CTC 422

Design of Steel Structures

Beams - Flexure
Objectives of Structural Design
• Structure is adequate to support loads which
will be applied during its life
• Strength provided ≥ strength required
• Structure will meet serviceability
requirements
• Deflection
• Vibration
• Structure will meet functional requirements
• Structure will meet economic requirements
Beam Design
• Student Objectives
• Analyze a beam to calculate load, shear,
moment and deflection and to determine if
a given beam is adequate
• Design (select) a beam to safely to support
a load considering moment, shear and
deflection
Beam Design
• Beam
• A structural member which carries loads applied
perpendicular to its longitudinal axis
• These loads cause shear and bending (moment)
• Different terms used for beams depending on
application or location
• Girder, stringer, joist, lintel, spandrel, purlin, girt
• Behavior of all is the same.
• All are beams
Load and Resistance Factor
Design - LRFD
• Design strength ≥ Required strength
• ΦRn ≥ Ru
• For bending
• Φb Mn ≥ Mu
• Where:
• Mn = Nominal moment strength
• Φb = Strength reduction factor for bending = 0.9
• Mu = Required moment strength based on factored loads
Load and Resistance Factor
Design - LRFD
• Nominal moment capacity, Mn, depends on the failure
mechanism of the beam
• Beam can fail by:
• Full yielding of the cross-section
• Lateral torsional buckling (LTB)
• Can be inelastic or elastic buckling
• Flange local buckling (FLB)
• Web local buckling (WLB)

Failure mechanism is related to:

• Lateral bracing of the beam
• Whether or not the beam cross-section is compact
Failure Mechanism and Nominal
Moment Capacity, Mn
• If beam remains stable up to its full plastic moment
capacity
• Failure is by yielding of the full section
• Mn = Mp
• Instability could be overall beam instability
• Lateral torsional buckling (elastic or inelastic)
• Prevented by adequate lateral bracing of the beam’s
compression flange
• Instability could also be local instability
• Flange local buckling or web local buckling
• Dependent on width / thickness ratios of compression
elements
• Compactness, non-compactness or slenderness of section
Compactness
• Structural shapes are classified as compact, non-compact, or
slender
• Compact
• Section reaches its full strength (yield) before local buckling occurs
• Strength of section is governed by material strength
• Non-compact
• Only a portion of the cross-section reaches its full strength (yield) before local
buckling occurs
• Slender
• Cross-section does not yield before local buckling occurs
• Strength is governed by buckling
• Compactness, non-compactness, or slenderness is a property of
the cross-section itself
• A function of the width / thickness ratios of its flanges and its web
• Flange width / thickness = bf / 2tf
• Web width / thickness = h / tw
Compactness
• Classification is given in Table B4.1
• Notation:
• λ = width / thickness ratio
• λp = upper limit for compact category
• λr = upper limit for non-compact category
• If λ ≤ λp and the flange is continuously attached to the web, the
shape is compact
• If λp ≤ λ ≤ λr, the shape is non-compact
• If λ > λr, the shape is slender
• Category is based on the worst width / thickness ratio
• Example: If web is compact and flange is non-compact, section is
classified as non-compact
• Most standard W, M, S, and C sections are compact
• A few are non-compact because of their flanges, but none are
slender
Bending Strength of Compact
Shapes
• Moment strength of a compact shape is a
function of, Lb, the unbraced length of its
compression flange
• Lb – distance between points braced against lateral displacement of
compression flange
• Lp – limiting laterally unbraced length for limit state of yielding
• Lr – limiting laterally unbraced length for limit state of inelastic
lateral torsional buckling

• Compression flange may be braced by:

• Perpendicular framing
• Steel roof deck or floor deck
• Concrete slab
• Cross-bracing
Bending Strength of Compact
Shapes
• If the compression flange is continuously braced
(Lb ≤ Lp)
• Failure will be by yielding at full plastic moment
• Nominal moment capacity, Mn = Mp = Fy Zx (AISC Eq. F2-1)
• Design strength Φb Mn = Φb Mp
• For unbraced length Lb > Lp
• Failure will be by inelastic lateral torsional buckling
• Nominal moment capacity, Mn < Mp
• At Lb = Lp, Mn = 0.7 Fy Sx
• For Lp < Lb < Lr , linear interpolation from Mn = Mp to Mn = 0.7 Fy Sx
(AISC Eq. F2-2)
• For unbraced length Lb > Lr
• Failure will be by elastic lateral torsional buckling
• Rapid reduction in Mn (AISC Eq. F2-3)
Bending Strength of
Non-compact Shapes
• Most standard W, M, S, and C sections are compact
• A few are non-compact because of their flanges, but none are
slender
• Shapes with noncompact flanges are listed in User note on page
16.1-49

• Sections with compact webs and noncompact (or

slender) flanges
• Nominal moment capacity, Mn < Mp
• Calculate Mn using provisions of Code Section F3

• Sections with noncompact webs

• Nominal moment capacity, Mn < Mp
• Calculate Mn using provisions of Code Section F4
Design Aids – Braced Beams

Table 3-2, W-Shapes – Selection by Zx

• Applies to wide flange shapes with Fy = 50 ksi
• Applies mainly to sections which are adequately braced (Lb ≤ Lp)
• Can be used for unbraced length up to Lb = Lr
• Best to use this table only if fully braced
Table lists Zx, Lp, Lr, and Moment Capacity, Φb Mp
• Also lists Ix, and Shear Capacity Φv Vnx
Non-compact sections indicated by the footnote “f”
• Moment capacity in table has been adjusted for non-compactness
Sections in table are grouped by weight
• Lightest section in group is in bold
• Choose this section if there is no depth restriction
Design Aids – Unbraced Beams
• Table 3-10, Available Moment vs. Unbraced Length
• Applies to wide flange shapes with Fy = 50 ksi
• Also applies to channel shapes with Fy = 36 ksi

Table is a plot of available flexural strength, ΦbMnx, versus

unbraced length Lb
• Bending Coefficient in Table conservatively taken as Cb = 1
• See Table 3-1 for values of Cb

• Choose beam that has available moment strength ΦbMnx ≥ Mu at

an unbraced length Lb ≥ Design Lb
• Choose a beam above and to right of (Lb, Mu)
• Solid line – Beam chosen is lightest section available for the given
combination of Mu and Lb
• Dashed line – A lighter section is available
Design Aids – Channels

• Braced Channels
• Table 3-8, Maximum Total Uniform Load – C Shapes
• Applies to channel shapes with Fy = 50 ksi
• Applies only to sections which are adequately braced (Lb ≤ Lp)
• Best to use this table only if fully braced
• Table lists Zx, Lp, Lr, and Moment Capacity, Φb Mp
• Also lists Shear Capacity Φv Vnx

• Unbraced Channels
• Table 3-10, Available Moment vs. Unbraced Length
• Applies to channel shapes with Fy = 36 ksi