DESIGN OF

FLEXURAL
MEMBERS
NSCP 2015 – SECTION 506
A. General Provisions
Member sizes shall be selected ensuring all design criteria have met
including serviceability requirements and strength, which is calculated
as the design flexural strength, or the allowable flexural strength, :

= the lowest nominal flexural strength based on the limit states of yielding,
lateral torsional –buckling and local buckling, where applicable.
= 0.90 (LRFD)
= 1.67 (ASD)
The term shall mean the length between points which are either
braced against lateral displacement of the compression flanged or
braced against twisting of the cross section.
Failure normally happens by
a. yielding of the material and formation of plastic hinge and a collapse
mechanism;
b. lateral torsional buckling; and
c. local buckling of the flange or web of the beam that is not compact.
Adequate lateral bracing of a beam will ensure that full plasticity is
achieved prior to literal-torsional buckling occurring. Using a shape
that is compact will ensure that full plasticity is achieve prior to
flange or web local buckling.
The elastic flexural strength of the section is based on the plastic
and elastic relationship of W- shaped sections wherein the shape
factor ranges from 1.10 to 1.30. Using a conservative value of SF=
1.10, The allowable stress design may be derived as follows:

The allowable flexural strength is the calculated as;

Therefore, the allowable flexural stress is:

B. Procedures in Design
The following paragraphs summarize the steps undertaken in
calculating the capacity of a flexural element using LRFD method.
Step 1: Determine whether the selected or given shape is compact or
non-compact. The verification shall be carried out for the flanges as
well as for the web.
Step 2: a. If the shape is compact, check for lateral-torsional buckling
as per the provision stated in the code.
The plastic mode occurs when the beam is adequately braced to
prevent lateral-torsional buckling. When the distance between
braces does not exceed , yielding of the steel occurs over the full
depth of the beam at the point of maximum moment. The full plastic
moment is developed and the nominal flexural strength of the beam
is =  
b. If , inelastic lateral-torsional buckling occurs. can be calculates as
follows:
When the distance between braces exceeds and is less than , the
limiting laterally unbraced length for the limit state of inelastic
lateral-torsional buckling, collapse occurs prior to the development
of the full plastic moment. When the nominal flexural strength of
the beam is .

Where:
is the lateral-torsional buckling modification factor.
Where:
absolute value of maximum moment in the unbraced segment, N-mm
absolute value of moment at quarter point of the unbraced segment, N-mm
= absolute value of moment at centreline of the unbraced segment, N-mm
= absolute value of moment at three-quarter point of the unbraced segment, N-mm
= cross-section mono-symmetry parameter (1.0 for doubly symmetric members, 1.0 for
singly symmetric members subjected to single curvature bending)
=
= for singly-symmetric shapes subject to reverse-curvature bending
= moment of inertia of the compression flange about the y-axis. For doubly-symmetric
shapes, . For reverse-curvature bending of singly-symmetric I-shape sections, is the
moment of inertia of the smaller flange.
Note: When the beam moment is uniform, the value of Cb=1.0
where Rm=1.0.
(1.0) =1.0
 
c. If Lb>Lr, elastic lateral –torsional buckling occurs. Allowable
bending moment is calculated as follows:
 
Mn = F crSx Mp
Where:
When the distance between braces exceeds and is less than , the
limiting laterally unbraced length for the limit state of inelastic
lateral-torsional buckling, collapse occurs prior to the development
of the full plastic moment. When the nominal flexural strength of
the beam is .

Where:
is the lateral-torsional buckling modification factor.
When the distance between braces exceeds and is less than , the
limiting laterally unbraced length for the limit state of inelastic
lateral-torsional buckling, collapse occurs prior to the development
of the full plastic moment. When the nominal flexural strength of
the beam is .

Where:
is the lateral-torsional buckling modification factor.