Design of steel beam (LRFD, Load and Resistance Factor

Design)
Design code: AISC Load and Resistance Factor Design 2nd edition, 1994.

Design requirements

1. Maximum factored moment, Mu shall not exceed flexural bending strength, fMn.
2. Deflection should not exceed allowable limit.
3. Maximum factored shear force, Vu shall not exceed shear strength, fVu.

Design procedure:

1. Calculate factored design load.

2. Calculate factored moment, Mu.
3. Select a trial beam size and calculate flexural moment strength, fMn (see below)
4. Calculate deflection and check with allowable deflection ratio.
5. Calculate factor design shear force, Vu.
6. Calculate shear strength, fVn.

Design of steel beam with W, I shape or Channel

Determine factor moment, Mu

Load factors:
1.4D [LRFD A4-1]
1.2D+1.6L+0.5(Lr or S or R)      [LRFD
A4-2]
1.2D+1.6(Lr or S or R)+(0.5L or 0.8W)      [LRFD A4-3]*
1.2D+1.3W+0.5L+0.5(Lr or S or R)      [LRFD A4-4]*
1.2D±1.0E+0.5L+0.2S [LRFD A4-5]*
0.9D±(1.3W or 1.0E)     
[LRFD A4-6]
 
where D is dead load, L is live load, Lr is roof live load, S is snow load, R is rain load, W is
wind load, E is seismic load.
*Load factor for L is 1 for garage, public assembly and area over 100 psf live load.
Determine flexural strength, fMn (LRFD)
W, I shape and channel hot-roll section bending about its major axis or shear center
1. Unbraced length, Lb £ Lp
f = 0.9
Mn = Mp = FyZ £ 1.5 FyS
Where Mp is plastic moment, Fy is yield strength of steel, Z is plastic section
modulus, S is elastic section modulus, and
Lp = 300 ry/ÖFy (value listed in part 4 of LRFD beam selection table) [LRFD F1-4]
Where ry is radius of gyration about minor axis
2. Lp £ Lb £ Lr
 f = 0.9

[LRFD f1-2]
where
Mr = FL Sx, and FL = Fy-10 ksi
Cb = 12.5Mmax/(2.5Mmax+3MA+4MB+3MC)
Mmax, MA,MB, MC are absolute moment at maximum, 1/4, 1/2, and ¾ point of
unbranced length, Cb can be conservatively taken as 1.0.
Lr = (ryX1/FL)[1+(1+X2FL2)1/2]1/2 (value listed in part 4 of LRFD beam selection table)
X1=(p/Sx)(EGJA/2)1/2 (value listed in part I of LRFD property table)
X2=(4Cw/Iy)(Sx/GJ)2 (value listed in part I of LRFD property table)
Sx = section modulus in x direction, in3.
E = elastic modulus (29000 ksi)
G = shear modulous (11200 ksi)
Iy = moment of inernia in y axis, in4.
Cw = warping constant, in6.
3. Lb > Lr
            Mn = Mcr £ Mp       [AISC F1-12]
 
Where
 
            Mcr = Cb (p/Lb)[EIyGJ+(pE/Lb)2IyCw]                         [AISC F1-13]
                    = [CbSxX1Ö2/(Lb/ry)]Ö[1+X12X2/[2(Lb/ry)2]
 
Determine unsupported length
 

 
Simply supported beams
1. For simply supported beam, the top flange is in compression. If the beam is directly
attached to roof deck or floor slab, the compression flange is fully supported. The
unsupported length Lb is 0.
2. When the beam supporting joists or other beams, and its flange is directly attached to
the supported joists or other beams, the unsupported length is the spacing of the joists
or other beams.
Cantilever beams:
1. For cantilever beam, the compression flange is at the bottom of the beam. If the
bottom flange is unbraced, the unsupported length is the length of the cantilever
beam.
2. If bracing is provided at the bottom flange, the unsupported length is the spacing
between bracings.
Continuous beams:
1. For the positive moment portion of the beam, the compression flange is at the top of
the beam. The unsupported length is determined as a simply supported beam.
2. For the negative moment portion of the beam, the compression flange is at the bottom
of the beam. The unsupported length is determined as a cantilever beam.
Check shear stress
1. Factor shear strength,Vu £ shear strength, fVn = f(0.6 Fy Aw)
Where f = 0.9, Aw is area of web.
Acceptable deflection in most building codes
Deflection limits listed in International Building Code 2003 Table 1604.3are
Construction L S or W D+L
Roof members      
Supporting plaster ceiling L/360 L/360 L/240
Supporting non-plaster ceiling L/240 L/240 L/180
Not supporting ceiling L/180 L/180 L/120
Floor members L/360 - L/240
Exterior walls and interior partitions      
With brittle finishes - L/240 -
With flexible finishes - L/120 -
 
For cantilever beam, L is 2 time the length of cantilever.
 
Example 1:
Situation: A structural steel beam is supporting a roof.
The beam is simply supported at each end.
Design Code: AISC LRFD 2nd edition
Roof live load: WL = 12 psf
Roof dead load: WD = 20 psf
Length of beam: L = 35 ft
Unsupported length (Joist spacing): Lb = 5 ft
Tributary width: TriB = 35 ft
Material: ASTM A36, yield strength, F y = 36 ksi
Requirements: Select a W24 beam
Solution:
Total factor load on beam: Wu= (1.2WD+1.6WL) TriB = 1512 lb/ft.
Maximum factored moment: Mu = Wu L2/8 = 231.5 kip-ft
Maximum unsupported length, Lb = 5 ft
Try W24x55, From AISC steel Table, 
d = 23.57 in, bf = 7 in, tf =0.5 in, Af = bf tf=3.5 in2, tw = 5/16 in
Section modulus, Sx = 114 in3.
Moment of inertia, Ix = 1350 in4.
From LRFD table Lp = 5.6 ft > Lb = 5 ft
Calculate Moment strength: 
fMn = fFyZx = 0.9 (36)(134) =362 kip-ft < 1.5fFySx = 462 kip-ft O.K.
Check deflection: Elastic modulus, E = 29000 ksi
Service load, W = (WD+WL) TriB = 1120 lb/ft
Total deflection, D = 5 W L4/(388 E Ix ) = 0.97 in
Deflection ratio, L/D = 1/435 < 1/ 240 O.K
Live load deflection, DL = D (12/32) = 0.36 in,
Live load deflection ratio, DL /L = 1/1160 < 1/360 O.K.
Check shear force,
Factor shear force, Vu = WuL/2 = 29.6 kips
Allowable shear stress, fVn = f0.6 Fy twd = 143 kip
 
Example 2:
 

Situation: A structural steel beam with is supporting a roof as shown in the figure.
The beam is simply supported at each end.
Design Code: AISC LRFD 2nd edition
Roof live load: WL = 12 psf
Roof dead load: WD = 20 psf
Length of beam: L = 36 ft
Length of cantilever: a = 11 ft
Tributary width: TriB = 24 ft
Material: ASTM A992, yield strength, Fy = 50 ksi
Requirements: Select a W18 beam
Solution:
Total load on beam: W = (1.2WD+1.6WL) TriB = 1037 lb/ft.
Maximum negative moment at cantilever end: Muneg = Wu a2/2 = 62.7 kip-ft
Maximum unsupported length at cantilever, Lb = 11 ft
Try W18x35, From AISC Table, d = 17.7 in, tw = 0.3 in
Elastic section modulus, S = 57.6 in3.
Plastic section modulus, Z = 66.5 in3.
Moment of inertia, I = 510 in4.
Check cantilever end:
From LRFD table, Lp = 4.3 ft < Lb = 11 ft < Lr = 11.5 ft
Mp = FyZ = 277.1 ft-kip
FL=Fy-10 ksi = 40 ksi
Mr = Fy S = 192 ksi
Cb = 1, f = 0.9

 
Maximum deflection at cantilever end, E = 29000 ksi
Service load, W = (WD+WL)TriB = 768 kip-ft
From structural analysis,
D = (Wa/24EI)(4a2L-L3+3a3) = -1.04 in  D/2a = 1/254 O.K.
Live load deflection, DL=D(12/32) = 0.39 in D/2a = 1/678 O.K.
Check interior span:
Maximum negative moment is the same as cantilever end.
Unsupported length is less. O.K. by inspection.
Maximum positive moment:
Mupos = (Wu/8L2)(L+a)2(L-a)2 = 138 ft-kip
The span is fully supported.
Calculate Moment strength: fMn = fFyZx =249.5 kip-ft < 1.5fFySx = 324 kip-ft O.K.
Check deflection:
Maximum deflection at x = (L/2)[1-(a/L)2] = 16.3 ft
Deflection D = (Wx/24E I L)(L4-2L2x2+Lx3-2a2L2+2a2x2)=1.52 in
D/L = 1/284 O.K.
Live load deflection DL = (12/32)D = 0.57 in DL/L= 1/758 O.K.
Check shear stress:
Shear force at cantilever end, Vu1=Wu a = 11. kip
Shear force at simply supported end, Vu2 = Wu (L+a)2/2L = 31.8 kips
Shear strength, fVn = f0.6 Fy twd = 143 kip-ft O.K.