Topic: DESIGN OF BEAMS (Shear, Moment and Deflection)

Introduction
A beam is a structural element that primarily resists load applied laterally to the
beam’s axis. Its mode of deflection is primarily by bending. The loads applied to
the beam result in reaction forces at the beam’s support points. The total effect of
all the forces acting on the beam is to produce shear forces and bending moment
within the beam, that in turn induce internal stresses, strains and deflections of
the beam. Beams are characterized by their manner of support, profile (shape of
cross-section), length, and their material.
Beams are usually designated by names that are representative of their
functions.

Girder - A major (deep) beam that often provide support for other
beams.
Joist - A light beam that supports a floor.
Purlins - A roof beam spanning between trusses of rigid frames.
Stringer - A main longitudinal beam, usually supporting the bridge
decks.
Floor Beam - A transverse beam in bridge decks.
Spandrel - Beam on the outside perimeter of the building.
Girt - A light beam that supports only the lightweight exterior
sides of the building.
Header, trimmer, rafter are the other beams sometimes used.

Criteria for Design

Allowable bending stress or bending stress should not be exceeded:
Mc
Fb ≥ fb=
I
Knowing M and Fb, the minimum section modulus fitting the limit is:
' Mc
sre q d ≥
I
I
S=
c
Where:
M – calculated bending moment
I - the second moment of area or moment of inertia

C –the distance from the neutral axis to the most extreme fiber.
Determining Maximum Bending Moment
 Draw the Shear(V) and Moment(M)diagrams to show the maximum values
for design.Remember:
dM
V =∑ (−W ) dx =V
dx
dV
M =∑ ( V ) dx =−W
dx

Five theorems relating the load, the shear force and the bending moment:
1. The load intensity W at any section of a beam is equal to the negative
slope of the shear force diagram at the section.
2. The shear force V at any section is equal to the slope of the bending
moment diagram at the section.
3. The difference between the shear forces at two sections of a beam is
equal to the negative area under the load diagram between those two
sections.
4. The difference between the bending moments at two sections of a
beam is equal to the area of the shear force diagram between those two
sections.
5. If the load diagram is a polynomial of degree n, then shear force V
diagram is polynomial of degree ( n + 1 ), and the bending moment M
diagram is polynomial degree ( n + 2 ).
Determining Maximum Bending Stress
 For a prismatic member (constant cross section),the maximum normal
stress will occur at the maximum moment.
 For a non-prismatic member, the stress varies with the cross section and
the moment.
Deflections
 If the bending moment changes, M(x) across a beam of constant material
and cross-section then the curvature will change:

1 M (x )
=
R I
 The slope of the N.A. of a beam,θ,will be tangent to the radius of
curvature, R:
 1
θ=Slope= =∫ M (x)dx
EI
The equation for deflection, y, along a beam is:
1 1
y=
EI
∫ θdx= EI ∬ M ( x ) dx
 Elastic curve equations can be found in handbooks, textbooks, design
manual , etc. ,Computer programs can be used as well.
 Elastic curve equations can be super positioned ONLY if the stresses are
in the elastic range.

Beam Loads and Load Tracing

 In order to determine the loads on a beam, we can start at the top of a
structure and determine the tributary area that a load acts over and the
beam needs to support. Loads come from material weights, people, and
the environment. This area is assumed to be from half the distance to the
next beam over to halfway to the next beam.
The reactions must be supported by the next lower structural element and
infinitum, to the ground.
Steel Beam Design Steps
Steel beam design is about selecting the lightest steel beam that will support the
load without exceeding the bending strength or shear strength of the material,
and without exceeding the maximum allowable deflection for the beam. We want
the lightest beam because it is generally the cheapest. We can solve these
problems with a 6-step process.
Step 1: Identify all loads and design constraints (yield strength, maximum
allowable deflection Δmax, beam length L, etc.).
Step 2: Draw the load diagram and calculate all reactions.
Step 3: Draw the shear and moment diagrams, and calculate Vmax and
Mmax. If the loading conditions are right, use the Formula Method to find
these values.
Step 4: Calculate the section modulus Srequired to support the applied
moment. Select the lightest steel beam from the Appendix that supports
Mmax and has enough stiffness to limit Δmax(if deflection is a constraint).
Step 5: Include the beam weight in new drawings of the load, shear, and
moment diagrams. Check that the beam can support the applied loads
 and its own weight, and that it still meets the maximum deflection
constraint.
Step 6: Calculate the shear strength of the selected beam, and check that
the beam will support more shear load than is applied.
Sample Problems:
Select the lightest W-beam that will support a uniformly distributed load of 3
kip/ft. on a simply-supported span of 20 ft. The beam is rolled high-strength, low-
alloy steel (HSLA).
Step 1 We know the loading and length; the steel has a yield strength Fy = 50ksi.
The maximum beam deflection Δmax is not specified.
3 kips
Step 2 The total load on the beam is ( 20 ft )=60 kips . Since the loading is
ft .
symmetrical,
R A =R B=30 kips .

Step 3 The shear diagram for a

uniform distributed load is two triangles. The moment diagram is a parabola,
where Mmax is the area of the shear diagram up to the midspan, or the area of
the lefthand triangle. Since the area of a triangle is the base times the height
divided by two,
30 kips ×10 ft .
Mmax= =150 kipft .
2

Step 4 The equation to find the value of S

required to support the applied moment.
I Mc
S= Fb=
c I
Therefore:

M
( )( )
12∈.
2
S= S=150 kip ft . ¿ =60.1 ¿
3
Fb 0.6(50 kips) 1 ft
 BEAM S(¿ ¿¿ 3)¿lx(¿¿¿ 4)¿ Dept Web
h thickness(in)
(in)
W18x40 78.1 612 17.9 0.315
W12x50 72.4 394 12.9 0.37
W10×5 66.6 303 10.09 0.370
4
W16×3 64.0 448 15.86 0.295
6
W12x40 57.5 310 11.94 0.295
List W- beams in
decreasing order of section modulus S. Look for a beam with a slightly larger S
than the required value. In this case, the lightest beam is W16×36, with a weight
of 36 lb./ft., or 0.036 kips/ft.
Step 5 We can add the beam weight to the applied uniform distributed load, for a
total of 3.036 kips/ft. The total load on the beam is
3.036 kips
( 20 ft )=60.72 kips
ft .

Since the loading is symmetrical R A =R B=30.36 kip s. The maximum moment is

30.36 kips(10 ft )
M max = =151.8 kips ft .
2

( )( )
12∈.
2
S=151.8 kip ft . ¿ =60.8 ¿ 3
0.6(50 kips) 1 ft

Which is less than S of the selected beam. As long as we have more than we
need, the beam will survive. If the new required S had been 66 ¿ .3, then we
would have to select a different beam.
Step 6 We know the beam will support the load without exceeding its bending
strength; now we need to check shear strength. For wide-flange steel W-beams,
V APPLIED ≤ 0.4 Fyd t w where d is the beam depth andt wis the thickness of the web.

Find these dimensions in Appendix A(TABLE). A W16×36 beam can support a

kips
shear load of0.4 × 50 2 ×15.86∈× 0.295∈¿ 93.6 kips since the actual shear load
¿
of 30.36kips is less than 93.6kips, the beam will not fail in shear.

References: © 2011 BARRY DUPEN

©2016 Continental Steel & Tube Co.
Exercises:
Easy
Select the lightest W-beam that will support a uniformly distributed load of 3
kip/ft. on a simply-supported span of 20 ft. and deflect no more than 0.6 inches.
The beam is rolled high-strength, low-alloy steel (HSLA).Fy = 50ksi , E = 30x
3
10 , deflection ∆ max=0.6 ∈¿

Difficult
Select the lightest W-beam that will support a point load of 40 kips at the
midspan of a simply-supported 30 foot span
P= 40kips
L= 30 ft.
Fy= 50ksi
∆ max −isnot specified

Most Difficult
Select the lightest W-Beam that will support a point load of 5kips and 3 feet from
the end of a 10 foot cantilever beam. The maximum deflection is 0.50 inches,
Fy= 50ksi ∆=0.5∈, E=30 x 103 kips