Primary Beams in A M.St. Building

Scheme Development: Primary beams for multi-storey buildings for commercial and residential use
Scheme Development: Primary beams for multi-storey buildings for commercial and
residential use
SS014a-EN-EU
Scheme Development: Primary beams for multi-storey

buildings for commercial and residential use
Outlines the different types of primary beams used for multi-storey buildings. Summarises
their benefits, describes the key issues for design and presents information for initial
design.
Contents
1. Form of Construction 2
2. Application Benefits 3
3. Design Aspects 3
This material is copyright - all rights reserved. Use of this document is subject to the terms and conditions of the Access Steel Licence Agreement
Created on Saturday, November 17, 2007
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1. Form of Construction
Primary beams support secondary beams, and by their loading, tend to be heavier or deeper
than secondary beams of the same span. They are subject to one or more point loads at a
spacing given by the span of the floor slab. Primary beams can be of two generic forms:
Hot rolled steel sections (using IPE or UB sections)
Fabricated sections (from welded plates)
For long spanning primary beams (span > 12 m), illustrated in Figure 1.1, it is possible to
form large rectangular openings in the webs of the sections close to mid-span where the shear
forces are low. Fabricated beams are often used as primary beams because they can be
designed efficiently as composite asymmetric sections. Cellular beams can also be used as
primary beams, although they are less efficient for this case because of the higher shear forces
acting on primary beams. Primary beams should generally connect to the flanges of columns
for stiffness and fabrication efficiency of the connections.
12 - 18 m
6-9m
Figure 1.1 Layout of long span primary beams of 12 to 18 m span

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2. Application Benefits
The benefits of long span primary beams are as follows:
Primary beams can be designed for a • either hot rolled or fabricated beams
range of spans may be used
Fabricated sections are efficient • they are ‘tailor-made’ for their span
and load
Service integration • large web openings can be formed
close to mid-span
Saving on fire protection costs • heavier sections can achieve up to 30
minutes fire resistance without
protection
3. Design Aspects
The structural design of primary beams depends on the size and layout of beams in the floor
grillage. Table 3.1 and Table 3.2 give typical sizes of primary beams for various column
spacings in orthogonal directions.
Table 3.1 Sizes of composite primary beams using IPE sections
Maximum span of primary beam (m)

Span of secondary beams
(m) 6 7,5 9 10,5 12
6 IPE 360 IPE 400 IPE 450 IPE 550 IPE 600R
7,5 IPE 400 IPE 450 IPE 550 IPE 600R IPE 750x137
9 IPE 450 IPE 500 IPE 600 IPE 750x137 IPE 750x173
Imposed load = 3 kN/m2 plus 1 kN/m2 for partitions etc
Table 3.2 Sizes of composite primary beams using UB sections
Maximum span of primary beam (m)

Span of secondary beams
(m) 6 7,5 9 10,5 12
305 × 127 × 356 × 171 × 406 × 178 × 457 × 191 × 533 × 210 ×
6
42 kg/m 57 kg/m 74 kg/m 98 kg/m 122 kg/m
356 × 171 × 406 × 178 × 457 × 191 × 533 × 210 × 610 × 229 ×
7,5
45 kg/m 67 kg/m 89 kg/m 122 kg/m 140 kg/m
406 × 178 × 457 × 191 × 533 × 210 610 × 229 × 610 × 305 ×
9
54 kg/m 74 kg/m ×101 kg/m 140 kg/m 179 kg/m
Imposed load = 3 kN/m2 plus 1 kN/m2 for partitions etc
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Primary beams should be connected to column flanges, for example by end plate details of the
form of Figure 1.1. Extended end plates increase the stiffness of the connection and reduce
deflections of the beam.
120
90
B 70
A
70
A-A
50 50
40
50
B 70
A
70
10
B-B
Figure 3.1 End plate connection of primary beam to column and fin plate connection of
secondary beam to column
Secondary beams may be connected to primary beams by end plate details but the top flange
should be notched where beams are of the same level, as shown in Figure 3.2. Fin plate or
double angle cleats may alternatively be used.
120
A
50
40
90
90
A A-A
Figure 3.2 Beam-beam connection showing notch at top flange
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For fabricated beams, a variety of section sizes is possible. For efficient structural design, the
span/depth ratio of composite primary beams is in the range of 15-18. However, the depth of
the section can be increased in order to achieve the maximum size of web opening for service
integration (typically up to 70% of the depth of the section). An example of a fabricated
primary beam is shown in Figure 3.3.
Figure 3.3 Long span fabricated beam with a variety of opening shapes
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Quality Record
RESOURCE TITLE Scheme Development: Primary beams for multi-storey buildings for
commercial and residential use
Reference(s)
ORIGINAL DOCUMENT
Name Company Date
Created by R.M. Lawson SCI Jan 05
Technical content checked by G.W. Owens SCI May 05
Editorial content checked by D.C. Iles SCI May 05
Technical content endorsed by the

following STEEL Partners:
1. UK G.W. Owens SCI 26/5/05
2. France A. Bureau CTICM 26/5/05

3. Sweden A. Olsson SBI 26/5/05
4. Germany C. Mueller RWTH 11/5/05
5. Spain J. Chica Labein 20/5/05
6. Luxembourg M. Haller PARE 26/5/05
Resource approved by Technical G.W. Owens SCI 26/4/06

Coordinator
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Scheme Development: Primary beams for multi-storey buildings for commercial and residential use

Scheme Development: Primary beams for multi-storey

Figure 1.1 Layout of long span primary beams of 12 to 18 m span

Table 3.1 Sizes of composite primary beams using IPE sections

Maximum span of primary beam (m)

Table 3.2 Sizes of composite primary beams using UB sections

Maximum span of primary beam (m)

Figure 3.2 Beam-beam connection showing notch at top flange

Name Company Date

Created by R.M. Lawson SCI Jan 05

Technical content checked by G.W. Owens SCI May 05

Editorial content checked by D.C. Iles SCI May 05

Technical content endorsed by the

1. UK G.W. Owens SCI 26/5/05

2. France A. Bureau CTICM 26/5/05

3. Sweden A. Olsson SBI 26/5/05

4. Germany C. Mueller RWTH 11/5/05

5. Spain J. Chica Labein 20/5/05

6. Luxembourg M. Haller PARE 26/5/05

Resource approved by Technical G.W. Owens SCI 26/4/06

This Translation made and checked by

Translated resource approved by

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