Lecture 5 Beams Design for Shear & Deflection

Steel beams are usually designed solely on the basis of moment. This means
that bending stresses are the critical design factor. However, under certain
circumstances, shear and deflection must also be checked.
1. Design for Shear
Shear in steel beams generally does not control the design EXCEPT in
the following two situations:

Reduced beam cross-sectional area, as with coped beams

Shear plane

Reduced Shear plane

Normal beam

Coped beam

Very heavy loads on short-span beam

Very heavy loads

Short span

Lecture 5 - Page 1 of 9

Shear in steel beams is assumed to be carried entirely by the area of the

web, Aw:

tw

Beam X-Sect

Aw = Shear area
in normal beam
(shaded)

Aw = Shear area
in coped beam
(shaded)

Design for shear is dictated in AISC Spec. G p. 16.1-64 as follows:

LRFD Factored Design shear strength = vVn
ASD Service Allowable shear strength =

Vn
v

where: v = 1.00 (LRFD)

v = 1.50 (ASD)
Vn = nominal shear strength
= 0.6FyAwCv
Aw = area of web (see sketch above)
= twd
Cv = Web shear coefficient
= 1.0 for webs of rolled I shaped shapes (Conservative)
= see AISC Eq. G2-3, G2-4 and G2-5 p. 16.1-65
for other conditions

Lecture 5 - Page 2 of 9

Example 1 (LRFD)
GIVEN: A W14x26 A992 steel beam.
REQUIRED: Determine the FACTORED design shear strength, vVn for
the beam.
Step 1 Determine area of web, Aw:
Aw = twd

tw

= 0.255 in(13.9 in)

= 3.54 in2
Step 2 Determine FACTORED design shear strength:
vVn = 1.00(0.6FyAw)Cv
= 1.00(0.6(50 KSI)(3.54 in2)1.0)
vVn = 106.2 KIPS
(NOTE: The values of vVn can be found directly in the Maximum
Total Factored Uniform Load Table 3-6 AISC p. 3-67)

Lecture 5 - Page 3 of 9

Example 2 (ASD)
GIVEN: The W12x30 A992 steel beam has a 4 cope and has the
SERVICE load as shown below. Disregard beam weight.
REQUIRED:
1) Determine if the beam is acceptable on the basis of shear at the coped
end.
2) Determine if the beam is acceptable on the basis of shear at the
location of the point load.

W12x30
R2

R1

Lecture 5 - Page 4 of 9

Step 1 Determine the reaction at the left support R1:

R1 =

120KIPS (7' )
10'

= 84 KIPS
Step 2 Determine ALLOWABLE shear strength in coped web at R1:
0.6 Fy Aw C v
Vn
=
v
1.50
Aw = Area of web
= twh

h = d - cope

tw

From properties, tw = web thickness

= 0.260 in.
d = 12.3 in.
h = d cope
= 12.3 4
= 8.3
Aw = twh
= 0.260(8.3)
= 2.16 in2
Vn
0.6(50 KSI (2.16in 2 )(1.0)
=
v
1.50
Vn
= 43.2 KIPS < 84 KIPS UNACCEPTABLE
v

Lecture 5 - Page 5 of 9

Step 3 Determine ALLOWABLE shear strength at point of load:

Since the beam is not coped at this location, the design shear
V
strength n can be found from AISC Table 3-6 p. 3-71.
v
Vn
= 64.2 KIPS < 120 KIPS UNACCEPTABLE
v

(Note: This example looks ONLY at shear. Very high loads also require a
detailed look at connections, which will be investigated later)

Possible Fixes for High Shear:

By modifying any of the variables in the design shear equation, the
capacity may be increased. These include:

Using a higher grade of steel (increase Fy)

Use a bigger beam (increase Aw)
Weld additional plates to the web (increase Aw)

New plate welded

to web of beam

Lecture 5 - Page 6 of 9

2. Design for Deflection

Building codes (such as the IBC) require that deflections in beams be held
to a minimum for occupancy comfort as well as to reduce likelihood of
cracking ceiling finishes such as plaster. It is considered to be a
serviceability check. Allowable deflection limits are dictated by the
codes, such as L/360 of the span.
Actual deflection is calculated using SERVICE LOADS in the formulas
given in the AISC p. 3-208 thru 3-226. These actual deflections are then
compared against the allowable deflection.

The following allowable deflection limits for steel construction are used by
the IBC:
Construction
Roof member supporting plaster ceiling
Roof member supporting nonplaster ceiling
Roof member supporting no ceiling
Floor members

Live Load
L/360
L/240
L/180
L/360

Snow or Wind
L/360
L/240
L/180
-

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.

Lecture 5 - Page 7 of 9

Example 3
GIVEN: The floor framing plan below. The total superimposed service
dead load = 86 PSF (not including beam weight) and the service live load
= 125 PSF.
REQUIRED: Determine the maximum actual mid-span deflection and
compare with a Live load limit = L/480 and a Dead load + Live load limit =
L/240 on the W18x35 steel beam.

do

do

W18x35 beam

W24x62 girder

25-0

4@8-0 = 32-0

Step 1 Determine the actual max. deflection considering Live load only:

From AISC p. 3-211, the maximum deflection formula is:

5wL4
max =
384 EI
w = uniform live load on beam
= 8(125 PSF)
= 1000 PLF

1000 PLF
4
5
(25' x12" / ft )
12

max =
384(29000000 PSI )(510in 4 )
= 0.59 in.

Lecture 5 - Page 8 of 9

Step 2 Determine allowable deflection of L/480 for live load only:

L
480

allow =

25'0" (12" / ft )
480

= 0.625 in.
Since allow = 0.625 > 0.59 beam is acceptable
Step 3 Determine max. defl. considering Deal load + Live load:

5wL4
384 EI

max =

w = uniform dead load + live load on beam

= 8(125 PSF + 86 PSF) + 35 PLF
= 1723 PLF

1723PLF
4
5
(25' x12" / ft )
12

max =
384(29000000 PSI )(510in 4 )
= 1.02 in.
Step 4 Determine allowable deflection of L/240 for LL + DL:

allow =

L
240
25'0" (12" / ft )
240

= 1.25 in.
Since allow = 1.25 > 1.02 beam is acceptable

Lecture 5 - Page 9 of 9