i) Part of beam between restraints.

The effective length LE of this part of

the beam should be taken as the actual distance between the restraints,
LLT multiplied by an appropriate factor (1.0 LLT for normal loading
conditions or 1.2 LLT for destabilizing loading conditions).
ii) Part of the beam between the end of the beam and the first internal
lateral restraint. The effective length LE should be taken as the mean of
the value given by i) and the value given by Table 4 for the conditions of
restraint at the support, taking LLT as the distance between the restraint
and the support in both cases.

It is most important to design the lateral restraints so that they have adequate stiffness
and strength. Intermediate restraints provided at intervals along a beam should be
capable of resisting a total force of not less than 2.5% of the maximum factored force
in the compression flange divided between the restraints in proportion to their spacing.
However, where three or more intermediate restraints are provided, each individual
restraint should be capable of resisting not less than 1% of the maximum factored force
in the compression flange.

When a series of two or more parallel beams require lateral restraint at intervals, it is
not adequate merely to tie the compression flanges together such that the members
become mutually dependent. Adequate restraint to any beam will be achieved only if the
beam supports and the restraining members are held by an independent robust part of
the structure or held in a fixed relationship to each other by means of triangulated plan
bracing.

The bracing system should be capable of resisting each of:

• the 1% restraint force considered as acting at one point at a time
• the 2.5% restraint force divided between the intermediate restraints in proportion
to their spacing summed over each of the beams to which the bracing provides
restraint but reduced by a factor kr. The factor is given as:
1 0.5
k r = b 0.2 + N l
r

where Nr is the number of parallel members restrained.

IStructE/ICE Manual for the design of steelwork building structures 3rd edition 13