CHAPTER 1: 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

Ly
Beam

Baem
Beam

Lx
Slab

Beam
 Two-way Spanning Slab

Ly/Lx  2.0
Ly
Beam
Beam

Baem
Lx
Slab

Beam
 Precast Concrete Slab

Ly/Lx  2.0, one-way slab

Precast concrete Ly/Lx  2.0, one-way
hollow-core SLAB 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 Secondary
Column beam
Main
Main beam Secondary beam

beam
 Example 3.1
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 Slab
panel
4.0 m

2
5.0 m
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 2
Figure below shows a portion of plan view of building. The slab system is insitu
concrete slab
– Permenant load not include beam selfweight and variable load is shown
in Figure. Beam 2/AB carry 4m brick
– Brickwall = 3 kN/m2.
Determine the maximum shear force and moment for beam 2/A-B.
 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 beam Unrestrained 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).

A Main beam

Av ( f y / 3 )
V pl , Rd =
 M0 A

Column

≈ 0.6 fy

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 foe webs should be according to EN1993-1-5
Example 3.4: Shear resistance
Determine the shear resistance of a 229 x 89 rolled channel section in Grade
S275 steel loaded parallel to the web
Width b = 88.9.9mm
Web thickness tw = 8.6mm
Height h = 228.6mm
Flange thickness tf = 13.3mm
root radius r = 13.7.mm
Area A= 4160mm2

Cross-section under pure compression loading

Material
𝑡𝑤 = 8.6 < 40 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑓 = 13.3 < 40𝑚𝑚
𝑓𝑦 = 275 𝑁/𝑚𝑚2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑢 = 430 𝑁/𝑚𝑚2

Choose steel grade S275

𝐸 = 210000𝑁/𝑚𝑚2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐺 = 81000𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
Shear

Verify shear buckling resistance for webs

ℎ𝑤 = ℎ − 2𝑡𝑓 = 228.6 − 2 × 13.3 = 202𝑚𝑚

ℎ𝑤 202
= = 23.5 < 55.5
𝑡𝑤 8.6

235 235
Ɛ= = = 0.92
𝑓𝑦 275

Ɛ Ɛ 0.92
The limiting value for no-buckling 72 𝜂 ; 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝜂 = 1.2 𝑡ℎ𝑢𝑠, 72 𝜂 = 72 = 55.5
1.2

ℎ𝑤 Ɛ
= 23.5 < 72 = 55.5
𝑡𝑤 𝜂
∴ Shear buckling resistance equals that of the whole web (no shear buckling check required
Shear resistance:

𝑓𝑦Τ 3
𝑉𝑝𝑙 𝑅𝑑 = 𝐴𝑣
, 𝛾
𝑀0
𝐴𝑣 = 𝐴 − 2𝑏𝑡𝑓 + 𝑡𝑓 𝑡𝑤 + 𝑟
𝐴𝑣 = 4160 – ( 2 × 88.9 × 13.3) + (8.6 + 13.7) × 13.3
𝐴𝑣 = 2092 𝑚𝑚2

275Τ 3
𝑉𝑝𝑙 𝑅𝑑 = 2092 × = 332 𝑘𝑁
, 1.0

Conclusion:

The shear resistance of a 229 x 89 rolled channel section in grade S275 steel loaded parallel to the
web is 332 kN. For the same cross section, BS 5950 gives a shear resistance of 324 kN.
Exercise 3
Determine the shear resistance for a 533 x 312 x 151 UB in bending assuming grade S
275 Steel. Using the data in Exercise 2, check the shear resistance of beam 2/A-B.
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 3.5: 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 finish Span/360
Other beams (except purlins and sheeting rails) Span/200
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, except portal
Height/300
frames
Columns in portal frame buildings, not supporting crane
To suit cladding
runways
In each storey of a building with more than one storey Height of storey/300

u is overall horizontal displacement over the

building height H
ui is horizontal displacement over a storey
height Hi
 L

4 y
w (kN)

x
W a b 1 W
W +    ( 8L3 − 4Lb 2 + b3 )
A B 2 2 8 48 EI
a b a
RA RB
Mmax (kNm) max (m) L
(kN) (kN)
1 y 5 y 0.5w (kN) 0.5w (kN)
w (kN) W WL 1 WL3
W WL 5 WL 3 
x
 x 2 8 73.14 EI
2 8 384 EI
A B
A B
L
L
2 y
w (kN)
6
W WL 1 WL3
x
2  y w (kN)
4 48 EI WL WL2 1 WL2
A B 
L x 4 12 120 EI
3 y
w (kN)
A B
L
x
Wa Wb Wab 1 WL3  3a 4a3  w (kN)
  − 3  7 y
A B L L L 48 EI  L L 
( 4a − 5) WL3
2 2
a b
x 3 − 4a2

0.5W ( L − a) 1920(1 − a) EI
L
WL
4 y
A B
24 (1 − a )
w (kN)
aL aL (occurs at mid span)
x
W a b 1 W
  ( 8L3 − 4Lb 2 + 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
Example 3.6 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 3.7: 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.
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 calculate 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

F
 2 = or
■ For unstiffened  1.0
ED stiffened web the design resistance to local buckling

under transverse
FRDforces 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 3.6

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 ҧ ҧ ҧ
𝜆𝐿𝑇 − 𝜆𝐿𝑇,0 + 𝛽𝜆𝐿𝑇 (6.3.2.3)

UK NA set the recommended value of 0.75

UK NA set the recommended value 0.4

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 + 0.52𝜓2 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
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 3.6: 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 3
Figure below shows a portion of plan view of building. The slab system is precast concrete slab
– Permenant load not include beam selfweight and variable load is shown in Figure. Beam 2/AB carry
4m brick
– Brickwall = 3 kN/m2.
Design beam 1-3/A
Exercise
The Figure below shows a simply supported beam (connections assumed simple) that is part
of a series of beams repeated at 5m centres. The beam is restrained in the lateral direction by
a secondary beam at mid-span.
It supports a variable load of 5kN/m2 and a permanent load of 3kN/m2.

Assume the lateral mid-span lateral secondary beam to offer adequate lateral torsional
buckling restraint. In the absence of other restraints the unrestrained length of the beam is
3m.

Assume a beam self weight of 60.1 kg/m run (406x178x60 UKB assumed).

3m
Lateral restraint

6m