Design of Steel Beams

A beam is a structural member subjected to

transverse loads and negligible axial loads

Types of steel Beams

Types of Beams (Ref: www.esdep.org)

Behavior of Steel Beams

The behavior is different for short (laterally
supported) and long beams (laterally unsupported)
Short beams exhibit 'plastic' behavior
When external loads are increased, the extreme
fibers yield- yield stress fy
Any further increase in Load, results in yielding of
the entire section.
A Plastic Hinge is formed at the maximum stressed
location

Behavior of Short/Restrained beams

Behavior of Short Beams

The beam fails by a collapse mechanism after sufficient number

of Plastic hinges are formed along the length.

Behavior of Beams
Beams with restrained compression Flange reach Plastic
Moment Capacity

Check for Shear

Average Shear Stress

V
av
twd w
Design Shear Strength (Cl. 8.4.1)

Vd

fy

m0 3

Av

Shear Areas

Other Failure Modes

Shear yielding near support

Web crippling

Web buckling

Web Crushing

Web Buckling (Clause 8.7.1.3)

d/2

b1

Pwb (b1 n1 ) t f c

n1
450

d/2

ry

LE 0.7 d

ry
ry
t3
t

A
12t 2 3

Iy

Effective width for web buckling

LE
2 3
d
0.7 d
2.5
ry
t
t

Web Crippling (Clause 8.7.4)

b1

n2

1:2.5 slope

Root
radius

Stiff bearing length

Pcrip (b1 n2 ) t f yw / m 0

CHECK FOR DEFLECTION

CHECK FOR DEFLECTION

Deflection is checked at Working loads

Actual deflection > Allowable deflection (Table 6 of

the Code)
Allowable deflection depends on cladding
Ranges between L/120 (elastic cladding) to L/300
(brittle cladding)

Only Live Load deflection is of concern in

completed structure, since Dead Load deflection is
often compensated by Cambering!

Behavior of Beams
If the beams are long , then they fail by Lateral Torsional Buckling
Mode before attaining the Plastic Moment Capacity, Mp

Failure modes of beams include

Local buckling of
i) Flange in compression
ii) Web due to shear
iii) Web in compression due to concentrated loads

Design Strength in Bending or Flexure (Clause 8.2 )

The factored design moment, M at any section, in a beam due to external actions
shall satisfy

Laterally Supported Beam or short beam (Clause 8.2.1.2 )

For sections with stocky webs, d / tw 67 and V <0.6 Vd
The design bending strength, Md, as per code is:
Md = b Z p fy / m0 1.2 Ze fy / m0
Where b = 1.0 for Plastic and compact section and =

Ze/Zp for semi-compact section

DESIGN OF Laterally supported

BEAMS
The steps to be followed in the design are:

1. Ascertain the loads acting on the beam. Using

appropriate partial load factors , calculate the
ultimate B.M. and S.F. and the required section
modulus
2 .Select the lightest section from the IS 808 or IS
Handbook No. 1. Use MB sections as they are
readily available in the market. Classify section
based on b/t ratios using Table 2 of code

DESIGN OF BEAMS (Cont.)

3. Add self-weight of designed section and check
design for Moment capacity-Clause 8.2.1.2
4. Check for shear as per Clause 8.4 of code.

5. Check for deflection, as per Table 6 of the

code.
6. Check the web for buckling and crippling as
per Clause 8.7.3 & 8.7.4

Beam Example: Compact & Braced

Design a simply supported beam of span 4 m
subjected to uniformly distributed dead load
of 20 kN/m and a uniformly distributed live
load of 20 kN/m The dead load does not
include the self-weight of the beam.

Step 1. Calculate the factored design loads

(without self-weight).
wU = 1.5 wD + 1.5 wL = 60 kN/m
MU = wuL2/8 = 60 * 42/8 = 120 kNm

Beam Example (Cont.)

Step 2. Select the lightest section from the IS 808 or IS
Handbook No. 1
ZP Req. = 120* 106 *1.1/250 = 528 * 103 mm3

Select ISMB 300 @ 0.442 kN/m with ZP = 651.74 * 103 mm3

Section classification

250
250

1
fy
250

d 247.2

32.96 84
tw
7.5

b (140 / 2)

5.64 9.4;
tf
12.4

Hence the section is classified as plastic

Beam Example (cont.)

Step 3. Add self-weight of designed section and
check design
wsw = 1.5*0.442 =0.663 kN/m

Therefore, wu = 60.663 kN/m

Mu = 60.663* 42/8 = 121.33 kNm.
Req. Plastic section modulus =

121.3106 1.1
534 103 mm3
250

< ZP = 651.74 x 103 mm3

Thus the chosen section is adequate

BEAM EXAMPLE (Cont.)

Check for Design Capacity in Bending (Cl.8.2.1.2):
1.0 651.74 10 3 250
Md
148.12kNm
6
1.1 10
1.2 Z e f y 1.2 573.6 10 3 250
148.12kNm

156.4kNm
6
m0
1.1 10

Design capacity > Maximum bending moment

Md =148.12 kNm > 121.33 kNm

Beam Example (cont.)

Step 4: Check for Shear
wl 60.663 4

121.33 kN
2
Design shear force, V = 2
fy

m0 3

h tw

Design shear strength, Vd= 250

1.1 3

= 295.2

300 7.5 10 3

kN > 121.33 kN

Hence safe to carry the SF.

Also 0.6Vd = 177; the design shear force V< 0.6Vd

Beam Example (cont.)

Step 5- check for Deflection

Actual deflection

5wl
5 20 4000

3.7mm
5
4
384 EI 384 2 10 8990 10
4

Allowable maximum deflection

L
4000
max

13.33mm 3.7mm
300
300
Hence OK.

Effect of Holes
Ideal Location for Holes:
In Webs: At sections of low shear
In Flanges: At sections of low B.M.
Holes in Tension Flange of Beams should be checked.
Clause 8.2.1.4: Holes have no effect on Md when
(Anf / Agf) (fy/fu) (m1 / m0 ) / 0.9
When the holes do not satisfy the above condition,

Design Bending Strength with High Shear Force

(Clauses 8.2.1.3 and 9.2.2)

If V exceeds 0.6Vd
For plastic and compact sections

Mdv = Md (Md-Mfd) 1.2 Zefy/m0

For Semi-compact sections

Mdv = Md (1-) Zefy/m0

Where, = [2V/Vd -1 ]2
Mdv= Design bending strength under high shear

Laterally Unsupported Beams (Clause 8.2.2)

The design bending strength of laterally unsupported beam
is given the code as:
Md = b Zp fbd
fbd = design stress in bending, obtained as ,fbd = LT fy /m0
LT = reduction factor to account for lateral torsional
buckling

LT = 0.21 for rolled section,

LT = 0.49 for welded section
Cont

Elastic Lateral Torsional Buckling Moment (Clause 8.2.2.1)

For simply supported, prismatic members with symmetric crosssection,

For standard rolled or welded doubly symmetric I- sections, the

above equation is simplified as

Annex E gives equation for Elastic Critical Moment of a Section

Symmetrical about Minor Axis

Design of of Laterally Unsupported

Beams
Design procedure is same as for a laterally
supported Beams.
Only difference is in step 3, the design
strength, Md, is computed based on
Clause 8.2.2 instead of Clause 8.2.1.2)
and compared with Mu
The design is a trial and error process

DESIGN OF PURLINS(Cont.)
It is a trial and error procedure; the various steps
are:
The components of the applied loads in the
direction perpendicular and parallel to the sheeting
are determined.
The factored BMs(Mz and My) and SFs (Fz and Fy)
are determined. Choose a trial section
The required plastic section modulus is
Zpz = 1.1 Mz gmo / fy + 2.5 (d/b) [1.1 My / fy]
Where, d and b are depth and breadth of trial
section
Mz, My = factored bending moments about Z and Y
axis; fy = yield stress of steel.

DESIGN OF PURLINS(Cont.)
Check for section classification (Table 2 of the
code)
Check for the shear capacity of the section for
both Z and Y axis . The shear capacity in Z and
Y axis is taken as
Vdz = fy / (3m0) Avz
Vdy = fy / (3 m0 ) Avy
where Avz = htw ; Avy = 2 bf tf ; h , tw = height and
thickness of web, bf , tf = breadth and thickness
of flange .
Compute the design capacity of the section in
both the axes.
Mdz = Zpz fy / mo 1.2 Zez
fy / mo
Mdy = Zpy fy / mo f Zey fy /
mo

DESIGN OF PURLINS(Cont.)
Note that in the second equation 1.2 is
replaced by f. It is because, in the Y
direction, the shape factor Zp / Ze will be
greater than 1.2.

Check for local capacity by using the

interaction equation
(Mz / Mdz) + (My / Mdy) 1.0
Check for deflection (Table 6 of the code)

DESIGN OF PURLINS(Cont.)
Under wind section (combined with
dead load), the lateral-torsional
buckling capacity of the section is
calculated.

The overall member buckling check is

done using
(Mz / Mdz) +(My / Mdy) 1.0
where Mdz is the lateral-torsional buckling
strength of the member.

Empirical Design of Purlins

General requirements as per BS 5950 -1:2000 :

Unfactored loads are used in the design

The span should not exceed 6.5 m
If the purlin spans one bay only, and connected at the
ends by at least two bolts.
If the purlins are continuous over two or three spans,
with staggered joints, at least one end of any single bay
member should be connected by not less than two bolts.

Empirical Design of Purlins

The roof slope should not exceed 30.

The loading :substantially uniformly

distributed.
The elastic modulus about the axis parallel to
the plane of cladding >WpL / 1800 mm3 where
Wp is the total unfactored load, and L is the
span in mm.

Dimension D perpendicular to the plane of the

cladding >L/45 and dimension B parallel to the
plane of cladding >L/60.

SUMMARY
Beams are structural members that support loads
that are applied transverse to their longitudinal axis
They resist the load primarily by bending and shear.
The sections are classified as plastic, compact,
semi-compact and slender depending on w/t ratios of
the individual elements.
Local buckling can be prevented by limiting the
width-to-thickness ratios.

SUMMARY (cont)
Beams attain their full plastic moment
capacity, when the compression flange
is restrained by roofing, and the
sections chosen are plastic or
compact.
When the beam is long, lateraltorsional buckling occurs. This is
similar to that of Euler buckling of
columns.

SUMMARY (Cont)
Factors that affect the behaviour of beams
include: type of cross section, type of
loading, support conditions, restraint from
other members, level of application of
transverse load, effects of plasticity, residual
stresses and imperfections.
Single effective length factor only is
specified for restraints against lateral
bending, and increased by 20% when
restraints are not provided for warping.

SUMMARY (Cont)
The stiffness and strength required for
the bracings (which are used to alter
the lateral torsional buckling
behaviour) are also provided .
The effect of type of loading can be included
by specifying an equivalent uniform moment
factor.
The code gives expressions for the elastic
critical moment for lateral torsional buckling,
Mcr for symmetric and mono symmetric
beams only. Refer AISC Codes for other
sections

SUMMARY (Cont)
Shear forces may control short beams
which carry heavy concentrated loads.
The beams should not excessively
deflect or vibrate during the service life
of the structure

Web buckling, web crippling, web and

flange holes, purlins, and biaxial
bending are also included.

Lateral buckling of a cantilever

Lateral Torsional Buckling of a Beam Girder

Stiffeners are secondary plates

or sections which are attached to
beam webs or flanges to stiffen them
against out of plane deformations.
Almost all main bridge beams will
have stiffeners. However, most will
only have transverse web stiffeners,
i.e. vertical stiffeners attached to the
web. Deep beams sometimes also
have longitudinal web stiffeners.
Flange stiffeners may be used on
large span box girder bridges but are
unlikely to be encountered
elsewhere.

What are stiffeners for?

Stiffeners have one or both of the following
functions:
Controlling local buckling
Connecting bracing or transverse beams
Controlling local buckling
Local buckling occurs when a cross section is
slender enough for buckling to occur within
the cross section, due either to compression or
shear. The webs of bridge beams are usually
vulnerable to local buckling, but flanges are
usually much thicker and inherently more
resistant to buckling.
Local buckling can occur due to transverse
compression load e.g. a web subjected to a
bearing reaction, longitudinal compression
load e.g. from bending, or from shear.
In all cases the addition of a relatively small
stiffener to a slender plate can increase the
resistance to local buckling substantially.

Connecting bracing or transverse beams

The easiest way to brace steel beams together is by fixing the bracing to transverse
stiffeners.Thus stiffener positions almost always coincide with bracing positions.