BEAM AND FRAME FORMULAS

1 PROPERTIES OF STANDARD SECTIONS

1.1 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CARBON STEEL AND STAINLESS STEEL

C.1. MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CARBON STEEL

C.1.1. Mechanical properties of carbon steel at room temperature

(20 ºC)

Before presenting the mechanical properties of carbon steel at elevated temperature, the properties at room
temperature will be given. The elastic constants used at room temperature, for the design of steel structures, are:

- modulus of elasticity E = 210,000 N/mm2

- shear modulus 81000 E G N/mm2

- Poisson’s ratio = 0.3

- unit mass ρ = 7850 kg/m3

The yield strength, y f , and the ultimate tensile strength, u f , for hot

rolled structural steel and structural hollow sections at room temperature are

given in the product standards EN 10025, EN 10210 and EN 10219

respectively. Simplifications are given in Tables C.1 and C.2, which are

taken from EN 1993-1-1.

1.2 Properties of Standard sections – moment of inertia, section modulus, radii of
gyration
1.3 Properties of thin sections

See Mechanics of Materials JM Gere Ed2009.pdf

CHAPTER 9
2 BEAMS
2.1 Concentrated load equivalents
2.2 Beam Diagrams & Formulas

EXAMPLE 2.1:
The example in Figure 2.10 shows the application of
this theorem. For spans AC and BC
Since the support at A is simply supported, MA = 0. Therefore,

Since the support at A is simply supported, MA = 0. Therefore,

4MC+ MB = 1250

Considering an imaginary span BD on the right side of B, and applying the theorem for spans CB and
BD

Shear force at A is

Shear force at C is

Shear force at B is

2.3 Simple beam – uniformly distributed load

2.4 Simple Beam – Uniform Load Partially Distributed
2.5 Simple Beam – Uniform Load Partially Distributed at One End
2.6 Simple Beam – Uniform Load Partially Distributed at Each End

2.7 Simple Beam – guided support

2.8 Simple Beam – Uniform Triangular Load

2.9 Simple Beam – Uniform Parabolic Load

2.10 Simple Beam – Load Increasing Uniformly to Center

2.11 Simple Beam –Uniform distributed moment

2.12 Simple Beam – Concentrated Load at Center

2.13 Simple Beam – Concentrated Load at Any Point

2.14 Simple Beam – Two Equal Concentrated Loads

2.15 Simple Beam – Three Equal Concentrated Loads

2.16 Simple Beam – Two Unequal Concentrated Loads Unsymmetrically Placed

2.17 Simple Beam – Equidistant concentrated Multi-loads
2.18 Simple Beam – Moment at supported ends

2.19 Simple Beam – Moment at any point

2.20 CANTILEVERS

2.20.1 Cantilever Beam – Uniformly Distributed Load

2.20.2 Cantilever beam - Uniformly triangular distributed load

2.20.3 Cantilever beam - Uniformly partial distributed load acting over one half of the length

2.20.4 Cantilever Beam – Concentrated Load at Free End

2.20.5 Cantilever Beam – Concentrated Load at Any Point

2.20.6 Cantilever Beam – Moment at free end

2.21 Beam Fixed at One End, Supported at Other (Propped cantilever)

2.21.1 Beam Fixed at One End, Supported at Other (Propped cantilever) – Uniformly Distributed Load
2.21.2 Beam Fixed at One End, Supported at Other – Concentrated Load at Center
2.22 Beam Fixed at One End, Supported at Other – Concentrated Load at Any Point

2.23 Beam fixed at one end, supported at other (propped cantilever) – Two and Three
concentrated equidistant loads
2.24 Beam fixed at one end, supported at other (propped cantilever) – Three and Four
concentrated equidistant loads

2.25 Beam fixed at one end, supported at other (propped cantilever) – Four and Seven
concentrated equidistant loads
2.26 Beam fixed at one end, supported at other (propped cantilever) – Any
asymmetrical distributed load

2.27 Beam fixed at one end, supported at other (propped cantilever) – Any
asymmetrical distributed load

2.28 Beam fixed at one end, supported at other (propped cantilever) – Triangular
distributions
2.29 Beam fixed at one end, supported at other (propped cantilever) – Parabolic
distributions

2.30 Beam fixed at one end, supported at other (propped cantilever) – Concentrated
load
2.31 Beam fixed at one end, supported at other (propped cantilever) – Distributed
loads

2.32 Beam fixed at one end, supported at other (propped cantilever) – Moment applied
2.33 MAXIMUM B.M. AND DEFLECTION FOR BUILT-IN BEAMS
2.34 Beam Overhanging One Support – Uniformly Distributed Load

2.35 Beam Overhanging One Support – Uniformly Distributed Load on Overhang

2.36 Beam Overhanging One Support – Concentrated Load at End of Overhang

2.37 Beam Overhanging One Support – Concentrated Load at Any Point Between
Supports
2.38 Beam Overhanging Both Supports – Unequal Overhangs – Uniformly Distributed
Load

2.39 Beam Overhanging Both Supports –Equal Overhangs – twin Loads

Twin loads on beam with two simple supports
(application examples of this configuration)
The application of this would be for two hornblocks pressing up against a single beam. The deflection at distance a
from the adjacent support is:
δ = Fa2(3L – 4a) ∕ 6EI

2.40 Beam Fixed at Both Ends – Uniformly Distributed Load

2.41 Beam Fixed at Both Ends - continuous loading
2.42 Beam Fixed at Both Ends – Parabolic Uniformly Distributed Load

2.43 Beam Fixed at Both Ends (built-in beams) – Asymmetric Loads

2.44 Beam Fixed at Both Ends – Beam with a moment

2.45 Beam Fixed at Both Ends – Triangular distributions

2.46 Beam Fixed at Both Ends – Concentrated Load at center
2.47 Beam Fixed at Both Ends –Concentrated Load at any point

2.48 Beam Fixed at Both Ends – Two Concentrated Loads

2.49 Beam Fixed at Both Ends – Concentrated Loads equidistant over the beam
3 FIXED END MOMENTS
4 BEAMS – CONTINUOUS BEAMS

4.1 Continuous Beam – Two Equal Spans – Uniform Load on One Span

4.2 Continuous Beam – Two Equal Spans – Concentrated Load at Centre of One Span

4.3 Continuous Beam – Two Equal Spans – Concentrated Load at Any Point

4.4 Continuous Beam – Two Equal Spans – Uniformly Distributed Load

4.5 Continuous Beam – Two Equal Spans – Two Equal Concentrated Loads
Symmetrically Placed
4.6 Continuous Beam – Two Unequal Spans – Uniformly Distributed Load

4.7 Continuous Beam – Two Unequal Spans – Concentrated Load on Each Span
Symmetrically Placed
4.8 CONTINOUS BEAM BENDING FORMULAE
4.9 DIagrams (BS 8110)
4.9.1 SHEARS FROM EQUAL LOADS ON EQUAL SPANS
4.9.2 Continuous beams: unequal prismatic spans and loads

4.10 AISC
DESIGN OF FLEXURAL MEMBERS. FROM AISC 13TH EDITION MANUAL
 5 ALLOWABLE DEFLECTION LIMITS

5.1 Oil and gas (University of Aberdeen)

Allowable Deflections
Deflections shall be calculated based on dead, operating and live loads. Recommended maximum
deflections for specific structural elements are as follows:

Deck Plates (locally) - twice the plate thickness

Deck Stringers, Main Deck Beams, - span/300
Truss Chords - span/360
Cantilevers - span/180

5.2 Acceptable deflection in most building codes

Deflection limits listed in International Building Code 2003 Table 1604.3are
Construction L S or W D+L
Roof members L/360 L/360 L/240

Supporting plaster ceiling L/240 L/240 L/180

Supporting non-plaster ceiling

Not supporting ceiling L/180 L/180 L/120

Floor members L/360 - L/240

Exterior walls and interior partitions
With brittle finishes L/240

With flexible finishes L/120

The following allowable deflection limits for steel construction are used by the IBC:
It should be noted that the above-noted allowable deflections are minimums. Architects and engineers often
reduce the deflection limit to L/480 or even L/540 to ensure that floors are not “bouncy.”
Construction Live Load Snow or Wind
Roof member supporting plaster ceiling L/360 L/360
Roof member supporting nonplaster ceiling L/240 L/240
Roof member supporting no ceiling L/180 L/180
Floor members L/360 -

Eurocodes

Vertical Deflections Due to Imposed Loads

Cantilevers Supporting Equipment/Piping Span/300
Cantilevers Span/180
Beams Supporting Equipment Span/360
Other Beams Span/200
Purlins To Suit Cladding
Portal Frame Ridge To Suit Cladding
Runway Beams Span/500
6 DYNAMICS

6.1 Coefficients for computing natural circular frequencies and natural periods of
vibration of prismatic beams

7 APPROXIMATE RADIUS OF GYRATION

8 FRAMES
8.1 STATICALLY DETERMINATE RECTANGULAR SINGLE-BAY FRAMES OF CONSTANT
CROSS SECTION
8.2 STATICALLY INDETERMINATE RECTANGULAR FRAMES
8.3 NONRECTANGULAR SINGLE-BAY FRAMES
8.4 MULTIFRAMES
8.4.1 Portal method

8.4.2 Cantilever method

9 PILES