Lecture 6 - Page 1 of 15

Lecture 6 Beam Design for Moment

Beams, or sometimes referred to as flexure members, are designed on the
basis of moment. In ASD and LRFD, the design strength of a beam in flexure is
called the nominal flexural moment, M
n
. This M
n
is multiplied by | (LRFD) or
divided by O (ASD) to obtain the available moment capacity. This available
moment capacity must be greater than the maximum applied factored
(LRFD) or service (ASD) moment.
Beams are designed on the basis of the following LRFD references:

- AISC Part 3
- AISC Spec Chapter F p. 16.1-44

1. Beam Design Considering Yielding:

Assuming a beam is adequately laterally braced, it will fail by yielding on
the compression flange. Most beams are laterally braced by the metal
decking that is attached to the compression flange as shown below:




LRFD Beam Design:

Available Design Flexural Strength = |
b
M
n


Where: |
b
= 0.90
M
n
= nominal flexural moment
= M
p
= Plastic moment
= F
y
Z
x


Z
x
= plastic section modulus, in
3

= from properties

Concrete slab
over metal
decking
Metal decking
puddle-welded to top
flange of beam
Lecture 6 - Page 2 of 15
Plastic Section Modulus Z
x
:























Z = Plastic section modulus, in
3

= a
A
|
.
|

\
|
2


where: A = Total cross-sectional area of shape (see properties)

a = Distance between the centroids of the half-areas

Z
x
~ 1.15(S
x
) for wide flange steel beam shapes
N.A.
F
y

F
y

F
y

F
y

F
y

F
y

Elastic Stress
Distribution
Compression
Tension
Partially-Plastic
Stress
Distribution
Fully-Plastic
Stress
Distribution
N.A.
F
y

F
y

a
C = A
c
F
y

T = A
t
F
y

Lecture 6 - Page 3 of 15

Example 1
GIVEN: A W14x26 steel beam.
REQUIRED: Determine the plastic section modulus about the strong axis
(Z
x
), and compare with the tabulated value as indicated in the AISC
manual.














Z
x
= Plastic section modulus, in
3

= a
A
|
.
|

\
|
2


Where: A = Area of W14x26
= 7.69 in
2
(from W14x26 properties)

a = ) 2 ( y d
= 13.9 (2(1.72))
= 10.46

Z
x
= ) " 46 . 10 (
2
69 . 7
2
|
|
.
|

\
| in


Z
x
= 40.22 in
3


Checking W14x26 properties Z
x
= 40.2 in
3









WT7x13 shape = (W14x26) y = 1.72 (From WT7x13 properties)
d

=

1
3
.
9

a
N.A.
Lecture 6 - Page 4 of 15

ASD Beam Design:

Available Design Flexural Strength =
b
n
M
O


Where: O
b
= 1.67
M
n
= nominal flexural moment
= M
p
= Plastic moment
= F
y
Z
x


Z
x
= plastic section modulus, in
3

= from properties

Example 2 (LRFD)
GIVEN: A W16x26 steel beam using A992 steel is continuously laterally
braced, and experiences a FACTORED moment = 104 KIP-FT.
REQUIRED:
1) Determine the design flexural moment, |
b
M
n
for the beam.
2) Determine if the beam is adequate.

Step 1 Determine |
b
M
n
for the beam:

|
b
M
n
= 0.90(F
y
Z
x
) since it is continuously laterally braced
= 0.90(50 KSI)(44.2 in
3
)
= 1989 KIP-IN

|
b
M
n
= 165.8 KIP-FT

Step 2 Determine if the beam is adequate:

Since |
b
M
n
= 165.8 KIP-FT > 104 KIP-FT beam is adequate


From properties,
AISC p. 1-21
Lecture 6 - Page 5 of 15
Example 3 (LRFD)
GIVEN: The W16x26 beam from Example 1.
REQUIRED: Determine the design flexural moment, |
b
M
n
for the beam
using the LRFD Z
x
Table 3-2 (see AISC p. 3-11 thru 3-19)

Step 1 Refer to AISC p. 3-18 for W16x26:



Look in the LRFD column |
b
M
px
= 166 KIP-FT

Beam in BOLD is
lightest weight for
that grouping
Lecture 6 - Page 6 of 15

Example 4 (ASD)
GIVEN: An A992 steel beam A is continuously laterally braced and
carries a superimposed SERVICE (i.e., not factored) floor live load = 100
PSF and a superimposed SERVICE dead load = 85 PSF. Assume initially
the beam weighs 30 PLF and check your results.
REQUIRED:
1) Design the lightest weight steel beam using the Z
x
Table 3-2.
2) Design the lightest weight W14 steel beam using the Maximum Total
Uniform Load Table 3-6 (see AISC p. 3-33 thru 3-95).
















Step 1 Determine SERVICE uniform load, w on beam:

By inspecting the ASD load factors AISC p. 2-9, the
maximum applied uniform load w = D + L

Where: D = uniform dead load, PLF
= 7(85 PSF) + 30 PLF
= 625 PLF

L = uniform live load, PLF
= 7(100 PSF)
= 700 PLF

w = (625 PLF) + (700 PLF)
= 1325 PLF
= 1.325 KLF

G
i
r
d
e
r

Beam A
32-0
3
@
7

-
0

=

2
1

-
0

Assumed
beam wt.
Lecture 6 - Page 7 of 15
Step 2 Determine maximum SERVICE moment, M
a
:










M
a
=
8
2
wL


=
8
) ' 32 ( 325 . 1
2
KLF


M
a
= 169.6 KIP-FT

Step 3 Select lightest weight beam from Table 3-2:

From AISC p. 3-17 look under ASD column
b
px
M
O
to find a
BOLD moment that is equal or larger than the calculated M
a
:

Use W16x40
b
px
M
O
= 182 KIP-FT > 169.6 KIP-FT

(NOTE: If the assumed beam weight of 30 PLF were
increased to 40 PLF, the revised M
a
= 170.9 KIP-FT which is
still less than 182 KIP-FT)

R2 = 21.2 KIPS
R1 = 21.2 KIPS
32-0
w = 1.325 KLF
Lecture 6 - Page 8 of 15
Step 4 Determine total SERVICE uniform load on beam:

W = Total service load on beam, KIPS
= w x span
= 1.325 KLF(32-0)
= 42.4 KIPS

Step 5 Select lightest W14 beam using Table 3-6 Maximum
Total Uniform Load tables:

From AISC p. 3-67, look find span = 32 then read across to
find the lightest weight beam having maximum ASD total
uniform load > 42.4 KIPS.

Use W14x43 max. total unif. load = 43.4 KIPS > 42.4 KIPS

(NOTE: Using this method, the lightest possible beam is
W16x40 max. total unif. load = 45.5 KIPS > 42.4 KIPS)

Lecture 6 - Page 9 of 15
2. Beam Design Considering Lateral-Torsional Buckling

The compression flange of a beam behaves like a column it is
susceptible to buckling if not adequately laterally braced. This
phenomenon of flange buckling of a beam is referred to as lateral-
torsional buckling.

Consider a skinny yard stick under loading. If it is not properly braced, it
will twist and fail under a much smaller load than if it were adequately
braced. Therefore, wider-flanged beams are better at resisting lateral-
torsional buckling than narrow-flanged beams.



It has been determined that the relationship between distance between
lateral bracing and moment capacity looks like the following:


















Distance between
lateral supports
M
o
m
e
n
t

c
a
p
a
c
i
t
y

Lecture 6 - Page 10 of 15
The AISC has developed graphs of LRFD and ASD beam design
moments, |
b
M
n
, and
b
n
M
O
respectively, for beam shapes that has been
mathematically altered from the graph above (for simplicity), and looks like
the following: (See AISC p. 5-7 and AISC p. 16.1-33)
















Where: |
b
= 0.90 (LRFD)
O
b
= 1.67 (ASD)

L
p
=
y
y
F
E
r 76 . 1 AISC p. 16.1-48

L
r
=
y
ts
F
E
r
7 . 0
t AISC p. 16.1-48

E = 29000 KSI
F
y
= yield stress, KSI

M
p
= (F
y
Z
x
) AISC p. 16.1-47

M
r
= 0.7(F
y
S
x
) AISC p. 16.1-269

S
x
= Section modulus about x axis from properties, in
3

|
b
M
p
and
b
p
M
O

|
b
M
r
and
b
r
M
O

M
o
m
e
n
t

c
a
p
a
c
i
t
y

L
p
L
r

Distance between
lateral supports
Real curve
AISC curve
Lecture 6 - Page 11 of 15
Example 5 (LRFD)
GIVEN: A W14x43 steel girder using A992 steel. It is laterally braced at
L
b
= 8-0 increments by beams framing into the side. It experiences a
maximum FACTORED moment, M
u
= 250 KIP-FT.
REQUIRED:
1) Draw the graph of design moments vs. unbraced length.
2) Determine the design moment, |
b
M
n
for an actual unbraced length L
b
=
10-0 using formula F2-2 from AISC p. 16.1-47.
3) Determine the design moment using the Beam Available Moments vs.
Unbraced Length graphs on AISC p. 3-125.

Step 1 Draw graph of design moments vs. unbraced length:

From AISC p. 3-17, pick values of L
p
, L
r
, |
b
M
p
, and |
b
M
r



















Step 2 - Determine the design moment, |
b
M
n
for an unbraced
length L
b
= 8-0 using formula F2-2 from AISC p. 16.1-32

M
n
=
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

p r
p b
x y p p b
L L
L L
S F M M C ) 7 . 0 (

Where: C
b
= 1.0 (conservative)

M
p
= F
y
Z
x

= (50KSI)(69.6 in
3
)
= 3480 Kip-In


|
b
M
n
= ????
|
b
M
rx
= 164 KIP-FT
|
b
M
px
= 261 KIP-FT
L
p
= 6.68 ft. L
r
= 20.0 ft.
Real curve
L
b
= 10-0
AISC curve
Lecture 6 - Page 12 of 15
M
n
=
(

|
.
|

\
|

)
' 68 . 6 ' 20
' 68 . 6 ' 10
) 6 . 62 )( 50 ( 7 . 0 3480 (( 3480 0 . 1
3
in KSI In Kip

= 3159 Kip-In

= 263.3 Kip-Ft

Therefore, since | = 0.9:

|M
n
= 0.9(263.3 Kip-Ft)

|M
n
= 237 Kip-Ft

Since |M
n
= 237 Kip-Ft < M
u
= 250 Kip-Ft, beam is
UNACCEPTABLE
Lecture 6 - Page 13 of 15
Step 3 Determine FACTORED moment strength using Table 3-10:

From AISC p. 3-125:

For a W14x43 with F
y
= 50 KSI
Unbraced length L
b
= 10-0




L
b
= 10-0
|M
n
~ 237 Kip-Ft
LRFD
Lecture 6 - Page 14 of 15
Example 6 (ASD) and (LRFD)
GIVEN: A steel girder is laterally braced at L
b
= 10-0, and experiences
the service loads as shown below.
REQUIRED: Design the lightest weight A992 wide-flange beam using the
Available Moment vs. Unbraced Length graphs.















Step 1 Determine ASD maximum SERVICE moment:

w = D + L
= (900 PLF) + (1700 PLF)
= 2600 PLF
= 2.6 KLF

M
a
= Maximum applied SERVICE moment
=
8
2
wL

=
8
) " 0 ' 30 )( 6 . 2 (
2
KLF


M
a
= 292.5 Kip-Ft.

30-0
Service DL = 900 PLF (incl. beam wt.)
Service LL = 1700 PLF
Lecture 6 - Page 15 of 15
Step 2 Determine LRFD maximum FACTORED moment:

w
u
= 1.2D +1.6 L
= 1.2(900 PLF) + 1.6(1700 PLF)
= 3800 PLF
= 3.8 KLF

M
u
= Maximum applied FACTORED moment
=
8
2
L w
u

=
8
) " 0 ' 30 )( 8 . 3 (
2
KLF


M
u
= 427.5 Kip-Ft.

Step 3 Design lightest beam using Available Moment vs.
Unbraced Length graph:

From AISC p. 3-121 and 3-119, read up from the bottom at
L
b
= 10-0 and look up until you hit a solid line for the
lightest weight beam exceeding 292.5 Kip-Ft (ASD) and
427.5 Kip-Ft (LRFD).










ASD:

Use W21x62 ft Kip
M
n
~
O
316
LRFD:

Use W21x62 ft Kip M
n
~ 474 |