2021 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Department of Architecture and Building Engineering Graduate major in Architecture and Building Engineering

Steel Structure

Academic unit or major: Graduate major in Architecture and Building Engineering
Instructor(s): Kikuo Ikarashi
Class Format: Lecture
Media-enhanced courses: -
Day of week/Period (Classrooms): 1-2 Tue / 1-2 Fri
Class: -
Course Code: ARC.S402
Number of credits: 200
Course offered: 2021
Offered quarter: 1Q
Syllabus updated: Jul 10, 2025
Language: Japanese

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

This course focuses on instability of steel structural members and frames. This is very important issue for designing steel structure. In each class, structural member stabilities and specification for steel structure in Japan, USA and Europe are introduced.
Students will learn the advanced design methods for solving the instability problems of steel structure, and recent new topics about steel structure given by a guest speaker.

Course description and aims

At the end of this course, students will be able to :
1) Explain instability of steel structure and the concept any specification.
2) Develop the ability to solve instability issue and design steel structure.
3) Compile a report based on the findings.

Keywords

Structural Engineering, Steel Structure, Stability

Competencies

Specialist skills
Intercultural skills
Communication skills
Critical thinking skills
Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

In each class, structural member stabilities are explained. New topics about steel structure are shown from a guest speaker. In the last class, group work exercise will be conducted to assess the students’ level of understanding on what has been taught so far.

Course schedule/Objectives

	Course schedule	Objectives
Class 1	Overview of stability of steel structure	Understand and explain stability of steel structure
Class 2	Elastic buckling problem of bars	Estimate the buckling strength of bars
Class 3	Solving the elastic buckling problem using by the energy method	Explain and use the energy method for solving buckling problem
Class 4	Post buckling behavior of bars	Explain the basics of post buckling behavior and the relationships post buckling strength and deformation
Class 5	Inelastic buckling of bars	Explain the historic issue and the difference in theory about inelastic buckling
Class 6	Stability of frames	Explain the influence factor on buckling strength of the column in the frame
Class 7	Torsional of steel member and lateral buckling of beams	Explain the torsional behavior of steel member and estimate lateral buckling strength of beams
Class 8	Stiffening method for beams and plastic deformation capacity	Explain the relation of Stiffening method and plastic deformation capacity
Class 9	Buckling behavior of beam-columns	Explain the factor to instability of beam-columns
Class 10	The equation for the buckled plate and the basis of elastic buckling problem of plates	Explain the method of solving the elastic buckling problem of plates
Class 11	Solving the plate elastic buckling problem using by the energy method	Solve the plate elastic buckling strength using the energy method
Class 12	Post buckling behavior and strength of thin plate	Explain the post buckling behavior of thin plate
Class 13	Limit of plate slenderness and plastic deformation capacity of steel structural members	Explain the relationship between plate slenderness and strength, plastic deformation capacity of steel structural members
Class 14	New topic about steel structure from a guest speaker, or Exercise problems to assess the students’ level of understanding on what has been taught so far	Debate basic points about the new topic around the steel structure and, Review the course contents. Use the exercise problems to better understand the topics covered, and evaluate one’s own progress

Study advice (preparation and review)

To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.

Textbook(s)

No textbook is set.

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Course materials are provided during class.

Evaluation methods and criteria

Students will be assessed on their understanding of instability, and their ability to apply them to solve problems.

Related courses

ARC.S301 ： Structural Design I
ARC.S306 ： Structural Mechanics III

Prerequisites

No prerequisites.