MOMENT OF RESISTANCE

When a beam bends the concave face of the beam is under

compression and the convex face is under tension. These
compressive and tensile strains produce compressive and tensile
stresses (resistance) in the beam respectively. The couple formed by
these resistive forces is termed as a moment of resistance.

Lateral Torsional Buckling

Beam shall be checked for the lateral torsional buckling base on its span and
as per the arrangement of the internal supports. The article lateral torsional
buckling could be referred for theoretical and worked example.
Steel beam design shall include a lateral-torsional buckling check. It shall not
be avoided due to any reason.

Design for Lateral Torsional Buckling of

Beam
Section to satisfy the bending requirements, it shall have the bending capacity
in the direction of bending (Mc) grater than the applied bending moment and
lateral torsional buckling capacity greater the moment generated due to the
buckling.
Mx < Mb/mLT and Mx ≤ Mc
In this article, the procedure needs to be followed in calculating the lateral-
torsional buckling capacity is discussed. And the article steel beam design to bs
5950 could be referred bending capacity checks.
Lateral Torsional Buckling resistance ( M /m ) can be calculated as illustrated
b LT

below. Two methods used to evaluate the Buckling Resisting Moment ( M ). b

Based on the preference of the designer, either method could be used.

1. Rigorous method
2. Simplified method
 Rigorous Method Simplified Method
Class 1 – Plastic
Mb = PbSx Mb = PbSx
Class 2 – Compact
Mb = PbZx or
Class 3 – Semi-Compact Mb = PbZx
Mb = PbSx,eff
Class 4 – Slender Mb = PbZx,eff
Pb based on λLT and Py Pb based on √( βw) LE/ry and D/T ratio
λLT = uvλ √( βw)

Steel Beam Design Worked

Example [Universal Beam]
The steel beam design worked example elaborates the design of a simply
supported beam having a uniformly distributed load. The beam is considered
as simply supported and the design data for calculating the bending moment
and shear forces are given below.

Further, the section properties to be considered are also given in each stage
fo checking the section.

Design Data
 Load UDL 20 kN/m
 Span of the beam 6m
 Beam is simply supported
 Desing strength of steel, Py = 275 N/mm 2

Maximum Bending Moment

= wl /8 = 20 x 6 / 8 = 90 kNm
2 2

Maximum shear force

= wl/2 = 20 x 6 / 2 = 60 kN
Consider universal beam 500x200x89.7 kg/m (P = 275 N/mm ) y
2

Section Data
 D = 500 mm
 T = 16 mm
 t = 10 mm
 B = 200 mm
 b = 100 mm
 r = 20 mm
1

 d = 500 – 16 x 2 – 2 x 20 = 428 mm
 S = 2175×10 mm
x
3 3

 Z = 1914×10 mm
x
3 3

 r = 43.3 mm
y

Let’s start the steel beam design calculation. Under this steel beam design
calculation, the following checks are done.

1. Section Classification
2. Shear Design
3. Design for bending
4. Check for lateral torsional buckling
5. Deflection check
6. Web bearing check
7. Web buckling check
Classification of Section
The first step of the steel beam design is the classification of the section to
know whether it is plastic, semi-plastic, compact, slender.

T = 16 mm, P = 275 N/mm y

2

ε = (275/P ) = 1 y
0.5

Check Flange

b/T = 100 / 16 = 6.25 < 9ε = 9 – Flange is Plastic

Check Web

d/t = 428 / 10 = 42.8 < 80ε = 80 – Web is Plastic

Further, d/t < 70ε = 70 – Therefore, no need to check for shear buckling

Therefore, section is Plastic

Design for Shear
Design shear force, F = 60 kN v

P = 0.6 P A = 0.6 P tD = 0.6 x 275 x 10 x 500 x 10 = 825 kN

v y v y
-3

F < P Shear capacity is OK

v v

Depending on the shear force, it is decided whether section is subjected to

low or high shear in steel beam design.
Design for Bending
Check whether section is subjected to low shear or high shear

60% x P = 0.6 x 825 = 495 kN

v

F < 0.6 P Section subjected to low shear

v v

M should be less than 1.2P Z or P S as per Cl. 4.2.5.1 and Cl. 4.2.5.2
c y x y x

M ≤ 1.2P Z = 1.2 x 275 x 1914 x10 x 10 = 613.62 kNm

c y x
3 -6

M = P S = 275 x 2175 x 10 x 10 = 598.125 kNm

c y x
3 -6

Therefore,

M = 598.125 kNm > 90 kNm

c

Bending ok

Check Lateral Torsional Buckling

M <M /m
x b LT

In this example, no intermediate restrains were considered

m = 0.925, Table 18, BS 5950

LT

M = P S Cl. 4.3.6.4
b b x

There are two methods to check lateral-torsional buckling as discussed in the

article steel beam design as per BS 5950. They are the rigorous method and the
simplified method.
In this steel beam design example, we discussed both the methods to
elaborate on the procedures that need to be followed using either method.

Further, the main difference between these two methods is evaluating bending
strength.
Rigorous Method
M =P S
b b x

P is depending on the λ and P

b LT y

λ = uvλ√(β )
LT w

λ=L /r E y

L – to be taken from Table 13 as per the Cl. 4.3.5.1 and consider L = L –

E LT

span
L = 1.0 L = 1 x 6 = 6 m
E LT

λ = L / r = 6000 / 43.3 = 138.568

E y

For rolled I and H sections, Cl. 4.3.6.8

x = D / T used with u = 0.9

x = D / T = 500 / 10 = 50

β to be obtained from Cl 4.3.6.9

w

β = 1 for Class 1 plastic or Class 2 Compact sections

w

v – slenderness factor to be obtained from Table 19 based on the λ / x and η

λ / x = 138.568 / 50 = 2.771

η = 0.5 for equal flanges

v = 0.919 from Table 19

λ = uvλ√(β ) = 0.9 x 0.919 x 138.568 x √(1) = 114.6

LT w

λ can be obtained from Table 16 (refer bottom of the table)

LO

If λ ≥ λ ; P = P or Othewise P shall be taken from Table 16 for rolled

LO LT b y b

sections.
If λ ≥ λ no allowance needs to be made for lateral-torsional buckling and
LO LT

otherwise check for lateral-torsional buckling.

P = 275 N/mm ; λ = 37.3
y
2
LO

λ < λ Therefore check for lateral torsional buckling

LO LT

From Table 16, for λ = 114.6 ; P = 102 N/mm LT b

2

M = P S = 102 x 2175 x 10 x 10 = 221.85 kNm

b b x
3 -6

M / m = 221.85 / 0.925 = 239.838 kNm

b LT

Therefore, M = 90 kNm < M / m = 239.838 kNm

x b LT

Section is adquate.
Simplified Method
Note: Both methods need not be done when designing a beam. Following either the
simplified method or rigorous method is adequate.
M = P S : Cl. 4.3.7
b b x

In this method, the determination of the P is different when compared with the b

previous method. This method provides conservative answeres. P can be b

obtained from Table 20 of BS 5950 based on √(β ) (L / r ) and D / T w E y

β = 1 ; previous calculation
w

L / r = 138.568 ; previous calculation

E y

√(β ) (L / r ) = 1 x 135.568 = 138.568

w E y
0.5

D / T = 500 / 16 = 31.25

P = 116.646 N/mm From Table 20

b
2

M = P S = 116.646 x 2175 x 10 x 10 = 253.705 kNm

b b x
3 -6

M / m = 253.705 / 0.925 = 274.3 kNm

b LT

Therefore, M = 90 kNm < M / m = 274.3 kNm

x b LT

Section is adequate
Defelection
Maximum defelection ( δ ) for simply supported beam having uniformly
distributed can be evaluated from following equation.

δ = 5W L / (384EI)
e
4

This equation can be further simplifed as follows.

δ = 0.104M L / (EI)
max
2

Since we evaluate the deflection due to the imposed loads, consider imposed
load as 10 kN/m in this calculation.

δ = 0.104 x 90 x 10 6000 / (205 x 10 x 478 x 10 ) = 1.7 mm

6 2 3 6

Assuming brittle finishes to be used

Span / 360 = 6000 / 360 = 16.7 mm

δ < Span / 360, Hence deflection is Ok

Different methods of calculating the defelections are discussed in the

Wikipedia article deflection (engineering).
Web Bearing Capacity
It is a must to check the capacity of the web in steel beam design. Web
bearing and buckling is done in this catogory.

P = (b + nk) tP
bw 1 yw

t = 10 mm

T = 10 mm

r = 10 mm

g = 5 mm

b = 5 mm
e

b = t + T + 0.8r – g = 10 + 10 + 0.8 x 10 – 5 = 23 mm
1

k = T + r = 16 + 20 = 36 mm (for rolled section)

at end,

n = (2 + 0.6b /k) but ≤ 5

e

n = (2 + 0.6 x 5 / 36) = 2.083 < 5 P = 275 N/mm from Table 9

yw
2

P = (b + nk) tP = (23 +2.083 x 36 ) x 10 x 275 x 10 = 269.5 kN

bw 1 yw
-3
Support reation is 60 kN.

Web bearing is Ok and no stiffeners are required.

When F > P , we need to provide stiffeners to cater to balance force ( F –

x bw x

P ). The capacity of the stiffeners shall be obtained from P = A P . Where

bw s s.net y

A is the cross-sectional area of the stiffness. If the web and stiffness have
s.net

different strengths, the smaller value should be used to calculate both P and s

P .
bw

Web Buckling
When a ≥ 0.7d e

P = 25εt P /√[ ( b + nk ) d ]
x bw 1

When a < 0.7d e

P = [ (a +0.7d)/1.4d] {25εt P /√[ ( b + nk ) d ] }

x e bw 1

Where

a = 0.7d = 23 / 2 = 11.5 mm < 0.7 x 428 = 300 mm

e

P = [ (a +0.7d)/1.4d] {25εt P /√[ ( b + nk ) d ] }

x e bw 1

P = [ (11.5 +0.7×428)/1.4×428] {25x1x10x275 /√[ ( 23 + 2.083×36 ) 428 ] } =

x

174.3 kN
F <P
x x

No stiffeners are required.

Beam satisfies all the checks.

Check Lateral Torsional Buckling

Lateral torsional buckling Example
Data:

 Consider simply supported beam with not intermediate restraints

 Beam span 6m
 Maximum design bending moment 100 kNm
As discussed above there are two methods for checking the lateral-torsional buckling. Let’s
discussed them with a worked example.
It is required to satisfy the following equation for a section to be ok for buckling.

Mx < Mb / mLT
For simplicity, In this example, no intermediate restraints are considered.

Then,

mLT = 0.925, Table 18, BS 5950

Mb = Pb Sx Cl. 4.3.6.4
firstly let’s check the buckling capacity with rigorous method.
The following section data are considered in the calculation

 D = 500 mm
 T = 16 mm
 t = 10 mm
 B = 200 mm
 b = 100 mm
 r = 20 mm
1

 d = 500 – 16 x 2 – 2 x 20 = 428 mm
 S = 2175×10 mm
x
3 3

 Z = 1914×10 mm
x
3 3

 r = 43.3 mm
y

 Section is plastic as per its dimensions

Rigorous Method
M =P S
b b x

P is fuction of λ and P
b LT y

λ = uvλ√(β )
LT w

λ=L /r E y

L – can be found from Table 13 (Cl. 4.3.5.1) and consider L = L – span

E LT

Thus,

L = 1.0 L = 1 x 6 = 6 m
E LT

λ = L / r = 6000 / 43.3 = 138.568

E y

For rolled I and H sections, Cl. 4.3.6.8

x = D / T used with u = 0.9

x = D / T = 500 / 16 = 31.25

β can be be obtained from the Cl 4.3.6.9

w
β = 1 for Class 1 plastic or Class 2 Compact sections
w

v – slenderness factor – obtained from Table 19 as per the λ / x and η

λ / x = 138.568 / 31.25 = 4.434

For equal flanges η = 0.5

v = 0.84 from Table 19 [conservative value taken; λ / x = 4.5, interpolation shall

be used for exact value]
λ = uvλ√(β ) = 0.9 x 0.84 x 138.568 x √(1) = 104.8
LT w

λ to be obtained from Table 16 (indicated at the bottom of the Table 16)

LO

If λ ≥ λ ; P = P or Othewise P shall be taken from Table 16 for rolled

LO LT b y b

sections.
If λ ≥ λ no allowance needs to be made for lateral-torsional buckling and
LO LT

otherwise check for lateral-torsional buckling.

P = 275 N/mm ; λ = 34.3
y
2
LO

λ <λ
LO LT

Hence, check for lateral torsional buckling

From Table 16, for λ = 104.8 ; P = 117 N/mm LT b

2

M = P S = 117 x 2175 x 10 x 10 = 254.5 kNm

b b x
3 -6

M / m = 254.8 / 0.925 = 275.4 kNm

b LT

Therefore, M = 100 kNm < M / m = 239.838 kNmx b LT

Section is adquate for lateral torsional buckling as per the rigorous method.
Simplified Method
We need not doing both the calculation to check the buckling resistance.

M = P S : Cl. 4.3.7
b b x

The determination of the P is not the same as the rigorous method. b

This method provides conservative answeres.

P can be obtained from Table 20 of BS 5950 as per √(β ) (L / r ) and D / T

b w E y

β = 1 ; as previous calculation.
w

L / r = 138.568 ; from above calculations

E y

√(β ) (L / r ) = 1 x 135.568 = 138.568

w E y
0.5

D / T = 500 / 16 = 31.25

Now, can obtain from Tabe 20

P = 116.646 N/mm
b
2

M = P S = 116.646 x 2175 x 10 x 10 = 253.705 kNm

b b x
3 -6

M / m = 253.705 / 0.925 = 274.3 kNm

b LT
Thus, M = 100 kNm < M / m = 274.3 kNm
x b LT

Therefore, the section is adequate.