3 Beams – bending only

3.1 Uncased non-composite beams

The first step in the design of these beams is to identify the restraint condition and the location of
the loads applied to the beams in relation to the location of the restraints.
In this Manual the following two conditions are identified:

Condition I Full lateral restraint provided (e.g. beams supporting concrete floors). This condition
will be satisfied if the connection between the compression flange of the member and
the floor it supports is capable of resisting a lateral force of at least 2.5% of the force
in the compression flange arising from the factored loads.
Condition II Full lateral restraint not provided.

The design procedures are described separately below for both conditions.

3.2 Condition I: Full lateral restraint provided

Design procedure
a) Calculate the factored load 1.6 x imposed + 1.4 x dead, and then calculate the maximum
factored bending moment (Mx), and the factored shear forces (Fv).

b) Calculate the second moment of area (I) required to satisfy the deflection limitations
described in Section 2.8.2 for simply supported beams:

I = C x WL2

where I is the second moment of area required (cm4)

W is the total unfactored imposed distributed or point load (kN)
L is the span (m)
C is the deflection coefficient obtained for each loading from Fig. 2

When more than one load is imposed on the beam the principle of superposition may be used.
For cantilevers with backspans, and continuous beams the deflections should be calculated
from first principles taking into account the slopes at the supports and the ratio of the
length of the cantilever to the span of its adjoining member (up or down at the tip).

c) Choose a section such that its second moment of area is greater than the required value
and check that the moment capacity Mcx about its major axis H than the maximum
moment on the section Mx.
In order to choose a trial section that will not be critical in local buckling, it is necessary
to note that elements and cross-sections have been classified as plastic, compact,
semi-compact or slender in bending according to the limiting width/thickness ratios stated
in Tables 11 and 12 of BS 5950-1:20001 and that different section modulii are used for

IStructE/ICE Manual for the design of steelwork building structures 3rd edition 9