F-20

Example F.3a W-Shape Flexural Member with Noncompact

Flanges in Strong-Axis Bending
Given:
Select an ASTM A992 W-shape beam with a simple span of 40 feet. The nominal loads are a
uniform dead load of 0.05 kip/ft and two equal 18 kip concentrated live loads acting at the
third points of the beam. The beam is continuously braced. Also calculate the deflection.
Note: A beam with noncompact flanges will be selected to demonstrate that the tabulated
values of the Steel Construction Manual account for flange compactness.
Solution:
Material Properties:
ASTM A992 F
y
= 50 ksi F
u
= 65 ksi
Calculate the required flexural strength at midspan
LRFD ASD
w
u
= 1.2(0.0500 kip/ft) = 0.0600 kip/ft
P
u
= 1.6(18.0 kips) = 28.8 kips
M
u
=

2
0.0600 kip/ft 40.0 ft
8
+
40.0 ft
28.8kips
3
= 396 kip-ft
w
a
= 0.0500 kip/ft
P
a
= 18.0 kips
M
a
=

2
0.0500 kip/ft 40.0 ft
8
+
40.0 ft
18.0 kips
3
= 250 kip-ft
Select the lightest section with the required strength from the bold entries in Manual Table 3-2
Select W21u48.
This beam has a noncompact compression flange at F
y
= 50 ksi as indicated by footnote f in
Manual Table 3-2. This is also footnoted in Manual Table 1-1.
Manual
Table 3-2
Manual
Table 1-1
F-21
Check the available strength
LRFD ASD
|
b
M
n
= |
b
M
px
= 398 kip-ft > 396 kip-ft o.k.
=
O O
px
n
b b
M
M
= 265 kip-ft > 250 kip-ft o.k.
Manual
Table 3-2
Note: the value M
px
in Table 3-2 include strength reductions due the noncompact nature of the
shape
Calculate deflection
I
x
= 959 in.
4
A
max
=
4
5
384
wl
EI
+
3
28
Pl
EI
=
( )( ) ( )
( )( )
4 3
4
5 0.0500 kip/ft 40.0 ft 12 in./ft
384 29,000 ksi 959 in.
+
( ) ( )
( )( )
3 3
4
18.0 kips 40.0 ft 12 in./ft
28 29,000 ksi 959in
= 2.66 in.
This deflection can be compared with the appropriate deflection limit for the application.
Deflection will often be more critical than strength in beam design.
Manual
Table 1-1
Manual
Table 3-23
Diagrams 1
and 9
F-22
Example F.3b W-Shape Flexural Member with Noncompact
Flanges in Strong-Axis Bending
Given:
Verify the results from Example F.3a by calculation using the provisions of the Specification.
Solution:
Material Properties:
ASTM A992 F
y
= 50 ksi F
u
= 65 ksi
Geometric Properties:
W2148 S
x
= 93.0 in.
3
Z
x
= 107 in.
3
Check flange slenderness
=
2
f
f
b
t
= 9.47
The limiting width-thickness ratios for the compression flange are:

pf
=
0.38
y
E
F
=
29,000 ksi
0.38
50 ksi
= 9.15

rf
=
1.0
y
E
F
=
29,000 ksi
1.0
50 ksi
= 24.1

rf
> >
pf
; therefore, the compression flange is noncompact. This could also be determined
from the footnote f in Manual Table 1-1.
Calculate the nominal flexural strength, M
n
Since the beam is continuously braced, and therefore not subject to lateral-torsional buckling,
the available strength is governed by Section F3
M
p
= F
y
Z
x
= 50 ksi(107 in.
3
) = 5350 kip-in. or 446 kip-ft.
M
n
=
( )
pf
0.7
pf
p p y x
rf
M M F S
( | |
( |
|

(
\ .
M
n
= ( )( ) ( )
3
9.47 9.15
5350 kip-in. 5350 kip-in 0.7 50 ksi 93.0in.
24.1 9.15
( | |

| (

\ .
= 5310 kip-in. or 442 kip-ft.
Manual
Table 2-3
Manual
Table 1-1
Manual
Table 1-1
Table B4.1
Case 1
Eqn. F3-1
Calculate the available flexural strength
LRFD ASD
|
b
= 0.90
|
b
M
n
= 0.90(442 kip-ft)
= 398 kip-ft > 396 kip-ft o.k.
O
b
= 1.67
M
n
/O
b
= 442 kip-ft / 1.67
= 265 kip-ft > 250 kip-ft o.k.
Section F1
Note that these available strength values are identical to the tabulated values in Manual Table
3-2, which account for the non-compact flange.