
Limit states ensure structures perform to
satisfaction of client. Includes:
Serviceability
avoiding excessive cracking or bending
penalty - inconvenience, offensive appearance

Ultimate

avoiding failure, breakage

penalty - risk to life
Strength
avoiding failure, buckling

Stability
avoiding detachment,
collapse

Others

Fire
Safe evacuation of
occupants
Safety for fire-fighters

Fatigue
Avoiding growth of
dangerous cracks under
repeated loadings

Serviceability
Functionality
appearance or visual impact
unsightly deflection
misalignment at corners

discomfort

vibration - or noise

inconvenience in
operation
jamming doors or windows
damage slope of drainage lines
to partitions or brittle building
elements due to deflection of
members under or over

Serviceability - deflection limits

Must be associated with

some guidance given in

AS/NZS 1170.0 App D

a given load combination

not given in design codes - subject to agreement between
client and designer
Item

Controlling

Load scenario

Limit

Design MoE

Columns

Side sway

Ws

H/500

E mean

Rafters / Trusses

Sag

G+s Q

L/300

Floor joists (UDL)

Sag

G+ Q

L/300

E mean

Sag
Broken
partition

G+ Q
G+Q

L/300
Clearance
(>12mm)

E mean
E 0.05

Floor bearers
Bearers over
partition

E mean

Serviceability
Limits
absolute eg 15mm clearance over partition
relative eg span/350 for appearance, comfort
Dynamic frequency, damping, comfort

Model
Elastic/plastic deformation models

Result
Estimate of structural response under likely
serviceability conditions

Serviceability
Modulus of Elasticity E
characteristic E - close to mean
used for appearance or non-critical
applications

Section properties
use design dimensions

seasoned timber - nominal dimensions

unseasoned timber - nominal dimensions
minus 3 mm

Loads
use serviceability loads
close to normal working loads

Span
Use design span (see Design Codes for steel, concrete,
timber)

Ultimate Limit States

Make conservative assumptions

- Imagine the worst scenarios

Includes Strength and Stability Limit

States
Both relate to safety - serious
consequences
Failure unacceptable to society
minimise risk - (5x10-10)

Failure where
load exceeds strength
(strength limit state)
destabilising effects
exceed
stabilising effects
(stability limit state)

Ultimate Limit State

Load factors
larger load factor gives lower probability of exceeding
load factor is a function of variability of the load
lower variability for permanent actions - lower load factor
higher variability for imposed actions - higher load factor

pr

Long-term serviceability imposed action

Short-term serviceability imposed action
Nominal Code imposed action
Strength Limit State
imposed action

load

Actions (Loads)

AS/NZS 1170.1:2002
Structural design actions
Part 1: Permanent, imposed
and other
actions

AS/NZS 1170.2:2002
Structural design actions
Part 2: Wind actions

AS/NZS 1170.3:2003
Structural design actions
Part 3: Snow and ice actions

Permanent Actions
Weight of the structure itself
Estimated - permanent loads

serviceability G
strength (must use G in every combination)
1.25 G with gravity loads or
0.8 G with uplift loads

Imposed Actions
Weight of occupancy, use, incidental loads
Construction, maintenance, normal function
known loads - machinery, installed equipment
(often permanent duration)
estimated loads - storage, people, stock, materials etc.
(shorter term & permanent duration)
permanent duration loads - small percentage of nominal load
(default - use (ycQ)
shorter-term load - close to nominal (includes perm Q)

serviceability - y s Q (shorter) y l Q (longer)

strength - 1.5 Q (shorter), 1.5(y c Q) (longer)
y c Q with wind

Wind Actions

<AS/NZS 1170.2: 2002>

Forces caused by pressures induced by wind passing

over structure
Flow lines

Windward
wall

Leeward
wall

Air moving away from surface

Suction on Roof

Suction

Pressure on
Windward wall

Suction on
Leeward wall

Site wind Speed Vsit, b

Find for each Cardinal Direction N, NE, E, SE, SW, W, NW

Vsit , = VR M d ( M z ,cat M s M t )
Regional 3 sec gust
wind speed (m/s)
Wind directional
multiplier
Terrain and structure
height multiplier
Shielding multiplier
Topographic multiplier

Md The variation of wind speed at a location with compass

direction depending on the type of commonly occurring wind
events and the weather patterns in which they arise.
Mz,cat Variation of wind speed with height (related to the
speed for terrain category 2 at 10 m height). This includes
consideration of the type of wind event, e.g., cyclones or
synoptic winds such as thunderstorms.
MtModification of wind caused by topographic features
such as mountains and hills. Again the factor may vary with
direction at a site.
MsShielding caused by adjacent structures.

Wind Loads
Force = wind pressure tributary area
Vector sum of internal and external forces
Evaluated separately for each member
For a given member spacing, wind forces are
expressed in kN/m
Must consider all combinations of wind
direction and openings

Strength limit state uses long return period

(eg. V500)
Serviceability limit state uses V25

AS/NZS4055

REGION CLASSIFICATION

TOPOGRAPHIC MULTIPLER

TOPOGRAPHIC DEFINITIONS

SHIELDING MULTIPLER
FULLY SHIELDED FS
PARTIALLY SHIELDED PS
NO SHIELDING - NS

TERRIAN CATEGORY
TC 1

EXPOSED OPEN TERRIAN, FEW

OBSTRUCTIONS

TC 2

OPEN TERRAIN GRASS LAND, AIRFIELD

TC 2.5

TERRAIN WITH FEW TREES

TC 3

TERRAIN WITH NUMEROUS CLOSELY

SPACED OBSTRUCTIONS

TERRAIN CATEGORY 2.0

TERRAIN CATEGORY 2.0

TERRAIN CATERGORY 3.0

TERRAIN CATERGORY 3.0

TERRAIN CATEGORY 4.0

DESIGN GUST WIND SPEED

Design wind pressure

Related to shape of roof or building, and the
structures response to fluctuations in wind

p , f = (0.5 air ) [Vdes , ] C fig Cdyn

2

Constant 1.2 kg/m3

Already evaluated from site wind speed
Related to shape of building and
aerodynamics. Different expressions for:
internal pressure Cfig = Cp,i Kc
External pressure Cfig = Cp,e Ka
Frictional drag Cfig = Cf Kc

Kc Kl Kp

= 1 for normal structures

important for windsensitive structures

DESIGN GUST PRESSURE

WIND LOAD P = qu x Cp x LOAD WIDTH

Wind Actions

Forces caused by pressures induced by wind passing

over structure
Flow lines

Windward
wall

Leeward
wall

Air moving away from surface

Suction on Roof

Suction

Pressure on
Windward wall

Suction on
Leeward wall

PRESSURE COEFFICIENTS FOR WIND CLASSES N1 TO N6

(REGIONS A AND B FOR ULTIMATE STRENGTH AND SERVICEABILITY)
Housing
component

Factored
external
pressure
coefficient
(Cp,eKl)

Internal
pressure
coefficient
(Cp,i)

Net pressure
coefficient
(Cp,n)

Roof

-0.9

+0.2

-1.1

Trusses and
rafters

+0.4

-0.3

+0.7

-1.8

+0.2

-2.0

Roof
Cladding
and
fasteners

PRESSURE COEFFICIENTS FOR WIND CLASSES N1 TO N6

(REGIONS A AND B FOR ULTIMATE STRENGTH AND SERVICEABILITY)
Housing
component

Factored
external
pressure
coefficient
(Cp,eKl)

Internal
pressure
coefficient
(Cp,i)

Net pressure
coefficient
(Cp,n)

Wall

+0.7

-0.3

+1.0

Studs

-0.65

+0.2

-0.85

-1.3

+0.2

-1.5

Wall
Cladding
and
Fasteners

Wind Loads
Force = wind pressure tributary area
Vector sum of internal and external forces
Evaluated separately for each member
For a given member spacing, wind forces are
expressed in kN/m
Must consider all combinations of wind
direction and openings

Strength limit state uses long return period

(eg. V500)
Serviceability limit state uses V25

DESIGN WIND FORCE

Wwl = qu x Cp x LOAD WIDTH
LOAD WIDTH IS THE TRIBUTARY AREA THAT
IMPARTS LOAD TO A SUPPORTING MEMBER

EXAMPLE
A NEW RESIDENTIAL HOUSE IS BEING
CONSTRUCTED IN BALLARAT
FARMING DISTRICT.
DETERMINE THE WIND LOAD FOR
STRENGTH DESIGN ON THE RAFTERS
WHICH ARE SPACED AT 750MM
CENTERS.

SOLUTION
DETERMINE
REGION CLASSIFICATION
TOPOGRAPHIC MULTIPLER
SHEILDING MULTIPLER
TERRAIN CATEGORY MULTIPLER

REGION CLASSIFICATION

SOLUTION
DETERMINE
REGION CLASSIFICATION
REGION A

TOPOGRAPGHIC MULTIPLER

SOLUTION
DETERMINE
REGION CLASSIFICATION
REGION A

TOPOGRAPHIC MULTIPLER
TC = 1

SHEILDING MULTIPLER
NO SHEILDING FROM ADJOINING
BUIDLINGS
Ms = 1.0

SOLUTION
DETERMINE
REGION CLASSIFICATION
REGION A

TOPOGRAPHIC MULTIPLER
TC = 1

SHEILDING MULTIPLER
NS

TERRIAN CATEGORY
TC 1

EXPOSED OPEN TERRIAN, FEW

OBSTRUCTIONS

TC 2

OPEN TERRAIN GRASS LAND, AIRFIELD

TC 2.5

TERRAIN WITH FEW TREES

TC 3

TERRAIN WITH NUMEROUS CLOSELY

SPACED OBSTRUCTIONS

SOLUTION
DETERMINE
REGION CLASSIFICATION
REGION A

TOPOGRAPHIC MULTIPLER
TC = 1

SHEILDING MULTIPLER
Ms = NS

TERRAIN CATEGORY MULTIPLER

Mz,cat = 2.0

SOLUTION
WIND CLASSIFICATION N2
Vu,site = 40m/s
Vs,site = 26m/s
Cp,n = -1.1 or +0.7

qu = 0.96 kPa
qs = 0.41 kPa

LOADING
Strength
Wwl = qu x Cp,n x Load width
= 0.96 x -1.1 x 0.75 = -0.79 kN/m
= 0.96 x 0.7 x 0.75 = +0.50 kN/m