ABSTRACT
SUMMARY
One of the more interesting design problems associated with portal frame construction is member stability and the location of lateral supports. A review of existing procedures for checking both unrestrained and restrained members, together with the conditions to which they apply, is undertaken. These stability checks are discussed with reference to both uniform and haunched members. New proposals for determining the limiting slenderness ratio for the compression flange are introduced and then the theoretical failure loads, as predicted by the appropriate methods, are compared with known experimental evidence. Guidance is also given on the design of lateral supports.
