CTC 422

Design of Steel Structures

Beams - Flexure

Objectives of Structural Design

Structure is adequate to support loads which
will be applied during its life

Strength provided strength required

Structure will meet serviceability

requirements

Deflection
Vibration

Structure will meet functional requirements

Structure will meet economic requirements

Beam Design
Student Objectives

Analyze a beam to calculate load, shear,

moment and deflection and to determine if
a given beam is adequate
Design (select) a beam to safely to support
a load considering moment, shear and
deflection

Beam Design
Beam

A structural member which carries loads applied

perpendicular to its longitudinal axis
These loads cause shear and bending (moment)

Different terms used for beams depending on

application or location

Girder, stringer, joist, lintel, spandrel, purlin, girt

Behavior of all is the same.
All are beams

Load and Resistance Factor

Design - LRFD
Design strength Required strength

Rn Ru

For bending

b Mn Mu
Where:
Mn = Nominal moment strength
b = Strength reduction factor for bending = 0.9

Mu = Required moment strength based on factored loads

Load and Resistance Factor

Design - LRFD
Nominal moment capacity, Mn, depends on the failure
mechanism of the beam
Beam can fail by:

Full yielding of the cross-section

Lateral torsional buckling (LTB)
Can be inelastic or elastic buckling

Flange local buckling (FLB)

Web local buckling (WLB)

Failure mechanism is related to:

Lateral bracing of the beam

Whether or not the beam cross-section is compact

Failure Mechanism and Nominal

Moment Capacity, Mn
If beam remains stable up to its full plastic moment
capacity

Failure is by yielding of the full section

Mn = Mp

Instability could be overall beam instability

Lateral torsional buckling (elastic or inelastic)

Prevented by adequate lateral bracing of the beams
compression flange

Instability could also be local instability

Flange local buckling or web local buckling

Dependent on width / thickness ratios of compression
elements

Compactness, non-compactness or slenderness of section

Compactness
Structural shapes are classified as compact, non-compact, or
slender

Compact
Section reaches its full strength (yield) before local buckling occurs
Strength of section is governed by material strength

Non-compact
Only a portion of the cross-section reaches its full strength (yield) before local

buckling occurs

Slender
Cross-section does not yield before local buckling occurs
Strength is governed by buckling

Compactness, non-compactness, or slenderness is a property of

the cross-section itself

A function of the width / thickness ratios of its flanges and its web
Flange width / thickness = bf / 2tf
Web width / thickness = h / tw

Compactness
Classification is given in Table B4.1

Notation:

= width / thickness ratio

p = upper limit for compact category
r = upper limit for non-compact category

If p and the flange is continuously attached to the web, the

shape is compact
If p r, the shape is non-compact
If > r, the shape is slender
Category is based on the worst width / thickness ratio

Example: If web is compact and flange is non-compact, section is

classified as non-compact

Most standard W, M, S, and C sections are compact

A few are non-compact because of their flanges, but none are

slender

Bending Strength of Compact

Shapes
Moment strength of a compact shape is a
function of, Lb, the unbraced length of its
compression flange

Lb distance between points braced against lateral displacement of

compression flange
Lp limiting laterally unbraced length for limit state of yielding
Lr limiting laterally unbraced length for limit state of inelastic
lateral torsional buckling

Compression flange may be braced by:

Perpendicular framing
Steel roof deck or floor deck
Concrete slab
Cross-bracing

Bending Strength of Compact

Shapes
If the compression flange is continuously braced
(Lb Lp)

Failure will be by yielding at full plastic moment

Nominal moment capacity, Mn = Mp = Fy Zx (AISC Eq. F2-1)
Design strength b Mn = b Mp

For unbraced length Lb > Lp

Failure will be by inelastic lateral torsional buckling

Nominal moment capacity, Mn < Mp
At Lb = Lp, Mn = 0.7 Fy Sx
For Lp < Lb < Lr , linear interpolation from Mn = Mp to Mn = 0.7 Fy Sx
(AISC Eq. F2-2)

For unbraced length Lb > Lr

Failure will be by elastic lateral torsional buckling

Rapid reduction in Mn (AISC Eq. F2-3)

Bending Strength of
Non-compact Shapes
Most standard W, M, S, and C sections are compact

A few are non-compact because of their flanges, but none are

slender
Shapes with noncompact flanges are listed in User note on page
16.1-49

Sections with compact webs and noncompact (or

slender) flanges

Nominal moment capacity, Mn < Mp

Calculate Mn using provisions of Code Section F3

Sections with noncompact webs

Nominal moment capacity, Mn < Mp

Calculate Mn using provisions of Code Section F4

Design Aids Braced Beams

Table 3-2, W-Shapes Selection by Zx

Applies to wide flange shapes with Fy = 50 ksi

Applies mainly to sections which are adequately braced (Lb Lp)
Can be used for unbraced length up to Lb = Lr

Best to use this table only if fully braced

Table lists Zx, Lp, Lr, and Moment Capacity, b Mp

Also lists Ix, and Shear Capacity v Vnx

Non-compact sections indicated by the footnote f

Moment capacity in table has been adjusted for non-compactness

Sections in table are grouped by weight

Lightest section in group is in bold

Choose this section if there is no depth restriction

Design Aids Unbraced Beams

Table 3-10, Available Moment vs. Unbraced Length

Applies to wide flange shapes with Fy = 50 ksi

Also applies to channel shapes with Fy = 36 ksi

Table is a plot of available flexural strength, bMnx, versus

unbraced length Lb

Bending Coefficient in Table conservatively taken as Cb = 1

See Table 3-1 for values of Cb

Choose beam that has available moment strength bMnx Mu at

an unbraced length Lb Design Lb

Choose a beam above and to right of (Lb, Mu)

Solid line Beam chosen is lightest section available for the given
combination of Mu and Lb
Dashed line A lighter section is available

Design Aids Channels

Braced Channels

Table 3-8, Maximum Total Uniform Load C Shapes

Applies to channel shapes with Fy = 50 ksi
Applies only to sections which are adequately braced (Lb Lp)

Best to use this table only if fully braced

Table lists Zx, Lp, Lr, and Moment Capacity, b Mp

Also lists Shear Capacity v Vnx

Unbraced Channels

Table 3-10, Available Moment vs. Unbraced Length

Applies to channel shapes with Fy = 36 ksi