COMMON TYPES OF FAILURES
IN STEEL STRUCTURES:
CAUSES AND PREVENTIONS
VICTOR ALMARAZ, SANDRA CALZADILLAS, MARVIN DIAZ, JACQUELINE HERNANDEZ, DAVIS LESTER,
FLORENT PANGNI, SETH ROWE
Introduction
Steel is a fundamental component found in the construction of all structures from twentieth century
architecture. It is present in various forms, including connectors, plates, nails, bolts, and screws used in
timber floors and frames. Additionally, it is embedded in the form of deformed bars within the cement and
stone matric of reinforced concrete, as well as in the hot rolled wide flange columns and beams that are
distinctive elements of steel skeletal frameworks. Despite its historical use as a building material dating
back to fifth century B.C. and its recognized potential to revolutionize construction process and forms as
early as the nineteenth century, it is in the twentieth century that architects extensively delved into
exploring the expressive possibilities which is important that one understands the material and its
limitations and constraints.
https://taxonomy.openquake.org/
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Steel Evolution
•With the evolution of steel-based architecture, new challenges, both in terms of design and
technology, have arisen. These include the need to balance requirements for fireproofing and
corrosion protection with the aspiration for straightforward expression; harnessing the potential of
standardization, prefabrication, and mass production; conveying the ideals of lightness and
elegance or the structural principles of load and resistance; and integrating the imagery of
machinery, be it from industry, transportation, or warfare, alongside the influence of various art
movements, ranging from constructivism to deconstruction. The ensuing discussion revolves around
these concerns and is grounded in an examination of three pivotal building types from the
twentieth century: the office building, the expansive "shed,” and residential construction.
https://www.aisc.org/globalassets/aisc/publications/standards/a303-22w.pdf
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Residential Construction Expansive Shed Office Building
http://architecture-history.org/schools/STEEL.html#G
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Shear Failure
Occurs when a type of shear stress in a
material exceeds its shear strength
capacity. Areas where shear failure typically
occur are in which shear connection values
are not considered correctly, such as:
• Member to Beam Connections
• Member to Column Connections
Welds, bolts, or a combination of both
constitute most steel structure
connections.
Bruneau, Chia-Ming, Sabelli, 2011
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Northridge Case Study
One specific case where considerable steel connection
knowledge was studied was through a case done in 1994,
where the events of the Northridge earthquake occured
near the Los Angeles area. This disaster caused over 20
billion in damage, becoming the most-costly disaster to
ever strike the United States at the time (EERI 1995).
Bruneau, Chia-Ming, Sabelli, 2011
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Solutions to
Shear Failure
To prevent shearing failure, engineers must
consider factors such as shear capacity, number
and size bolts being used, and inspect the
overall quality of these installations before and
after the construction phases.
With appropriate inspections, shear accidents
can be prevented through reinforcements,
introduction to new support systems,
maintaining design quality, and applying
protection to seismic forces, fatigue and
corrosion.
Setareh, Polys, Jones, Bacim, Orsa, & Tiller 2011
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Flexure Failure
Occurs in steel members, girders and
columns during bending stress or when
lateral loads on a member increase
beyond its limit, leading to torsion
buckling or collapse.
Pullinger, 2022
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Torsion
Buckling
If flexural loads are too high, an
unrestrained section may buckle and
move laterally. Restraints can be
installed to combat this.
Pullinger, 2022
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Torsion
Buckling
If material strength is exceeded by
stresses from flexural loading, failure can
still occur.
Suckling, 2022
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Compression
Failure
Occurs when steel structures fails due to
excessive compressive loads, leading to
deformations, buckling, or even collapse.
Setareh, Polys, Jones, Bacim, Orsa, & Tiller 2011
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Buckling
Forms when a column or beam undergoes an
uncontrollable lateral deflection when subjected
to an axial compressive load.
Common causes are due to its length and cross-
sectional shape. Engineers use the Euler's
formula to predict buckling behavior.
Varma 2019
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Hyatt Regency
Walkway Collapse
Occurred in 1981, killing 114 people and injuring more than 200
people.
It upheld a sequence of steel hanger rods to suspend the
walkways. Nevertheless, the design failed to sufficiently account for
the rods to inflict compressive loads due to the weight of the
walkways and the occupants
As a result, the steel rods that sustained the walkways underwent an
excessive amount of compressive stress, leading to buckling
Shulman 2017
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Tensile Failure
An important occurrence in steel constructions, tension
failure is mostly seen in brace members and hangers that
are subjected to large tensile loads. For the purpose of
creating sturdy and secure steel constructions, it is
essential to comprehend the mechanisms and phases of
tension failure.
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Progression of Tension
Failure
1. Applied Tensile Load:
• Pulling on a steel structure initiates tension failure.
• Excessive force exceeds the steel's strength.
2. Necking of Material:
• Tension failure starts with the material necking.
• Deformation occurs as the load increases.
3. Strain Localization:
• Necking concentrates strain in a specific region.
• Reduces the effective load-bearing area.
4. Fracture and Material Failure:
• Tension failure ends in material fracture.
• Fracture occurs when stress surpasses ultimate strength.
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Example of Tensile Failure
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Preventing
Structural Failures
Review Design Considerations: It is vital for the General
Contractor and subcontractors to fully review all construction
documentation, specifications, and submittals prior to
construction process. During this stage, RFI’s (request for
information) are issued to the Architect and Engineers to clarify
any design or construction methods.
Use of High-Quality Materials: Material testing is
typically moderated throughout the construction process and
post-construction to detect and address any potential structural
issues. This process is normally conducted by a 3rd party
inspector that makes regular trips to the construction site to
oversee and inspect construction materials and procedures.
Chapter 17 of the IBC (International Building Code) gives a good
outline for special inspections and tests
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Shear & Compression
Failure Prevention
Shear Failure: Shear failure occurs when forces applied parallel to the face of a
material exceed its shear strength. You can utilize shear reinforcement methods like
shear stirrups or shear connectors to enhance shear resistance and ensure a sufficient
cross-sectional area in structural members
Compression Failure: Compression failures occur when a material experiences
excessive axial loads that lead to crushing or buckling of the steel member. To prevent
this type of failure it is important to incorporate bracing or compression members that
resist buckling and lateral instability.
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Flexure & Tensile
Failure Prevention
Flexure Failure: Flexure failure occurs when materials experience excessive
bending moments. The structural engineer uses design methods such as integrating
reinforcing materials like steel bars into concrete will enhance tensile strength and
resist bending.
Tensile Failure: Tensile failure happens when materials are subjected to excessive
stretching or pulling forces. To combat tensile failure materials can be reinforced with
other materials that have high tensile strength like steel
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