Analysis of Members for

Flexure
Sildes prepared by: Joe Davidson B. Guzman
Beam Capacity
For steel beams, the maximum possible capacity is
• But, it is not the capacity of every beam, but only the possible maximum
capacity.

Like columns, beams also has stability issues, like buckling (since part of the
beam is in compression)
• Beam capacity is also a function of bracing (the distance between braces,
denoted as 𝒃 = unbraced length)
Bracings in Steel Beams
𝒃 is the unbraced length in beams, or simply the
distance between bracings.
• A brace is any component of the structure that
prevents the compression flange from moving
laterally (side-to-side) as the beam wants to
buckle.
Bracings in Steel Beams
𝒃 is the unbraced length in beams, or simply the distance between bracings.
• A brace is any component of the structure that prevents the compression
flange from moving laterally (side-to-side) as the beam wants to buckle.
• Braces serve to “strengthen” a beam.
• As the distance between braces goes down, the capacity goes up!
• Or as 𝒃 decreases, capacity increases
Continuously-braced beams
For, continuously-braced beam (infinite number of braces, or 𝒃 = 0, and for
continuous bracing, 𝒏 𝒑.

Discretely-Braced Beams
For discretely-braced beams, 𝒃 >0
Analysis of Continuously-braced Steel Beams
Three conditions that needs to be assessed for beams:
• Moment Capacity:
• Shear Capacity:
• Deflection Limits: ( )
Keep in mind that it is needed to meet these conditions regardless of the
bracing condition
Lateral Torsional Buckling (LTB)
When a W-shape is being bent, there’s a stability
issue to consider:
• Part of the beam is in compression, which wants to
buckle
• Part of the beam is in tension, which doesn’t want
to buckle

The only way for the beam to deal with this is to

undergo Lateral Torsional Buckling.
Lateral Torsional Buckling (LTB)
When a W-shape is being bent, there’s a stability issue to consider:
• Part of the beam is in compression, which wants to buckle
• Part of the beam is in tension, which doesn’t want to buckle

The only way for the beam to deal with this is to undergo Lateral Torsional Buckling.
This LTB can be prevented by bracing the beam against twisting at sufficiently close
intervals.
Local Buckling
Whether the beam can sustain a moment
large enough to bring it to the fully plastic
condition, also depends on whether the
cross-sectional integrity is maintained. This
integrity will be lost if one of the
compression elements of the cross section
buckles.

This type of buckling can be either flange

local buckling (FLB) or web local buckling
(WLB).

Compression members, whether either type

of local buckling occurs will depend on the
width-thickness ratios of the compression
elements of the cross section.
Classification of shapes (Compact, Non-Compact or Slender)
•
• 𝒑
• 𝒓

Compact section: (no local buckling)

Non-compact section: (inelastic local buckling)
Slender: (elastic local buckling)

Note: The category is based on the worst width-thickness ratio of the cross section. For
example, if the web is compact and the flange is non-compact, the shape is classified as non-
compact.
Classification of shapes (Compact, Non-Compact or Slender) for I-Shaped
Classification of shapes (Compact, Non-
Compact or Slender)
Compact Sections
• A section that can develop fully plastic
moment, before local buckling of any
of its compression element occurs
Non-compact sections
• A section that can develop a moment
equal to or greater than , but less than
, before local buckling of any of its
element occurs
Slender sections
• Local Buckling occurs before
Full plastic moment will develop
because the section material
exceeds the yield
Inelastic LTB (part of section may
yield and other part buckles
laterally) or (extreme fibers yield and
other part buckles

Full elastic LTB (no material yield or

achieves plastic moment)
For compact sections (I-shaped)
 𝑳𝒃 = unbraced length
𝑴𝒏 = 𝑴𝒑 if compact and sufficient lateral bracing is provided

𝐿 less than or equal to 𝐿

AISC Equation for 𝑳𝒓 :

A beam can fail by reaching 𝒑 and becoming fully plastic, or it can fail by:
1. Lateral-torsional buckling (LTB), either elastically or inelastically;
2. Flange local buckling (FLB), elastically or inelastically; or
3. Web local buckling (WLB), elastically or inelastically.

Bending strength of Compact Shapes

We begin with compact shapes, defined as those whose webs are continuously connected to
the flanges and that satisfy the following width-thickness ratio requirements for the flange
and the web:

𝒃𝒇 𝑬 𝒉 𝑬
and
𝟐𝒕𝒇 𝑭𝒚 𝒕𝒘 𝑭𝒚

For compact shapes, 2 failure modes are expected:

1. Reaching 𝒑 and becoming fully plastic, or
2. Lateral-torsional buckling (LTB), either elastically or inelastically
Summary of Nominal Flexural Strength
The nominal bending strength for compact I and C-shaped sections can be
summarized as follows:
For 𝒃 𝒑,
(AISC Equation F2-1)
For 𝒑 𝒃 𝒓

(AISC Equation F2-2)

For 𝒃 𝒓