ALLOWABLE BENDING STRESS

A. SIZE FACTOR

• Rectangular Sawn Lumber Bending Member

• When,
• 125mm ≤ d > 300mm

• Use,
• Fb’ = CfFb

• where,
• Cf = (300/d) 1/9

• Cf = size factor
• d = depth of the beam
 A. SIZE FACTOR

• Circular Cross Section

• When,
• D > 340mm

(πD2)/4 = d2
d2 = (π/4)(340)2
d = 301.3 > 300mm

• Note: The size factor adjustment shall not apply to visually graded lumber
50mm to 100mm thick or to machine stress-related lumber.
 B. FORM FACTOR

Beam Section Form Factor

Circular 1.180
Square 1.414

The form factor shall be cumulative with the size factor adjustment
except for lumber I-beams and box beams.
 ALLOWABLE BENDING STRESS
CONSIDERING LATERAL STABILITY

• Slenderness Factor (any bending member)

• When,
• d>b

Use

• where,
• Cs = slenderness ratio
• Le = effective length of beam
• d = depth of beam
• b = breadth of beam
 EFFECTIVE LENGTH OF BEAMS
Type of Beam Span and Nature of Load Effective Length, Le
1. Single Span Beam, Load Concentrated at Le = 1.61 Lu
Center
2. Single Span Beam, Uniformly Distributed Load Le = 1.92 Lu

3. Single Span Beam, Equal End Moments Le = 1.84 Lu

4. Cantilever Beam, Load Concentrated at Le = 1.69 Lu

Unsupported End
5. Cantilever Beam, Uniformly Distributed Load Le = 1.06 Lu

6. Cantilever Beam, Uniformly Distributed Load

with concentrated load at cantilever end

7. Single Span, or Cantilever Beam, any other

load
Lu = unsupported length of beam (mm)
 A. SHORT UNBRACED BEAM

• When
• CS < 10

• Use,
• Fb‘ = Fb
B. INTERMEDIATE UNBRACED BEAM

• When,
• 10 < Cs < Ck
• Use,

• Where,

For visually graded sawn beam

 C. LONG UNBRACED BEAM

• When,
• 50 > Cs ≥ Ck

• Use,

• Note: Cs < 50
 ALLOWABLE BENDING STRESS
FOR LATERALLY UNBRACED BEAMS WITH LESS VARIABILITY

• Slenderness Factor (any bending member)

• When,
• d>b

Use

• where,
• Cs = slenderness ratio
• Le = effective length of beam
• d = depth of beam
• b = breadth of beam
 EFFECTIVE LENGTH OF BEAMS
Type of Beam Span and Nature of Load Effective Length, Le
1. Single Span Beam, Load Concentrated at Le = 1.61 Lu
Center
2. Single Span Beam, Uniformly Distributed Load Le = 1.92 Lu

3. Single Span Beam, Equal End Moments Le = 1.84 Lu

4. Cantilever Beam, Load Concentrated at Le = 1.69 Lu

Unsupported End
5. Cantilever Beam, Uniformly Distributed Load Le = 1.06 Lu

6. Cantilever Beam, Uniformly Distributed Load

with concentrated load at cantilever end

7. Single Span, or Cantilever Beam, any other

load
Lu = unsupported length of beam (mm)
 A. SHORT UNBRACED BEAM

• When
• CS < 10

• Use,
• Fb‘ = Fb
B. INTERMEDIATE UNBRACED BEAM

• When,
• 10 < Cs < Ck
• Use,

• Where,

For glued-laminated beam and

machine stress-rated lumber
C. LONG BEAM

For glued-laminated beam and

machine stress-rated lumber
 PROBLEM #1

A wooden beam 200mm x 350mm has a simple span of

6m. If the weight of the beam is 6.3kN/m3 and its
allowable bending and shearing stresses are 10.6 and 0.70
MPa respectively.

1. Which of the following gives the size factor

adjustment?
2. Which of the following gives the safe uniform load that
the beam could support based on flexural stress with
size factor adjustment?
3. Which of the following gives the safe uniform load that
the beam could support based on shear strength?
 PROBLEM #2

A single-span beam having an unsupported length of 8m

has a cross section of 200mm x 350mm. It carries a
uniformly distributed load “W” kN/m throughout its span.
Allowable bending stress of Fb = 9.6 MPa and a modulus
of elasticity of 13800 Mpa are given. From table, the
effective length Le = 1.92Lu where Lu = unsupported
length of beam.

1. Compute the allowable bending stress with size factor

adjustment.
2. Compute the allowable bending stress with
slenderness factor adjustment.
3. Compute the safe uniform load “W” that the beam
could carry.
 PROBLEM #3

A single span beam having an unsupported span of

20m carries a uniform load of “W” kN/m throughout
its span. The beam has a cross section of 150mm x
600mm. Allowable bending stress of the wood is Fb =
12.4 MPa with a modulus elasticity of 13800 MPa.

1. Compute the allowable bending stress with size

factor adjustment.
2. Compute the allowable bending stress with
slenderness factor adjustment.
3. Compute the load “W” that the beam could
carry.
 SOLUTION

1. Size Factor Adjustment

Fb = 12.4 Mpa * 0.926
Fb = 11.48MPa
 SOLUTION

2. Slenderness Factor Adjustment

Le = 1.92 Lu
Le = 1.92 (20,000)
Le = 38,400 mm
SOLUTION
3. Safe Load “W”