Scheme Development: Primary beams for multi-storey buildings for commercial and

residential use
SS014a-EN-EU

15

Scheme Development: Primary beams for multi-storey

buildings for commercial and residential use

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Outlines the different types of primary beams used for multi-storey buildings. Summarises
their benefits, describes the key issues for design and presents information for initial
design.

2.

Application Benefits

3.

Design Aspects

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Form of Construction

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3
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Contents

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Scheme Development: Primary beams for multi-storey buildings for commercial and
residential use
SS014a-EN-EU

1.

Form of Construction

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Primary beams support secondary beams, and by their loading, tend to be heavier or deeper
than secondary beams of the same span. They are subject to one or more point loads at a
spacing given by the span of the floor slab. Primary beams can be of two generic forms:

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Hot rolled steel sections (using IPE or UB sections)

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Fabricated sections (from welded plates)

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For long spanning primary beams (span > 12 m), illustrated in Figure 1.1, it is possible to
form large rectangular openings in the webs of the sections close to mid-span where the shear
forces are low. Fabricated beams are often used as primary beams because they can be
designed efficiently as composite asymmetric sections. Cellular beams can also be used as
primary beams, although they are less efficient for this case because of the higher shear forces
acting on primary beams. Primary beams should generally connect to the flanges of columns
for stiffness and fabrication efficiency of the connections.

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12 - 18 m

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Layout of long span primary beams of 12 to 18 m span

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Figure 1.1

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6-9m

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Scheme Development: Primary beams for multi-storey buildings for commercial and
residential use
SS014a-EN-EU

2.

Application Benefits

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The benefits of long span primary beams are as follows:

either hot rolled or fabricated beams

may be used

Fabricated sections are efficient

they are tailor-made for their span

and load

Service integration

large web openings can be formed

close to mid-span

Saving on fire protection costs

heavier sections can achieve up to 30

minutes fire resistance without
protection

Design Aspects

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Primary beams can be designed for a

range of spans

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The structural design of primary beams depends on the size and layout of beams in the floor
grillage. Table 3.1 and Table 3.2 give typical sizes of primary beams for various column
spacings in orthogonal directions.
Sizes of composite primary beams using IPE sections

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Table 3.1

Span of secondary beams

(m)

IPE 360

10,5

12

IPE 400

IPE 450

IPE 550

IPE 600R

IPE 400

IPE 450

IPE 550

IPE 600R

IPE 750x137

IPE 450

IPE 500

IPE 600

IPE 750x137

IPE 750x173

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7,5

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7,5
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Maximum span of primary beam (m)

= 3 kN/m2 plus 1 kN/m2 for partitions etc

Table 3.2

Sizes of composite primary beams using UB sections

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Imposed load

Maximum span of primary beam (m)

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Span of secondary beams

(m)

7,5

10,5

12

305 127
42 kg/m

356 171
57 kg/m

406 178
74 kg/m

457 191
98 kg/m

533 210
122 kg/m

7,5

356 171
45 kg/m

406 178
67 kg/m

457 191
89 kg/m

533 210
122 kg/m

610 229
140 kg/m

406 178
54 kg/m

457 191
74 kg/m

533 210
101 kg/m

610 229
140 kg/m

610 305
179 kg/m

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Imposed load

= 3 kN/m2 plus 1 kN/m2 for partitions etc

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Scheme Development: Primary beams for multi-storey buildings for commercial and
residential use
SS014a-EN-EU

15

Primary beams should be connected to column flanges, for example by end plate details of the
form of Figure 1.1. Extended end plates increase the stiffness of the connection and reduce
deflections of the beam.

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End plate connection of primary beam to column and fin plate connection of
secondary beam to column

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Figure 3.1

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Secondary beams may be connected to primary beams by end plate details but the top flange
should be notched where beams are of the same level, as shown in Figure 3.2. Fin plate or
double angle cleats may alternatively be used.
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Figure 3.2

A-A

Beam-beam connection showing notch at top flange

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Scheme Development: Primary beams for multi-storey buildings for commercial and
residential use
SS014a-EN-EU

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For fabricated beams, a variety of section sizes is possible. For efficient structural design, the
span/depth ratio of composite primary beams is in the range of 15-18. However, the depth of
the section can be increased in order to achieve the maximum size of web opening for service
integration (typically up to 70% of the depth of the section). An example of a fabricated
primary beam is shown in Figure 3.3.

Long span fabricated beam with a variety of opening shapes

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Figure 3.3

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Scheme Development: Primary beams for multi-storey buildings for commercial and
residential use
SS014a-EN-EU

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Quality Record
RESOURCE TITLE

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Scheme Development: Primary beams for multi-storey buildings for

commercial and residential use

Reference(s)

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ORIGINAL DOCUMENT
Company

Date

Created by

R.M. Lawson

SCI

Jan 05

Technical content checked by

G.W. Owens

SCI

Editorial content checked by

D.C. Iles

SCI

y.a

c.u
ko
n

Name

May 05

1. UK

G.W. Owens

2. France

A. Bureau

3. Sweden

A. Olsson

4. Germany

C. Mueller

5. Spain
6. Luxembourg

26/5/05

CTICM

26/5/05

SBI

26/5/05

RWTH

11/5/05

J. Chica

Labein

20/5/05

M. Haller

PARE

26/5/05

G.W. Owens

SCI

26/4/06

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Resource approved by Technical

Coordinator

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Technical content endorsed by the

following STEEL Partners:

May 05

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TRANSLATED DOCUMENT

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This Translation made and checked by

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Translated resource approved by

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