CE-67

Structural Steel:
Beam
C.A.

Types of Beams

• Beams primarily support transverse loads

• They are subjected primarily to flexure (bending)
• If an axial compressive load of substantial magnitude is also present with
transverse loads, the member is called a beam-column.
• A girder is a major beam that often provides supports for other beams.
• A stringer is a main longitudinal beam, usually supporting bridge decks.
• A floor beam is a transverse beam in bridge decks.
• A joist is a light beam that support a floor.
• A lintel is a beam spanning an opening (a door or window), usually in
masonry construction.
• A spandrel is a beam on the outside perimeter of a building that supports,
among other loads, the exterior wall.
• A purlin is a beam that supports a roof and frames between or over
supports, such as a roof trusses or rigid frames.
• A girt is a light beam that supports only the lightweight exterior sides of the
building, as is typical in pre-engineered metal buildings.

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Types of Beams

• Commonly used beam cross sections are standard hot-rolled

including the W, S, M, C, T and L shapes.
• Doubly symmetrical shapes, such as W, S and the M sections
are the most efficient.
• Channels have reasonably good flexural strength but poor
lateral strength, and they require horizontal bracing or some
other lateral support.

Beam Bending Planes

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Flexural Strength in Steel Beams

Flexural Strength in Steel Beams

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Compact Section

Compact Section

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Lateral Bracing

Lateral Bracing

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Beams (Bending)

• Tension and compression on compact hot-rolled members

simplified solution
• Laterally supported
• = 0.66
• Criteria:
– Flanges must be continuously connected to the webs
– ≤

– =
– > < ; =
– =

– =

Example 1

A simply supported beam with span of 8 meters is subjected to a uniform vertical

downward load equal to 50 kN/m acting on the plane of the minor axis of the beam
section, which includes the beam weight. The beam is restrained against lateral buckling
of the top and bottom flanges of the entire span. The material is A36 steel with
= 248 and modulus of elasticity = 200 . The allowable flexural stress for
laterally braced compact section is 0.66Fy. The allowable deflection is 1/360 of the
span. Three compact sections are being considered as follows, with their respective
properties relevant of this problem
Section Moment of Inertia ( ) Beam Depth
( ) (m)
W24x55 0.000558 0.598
W21x62 0.000554 0.533
W21x73 0.000666 0.538

1. Which of the following most nearly gives the minimum section modulus ( ), in ,
such that the maximum flexural stress will not be exceeded?
2. Which of the following most nearly gives the minimum moment of Inertia ( ), in ,
such that maximum deflection will not be exceeded?
3. Assuming the shear stress is not critical, which of the sections being considered is the
most economic section that is adequate for the given load?

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Example 2

A 14 × 500 is used as a beam to support a concrete floor system. The floor is to carry
a total load of 120 kPa. The beam is simply supported over a span of 7 m. The
properties of the section are as follows:

Depth, = 498
= 56
Moment of Inertia, = 3417 × 10
Section modulus, = 13730 × 10
= 7.32 /

Assume the beam is laterally supported over its length and that the allowable stress in
bending is 0.66 and in shear on gross section is 0.4 . Use A36 steel with =
250 . Allowable deflection is L/360.

1. Calculate the center-to-center spacing of the beams without exceeding the allowable
shear stress.
2. Calculate the center-to-center spacing of the beams without exceeding the allowable
bending stress.
3. Calculate the center-to-center spacing of the beams without exceeding the allowable
deflection.

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