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
𝑠𝑟𝑒𝑞 ′ 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= ∫ 𝜃𝑑𝑥 = ∬ 𝑀(𝑥)𝑑𝑥
𝐸𝐼 𝐸𝐼
 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.
Steps in the Design of Beam :
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.
3𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑠
Step 2 The total load on the beam is (20𝑓𝑡) = 60𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑠. Since the loading is
𝑓𝑡.
symmetrical,

𝑅𝐴 = 𝑅𝐵 = 30𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑠.

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,
30𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑠×10𝑓𝑡.
𝑀𝑚𝑎𝑥 = = 150𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑓𝑡.
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 𝑖𝑛2 12𝑖𝑛.
𝑆= 𝑆 = 150𝑘𝑖𝑝 𝑓𝑡. ( )( ) = 60.1 𝑖𝑛3
𝐹𝑏 0.6(50𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑠) 1𝑓𝑡

BEAM 𝑆(𝑖𝑛3 ) 𝑙𝑥(𝑖𝑛4 ) Web

Depth thickness(in)
(in)
 W18x40 78.1 612 17.9 0.315
W12x50 72.4 394 12.9 0.37
W10×54 66.6 303 10.09 0.370
W16×36 64.0 448 15.86 0.295
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
3.036𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑠
(20𝑓𝑡) = 60.72𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑠
𝑓𝑡.

Since the loading is symmetrical𝑅𝐴 = 𝑅 𝐵 = 30.36𝑘𝑖𝑝s. The maximum moment is

30.36𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑠(10𝑓𝑡)
𝑀𝑚𝑎𝑥 = = 151.8𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑠 𝑓𝑡.
2
𝑖𝑛2 12𝑖𝑛.
𝑆 = 151.8𝑘𝑖𝑝 𝑓𝑡. ( )( ) = 60.8 𝑖𝑛3
0.6(50𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑠) 1𝑓𝑡

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 𝑖𝑛.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,

𝑉𝐴𝑃𝑃𝐿𝐼𝐸𝐷 ≤ 0.4𝐹𝑦𝑑𝑡𝑤 where d is the beam depth and 𝒕𝒘 is the thickness of the web.
Find these dimensions in Appendix A(TABLE). A W16×36 beam can support a
𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑠
shear load of 0.4 × 50 𝑖𝑛2 × 15.86𝑖𝑛 × 0.295𝑖𝑛 = 93.6𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑠 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 =
30x103 , 𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ∆𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 0.6𝑖𝑛
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 − 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 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 ∆ = 0.5𝑖𝑛 , 𝐸 = 30𝑥103 𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑠