BEAM DESIGN

Introduction
Typical beam types for various applications
General
- The usual requirement for a beam design is to provide
sufficient resistance to bending moment
- However in some cases it is also necessary to consider other
criteria such as shear or lateral-torsional buckling
- In general, to design such members, the structure should be
checked for the following at critical sections;
1. Combination of bending and shear force
2. Deflection
3. Lateral restraint
4. Local buckling
5. Web bearing and buckling
Types of restraining condition of beam
1. Restrained beam
A beam where the compression flange is restrained against
lateral deflection and rotation. Only vertical deflection exists.
(i.e: positive attachment of a floor system to the top flange of
simply supported beam)
2. Unrestrained beam
The compression flange is not
restrained from deflect laterally and
rotate about the plan of the section
which is called lateral torsional
buckling.
Three component of displacement
i.e. vertical, horizontal and torsional
displacement
 Load Distribution

One-way Spanning Slab

Ly/Lx  2.0
1 2 3

Ly 6500 6500

A1

Beam

3000
B1

C1

P kN
Baem
Beam

Lx
3000
D1

Slab
E1
w kN/m

Beam E1 E2
6500
 Two-way Spanning Slab
Ly/Lx  2.0
Ly 1 2 3
6500
6000 6500
6000

Beam A1

w kN/m
3000
B1
Beam

Baem
Lx

P kN
C1
Slab

w kN/m
3000
D1

Beam E1
w kN/m

E1 E2
6500
6000
 Precast Concrete Slab

Ly/Lx  2.0, one-way slab

Precast concrete
Ly/Lx  2.0, one-way slab
hollow-core
SLAB
Ly
Ly
Lx
Lx

Ly/Lx  2.0, Ly/Lx  2.0,

one-way slab one-way slab
 Precast Concrete Slab

One way direction

One way direction

One-way spanning slab

 Cast In-situ Slab

Cast-insitu slab Ly/Lx  2.0, one-way slab

Ly/Lx  2.0, two-way slab

Ly Ly

Lx Lx

Ly/Lx  2.0, Ly/Lx  2.0,

one-way slab two-way slab
 Beam-to-column
connection
Secondary Beam

FLOOR
PLAN

Main Beam

Main beam
Column Secondary Main
beam beam

Main beam Secondary beam

Loading Example
Figure below shows a portion of plan view of a building. The slab
system is precast slab with loading as below;
Permanent action;
self weight of precast slab, brick wall and furnishing, = 5.0 kN/m²
Variable action; = 4.0 kN/m²
Determine the shear force and moment maximum for beam 1/A-B.

A B
1
Precast
4.0 m Slab panel

2
5.0 m
 Precast
concrete
panel

Solution:
The slab system is precast slab- One way slab

Design load,w (UDL) = 1.35GK + 1.5Qk = 1.35 x 5 + 1.5 x 4 = 12.75kN/m2

Total load, W = w x Slab loading area
Total load, W1 = 12.75 kN/m2 x [5 x 2] = 127.5kN
Analysis
Max shear force , FED = w/2 = 127.5/2
= 63.75kN

Max Moment, MED = WL/8 = (127.5 x 5000)/8

= 79.7 kNm
Exercise 5
The figure shows the plan view of the first-floor steel structure. If
precast concrete was used for the slab, determine the shear force and
bending moment of beam A-B/1
 Floor Slab load

Clay floor tile = 0.65kN/m2

Self-weight of 150 mm solid slab = 3.75kN/m2

Services = 0.30kN/m2

Total = 4.70kN/m2

Imposed load, qk = 0.25kN/m2

 Brick wall Load

Brickwall: 115 mm thick 0.115x 22 = 2.53kN/m2

Plaster (cement mortar) = 0.92kN/m2

Services = 0.30kN/m2
Total dead load, gk = 3.75kN/m2
Brickwall x 1.5 = 5.63 kN/m
 Laterally restrained beam
Cases where beams can be designed as fully restrained
along the spans:
1. Beams carrying in-situ reinforced concrete slabs.
The friction of concrete floor to the compression flange of
the beam can be assumed to provide full lateral restraint
(Figure 3.1).

2. Beams with steel decking flooring system, with or without

shear studs or by sufficient bracing member added.
The shear studs function as a simple concrete anchor and
can be employed to provide a permanent bond between
steel and concrete; enabling the two materials to act
compositely (i.e steel beam and concrete slab can act as
one component) Figure 3.2.
As a result of full lateral restraint along the compression flange
of the beam, bending will only take place about y-x plane.

In other words, the beam is prevented from moving sideways.

Hence, the beam deforms in the vertical plane only.
 Beam

Restrained Unrestrained
beam beam
Design checks for restrained beam
• Shear resistance, Clause 6.2.6
• Bending moment resistance, Clause 6.2.5
• Deflection
Shear resistance, Clause 6.2.6

The design shear resistance of a cross-section,

(Clause 6.2.6 EC3) , is denoted by Vc,Rd,

VEd
Shear check  1 .0
Vc ,Rd
In the absence of torsion, the shear resistance may be taken as
the design plastic shear resistance,
V pl , Rd
The plastic shear resistance is basically defined as the yield
strength in shear multiplied by a shear area Av (Clause 6.2.6(3).

Av ( f y / 3 ) Main beam
V pl , Rd = A
 M0

≈ 0.6 fy A
Column

The yield strength in shear is taken as fy/√3 and this is used in a

plastic shear resistance formulation.
Shear buckling
The resistance of the web to shear buckling should also
be checked, though this is unlikely to affect cross-
sections of standard hot-rolled proportions.

Shear buckling need not be considered provided:

hw 
 72 for unstiffened webs
tw 

235
where  = ;  = 1.0 ( from UK NA)
fy

*Shear buckling resistance for webs should be according to EN1993-1-5

Bending moment resistance, Clause 6.2.5
▪ The design resistance for bending about one principal axis of a
cross-section is determined as follows;

𝑊𝑝𝑙 𝑓𝑦
Class 1 and 2 cross-section 𝑀𝑐,𝑅𝑑 = 𝑀𝑝𝑙 =
𝛾𝑀0
𝑊𝑒𝑙 𝑓𝑦
Class 3 cross-sections 𝑀𝑐,𝑅𝑑 = 𝑀𝑒𝑙 =
𝛾𝑀0
𝑊𝑒𝑓𝑓 𝑓𝑦
Class 4 cross-sections 𝑀𝑐,𝑅𝑑 = 𝑀𝑒𝑓𝑓 =
𝛾𝑀0

▪ The partial factor γM0 is applied to all cross-section bending

resistance, and equal 1.0
𝑀𝐸𝑑
▪ Cross-section check (in-plane bending) ≤ 1.0
𝑀𝑐,𝑅𝑑
Bending and shear (Clause 6.2.8)

• Bending moment and shear force acting in combination on

structural members is commonplace.
• However, in the majority of cases (particularly when standard
rolled section are adopted), the effect of shear force on
moment resistance is negligible and may be ignored.
• Clause 6.2.8(2) states that if the applied shear force is less
than half the plastic shear resistance, its effect on the
moment resistance may be neglected
For cases where the applied shear force is greater than half the
plastic shear resistance of the cross section, the moment
resistance should be calculated using a reduced design strength
for the shear area, given by the equation;

fyr = (1-ρ)fy

where ρ = [(2VEd/Vpl,Rd)-1)2

for VEd > 0.5Vpl,Rd

Vpl,Rd may be obtained from Clause 6.2.6 and when torsion is

present, it should be replaced by Vpl,T,Rd obtained from Clause
6.2.7.
For I-cross section with equal flanges and bending about major
axis, the reduced design plastic resistance moment allowing for
the shear force may be alternatively be obtained from eq. 6.30
clause 6.2.8(5);

where, Aw = hw tw
Example 3.1: Cross-section resistance under
combined bending and shear
A short-span (1.2m), simply supported, laterally restrained beam is
to be designed to carry a central point load of 1020kN as shown in
Fig.1. The arrangement resulted in a maximum design shear force
VEd of 510kN and a maximum design bending moment MEd of
306kNm. In this example a 406x178x74 UB in grade S275 steel is
assessed for its suitability for this application.
Check VED
> 0.5Vc,RD
Deflection
Excessive deflections may impair the function of a structure, for
example, leading to cracking of plaster, misalignments of crane
rails, causing difficulty in opening doors, etc.

From the UK National Annex, NA 2.23 & 2.24, deflection checks

should be made under unfactored variable actions Qk.
(permanent actions be taken as zero)

1. Vertical deflection
2. Horizontal deflection
Table A1.4 (EN 1990): Design value of actions for use in the
combination of actions
 Vertical deflection limits, NA.2.23
NA to BS EN 1993-1-1:2005(NA 2.23)
Design situation Deflection limit
Cantilevers Length/180
Beams carrying plaster or other brittle
Span/360
finish
Other beams (except purlins and
Span/200
sheeting rails)
Purlins and sheeting rails To suit cladding

Figure A1.1 of
EN 1990 (pg 58)
 Horizontal deflection limits NA.2.24
NA to BS EN 1993-1-1:2005
Design situation Deflection limit
Tops of columns in single storey buildings,
Height/300
except portal frames
Columns in portal frame buildings, not
To suit cladding
supporting crane runways
In each storey of a building with more than Height of
one storey storey/300

u is overall horizontal displacement over the building

height H
ui is horizontal displacement over a storey height Hi
 3 y
w (kN)

x
Wa Wb Wab 1 WL3  3a 4a3 
  − 3 
A B L L L 48 EI  L L 
a b

4 y
w (kN)

x
W a b 1 W
RA RB W +    ( 8L3 − 4Lb2 + b3 )
Mmax (kNm) max (m) A B 2 2 8 48 EI
(kN) (kN)
1 y a b a
w (kN) L
x
W WL 5 WL3 5 y 0.5w (kN) 0.5w (kN)
2 
8 384 EI W WL 1 WL3
A B 
x 2 8 73.14 EI
L
2 y
w (kN) A B
L
x
W WL 1 WL3 6
2 
4 48 EI
A B y w (kN)
L WL WL2 1 WL2

3 y
w (kN) x 4 12 120 EI

A B
x
Wa Wb Wab 1 WL3  3a 4a3  L
  − 3  w (kN)
A B L L L 48 EI  L L  7 y
a b
( 4a − 5) WL3
2 2

L x
3 − 4a2

0.5W ( L − a) WL 1920(1 − a) EI
4 y
A B
24 (1 − a)
w (kN)
aL aL (occurs at mid span)
x
W a b 1 W
  ( 8L3 − 4Lb2 + b3 )
L
W + 
A B 2 2 8 48 EI
a b a

L
5 y 0.5w (kN) 0.5w (kN)
W WL 1 WL3

x 2 8 73.14 EI

A B
L
6

y w (kN)
WL WL2 1 WL2

 Example 3.2: Deflection

A simply supported roof beam of span 5.6m is subjected to

the following (unfactored) loading:

- Dead load: 8.6kN/m

- Imposed roof load: 20.5kN/m
- Snow load: 1.8kN/m

Choose a suitable UB such that the vertical deflection limits

are not exceeded.
From clause 3.2.6 : E = 210 000 N/mm2
Using the characteristic combination of action of table 3.2,
taking the imposed roof load as the leading variable action is
critical, serviceability loading
w = Gk ‘+’ Qk,1 ‘+’ 0,2Qk,2

From Table A1.1 of EN1990, for snow loads (at altitudes > 1000
m), 0 = 0.7,

 w = 8.6 + 20.5 + ( 0.7 x 1.8) = 30.36 kN/m

Under a uniformly distribute load, the maximum deflection  of a

simply supported beam may be taken as
For a deflection limit of span/200
 5 wL4 5 30.36  5600 4
 I required = =  = 66.1  10 6 mm 4
384 E 384 210 000  (5600 / 200)
From section tables 356 x 127 x 33 has a second moment of
area ( about the major axis) Iy of 82.49 x 106 mm4.
82.49 x 106 > 66.1 x 106 356 x 127 x 33 is acceptable

Setting the dead load equal to zero in the serviceability loading

gives
w = 21.76 kN/m and a required second moment of 47.4 x 106
mm4
Example 3.3: Restrained Beam Design
The simply supported 610 x 229 x 125 UB of S275 steel
shown below has a span of 6m. Check moment
resistance, shear and deflection of the beam.
Exercise 6
Using the plan view, shear force and bending moment in Exercise 5,
propose the suitable beam size for beam A-B/1. Check the shear
resistance, bending moment, and deflection of the proposed beam.
Given steel grade S 275
Resistance of the web to transverse
forces
• This verification is only required when there is a bearing on
the beam (refer EC3-1-5)
• Concentrated transverse forces applied to girders from
supports, cross beam, columns etc
• According to EC3-1-5:
• Design resistance is calculated as describe in clause 6.2
of EN1993-1-5.
“all girders are beams but all beams are not girders”
Design resistance
• To verify either the web resistance to transverse forces
is adequate or not

FED
2 =  1.0
FRD

• For unstiffened or stiffened web the design resistance to

local buckling under transverse forces should be taken
as
Where
• Determine ly and F
• The reduction factor F should be obtained from

where

and

• For web without longitudinal stiffeners kF should be

obtained from Figure 6.1 of EC3-1-5
a)Through the flange and resisted by shear forces in the web
b)Through one flange and transferred through the web directly to other
flange.
c) Through one flange adjacent to an unstiffened end

Buckling coefficient for different types of load

application (Figure 6.1 of EC3-1-5)
• For webs with longitudinal stiffeners kF may be taken as

• This equation is valid for 0,05b1/a0,3 and b1/hw0,3 and

the loading according to type a) in Figure 6.1.
Where b1 is the depth of the loaded subpanel taken as the
clear distance between the loaded flange and the stiffener
• Effective loaded length ly
• For type a) and b) in Figure 6.1 ly should be obtained using

• For type c) ly should be taken the smallest value of

or

where
• Factors m1 and m2 are define as follows

• The length of stiff bearing ss on the flange should be taken as

the distance over which the applied load effectively
distributed at a slope of 1:1 (Figure 6.2 of EC3-1-5). However
ss should not be taken as larger than hw
• If several concentrated forces are closely spaced, the
resistance should be checked for each individual force as well
as for the total load with ss as the centre to centre distance
between the outer loads
• If the bearing surface of the applied load rests at an angle to the
flange surface (Figure 6.2) ss should be taken as zero.

Length of stiff bearing

Example 3.4
The beam shown below is fully laterally restrained along its
length and has bearing length of 50mm at unstiffened supports
and 75mm under the point load. Design the beam in S275 steel
for the loading shown below.
Given:
Actions (loadings),
Permanent actions:
Uniformly distributed load (including self weight) g1 = 15kN/m
Concentrate load G1 = 40kN

Variable actions:
Uniformly distributed load q1 = 30kN/m
Concentrate load Q1 = 50kN

The variable actions are not due to storage and are not
independent of each other
STEP:
1)Load, MEd, VEd
2)Cross-section classification
3)Shear resistance (also shear buckling) (6.2.6)
4)Bending moment resistance (6.2.5) and also check
bending & shear (6.2.8)
5)Resistance of the web to transverse forces
- only required when there is bearing on the beam (refer to
BS EN 1993-1-5 Clause 6 – Resistance to transverse force)
6)Deflection
q1 = 30.0kN/m
Q1 = 50.0 kN
Laterally unrestrained beam

• Lateral torsional buckling is the member buckling mode

associated with slender beams loaded about their major axis,
without continuous lateral restraint.
• The prime factors that influence the buckling strength of
beams are un-braced span, cross sectional shape, type of end
restraint and distribution of moment.
Lateral restraint may be of along the span or at some points along the
span

Points A, B, C and D are restrained form deform laterally by the

secondary beams and the connection at column.
Cross-sectional and member bending resistance
must be verified
Lateral Torsional Buckling (LTB)

It exhibits vertical movement

(bending about y-y axis),
lateral displacement
(bending about z-z axis) and
rotation (about x-x axis).

It occurs when the buckling

resistance about z-z axis and
torsional resistance about
the x-x axis are low.
LTB is considered to be prevented if the
compression flange is prevented from moving
laterally.

Thus, intersection member or frictional restrained

from floor units can prevent lateral movement of the
compression flange.

For this beam failure will occur in another mode,

generally in-plane bending (and/or shear).
 Characteristics of LTB
• Initially the beam bends about the major axis.
• As the load increases the sideway displacement occurs.
• Twisting of cross section
• The sideway displacement bends about the minor axis.
• The way to prevent LTB is to have adequate lateral bracing
at the compression flange at adequate intervals along the
beam.

*Check should be carried out on all unrestrained segments of

beams (between the points where lateral restraint exists).
Design Buckling Resistance, Mb,Rd (Clause 6.3.2.1)

• The design buckling resistance of an unrestrained beam

(or unrestrained segment of beam) should be taken as
3 Methods to Check LTB
1. The primary method adopts the lateral torsional buckling curves
given by equations 6.56 and 6.57 from Clause 6.3.2.2 (general
case) and Clause 6.3.2.3 (for rolled sections and equivalent welded
sections).
2. A simplified assessment method for beams with restraints in
buildings, Clause 6.3.2.4
3. The third is a general method for lateral and lateral torsional
buckling of structural components, given in Clause 6.3.4.
Method 1: Lateral torsional buckling curves (6.3.2.2
&6.3.2.3)
For the general case (6.3.2.2)

For rolled or equivalent welded sections case

(6.3.2.3)
 2
ɸ𝐿𝑇 = 0.5 1 + 𝛼𝐿𝑇 𝜆ҧ𝐿𝑇 − 0.2 + 𝜆ҧ𝐿𝑇
(6.3.2.2)
2
ɸ𝐿𝑇 = 0.5 1 + 𝛼𝐿𝑇 𝜆ҧ𝐿𝑇 − 𝜆ҧ𝐿𝑇,0 + 𝛽 𝜆ҧ𝐿𝑇
(6.3.2.3)
UK NA set the UK NA set the
recommended value 0.4 recommended value of 0.75

αLT – refer Table 6.3 and 6.4

𝑊𝑦 𝑓𝑦
𝜆ҧ𝐿𝑇 =
𝑀𝑐𝑟
Elastic critical moment for lateral torsional
buckling, Mcr
• EC3 offers no formulations and gives no guidance on how
Mcr should be calculated

• It only mentioned in Clause 6.3.2.2(2) that Mcr should be

based on gross cross-sectional properties and should take
into account the loading conditions, the real moment
distribution and the lateral restraints
The Mcr of a beam of uniform symmetrical cross-section with
equal flanges, under standard conditions of restraint at each
end loaded through the shear centre and subject to uniform
moment is given by equation:

For uniform doubly-symmetric cross-sections, loaded through

the shear centre at the level of the centroidal axis and with the
standard conditions of restraint, Mcr may be calculated by:
Standard condition of restraint at each end of the beam:
restrained against lateral movement, restrained against
rotation about the longitudinal axis and free to rotate on
plan.

C1 factor: used to modify Mcr,0 (Mcr = Mcr.,0) to take account

of the shape of bending moment diagram.
C1 factor for end moment may be approximated by equation:

𝐶1 = 1.88 − 1.40𝜓 + 0.52𝜓 2 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝐶1 ≤ 2.70

where Ψ is the ratio of end moment from Table 6.11 and 6.12
Table 6.11: C1 values for end moment loading
Table 6.12: C1 values for transverse loading
• 𝜆ҧ𝐿𝑇 can be determined without having to calculate Mcr. A
simplified expression is given in Access steel document
SN002
• From the formula for Mcr the following expression for
rolled I, H and channel sections with non-destabilising
loads has been determined:
1
𝜆ҧ𝐿𝑇 = 0.9𝜆ҧ𝑍 𝛽𝑤
𝐶1
1
from SN002
𝐶1

𝐿 1
𝜆ҧ𝑍 =
𝑖𝑧 𝜆1

235
𝜆1 = 93.9
𝑓𝑦
Condition of restraints and
Effective length
Design procedure for unrestrained beam
1. Determine BMD and SFD from design loads
2. Select section and determine geometry
3. Classify cross-section (Class 1,2,3 or 4)
4. Determine effective(buckling) length Lcr – depends on boundary
conditions and load level
5. Calculate Mcr
6. Non-dimensional slenderness, λLT
7. Determine imperfection factor, α LT
8. Calculate buckling reduction factor, χLT
9. Design buckling resistance, Mb,Rd
10.Check for each unrestrained portion
Example 3.4: Lateral torsional buckling
resistance
A simply supported beam is required to span 10.8m and to
support two secondary beams as shown in Figure 1. The
secondary beams are connected through fin plates to the
web of the primary beam and full lateral restraint may be
assumed at these points. Select a suitable member for the
primary beam assuming grade S275 steel.
Section properties for a 762 x 267 x 173 UB
Exercise 7
Using the plan view and the data in Exercises 5 and 6, check
the buckling resistance of beam B-C/3.
THANK YOU