Beam Design: Tutorial Problems

Q. A simply supported steel joist of 4.0 m effective span is laterally supported throughout. It
carries a total uniformly distributed load of 40 kN (inclusive of self-weight). Design an
appropriate section using steel of grade Fe 410.

Soln.
Total udl at service = 40 kN
Factored load = 1.5 x 40 = 60 kN
×
∴ Max. BM = = = = 30 𝑘𝑁𝑚

Max. SF = = = = 30 𝑘𝑁

Trial section
Plastic section modulus required:

𝑀 30 × 10
𝑍 , . = = = 132 × 10 𝑚𝑚
𝑓 ⁄𝛾 (250⁄1.1)
From table 46 pg. 138
Try ISLB 200 @ 194.22 N/m
Properties of the section are:
Depth of section, h = 200 mm
Width of flange, bf = 100 mm
Thickness of flange, tf = 7.3 mm
Thickness of web, tw = 5.4 mm
Radius at root, R1 = 9.5 mm
Depth of web, d = h – 2 (tf + R1) = 200 – 2 × (7.3 + 9.5) = 166.4 mm
Moment of inertia, Iz = 1696.6 × 104 mm4
Plastic section modulus, Zpz = 184.34 × 103 mm3
Elastic section modulus, Zez = 169.70 × 103 mm3
𝐼 = 1696.6 × 10 𝑚𝑚 ; 𝐼 = 115.4 × 10 𝑚𝑚

Depth of web = 200 – 2x (7.3+9.5) = 166.4 mm

Check for shear capacity:
⁄√
Design shear capacity, 𝑉 = ×ℎ×𝑡

250⁄√3
= × 200 × 5.4 = 141.71 𝑘𝑁 > 30 𝑘𝑁
1.1
Hence safe.

Check for high/low shear

0.6 𝑉 = 0.6 × 141.71 = 85.02 𝑘𝑁
𝑉 < 0.6 𝑉 ∴ 𝐿𝑜𝑤 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑒
∴ shear force does not interact with BM.

Check for design BM

For laterally supported beams:
𝑓 250
𝑀 = 𝛽 𝑍 = 1.0 × 184.34 × 10 × = 46.28 𝑘𝑁𝑚
𝛾 1.1
 𝑓
𝑀 ≤ 1.2 𝑍
𝛾
Hence OK

Hence, design bending strength of beam = 41.895 kNm > 30 kNm

Hence safe.
Check for deflection

Hence safe.

Check for web buckling at support

Cl. 8.7.3.1 Pg. 67 IS 800

𝑏 + 𝑛

D/2 𝑏 45°

100 mm
For safety against web buckling, the web is treated as a strut of width 𝑏 and thickness 𝑡 and
effective length 0.7d where d is the depth of web.

Bearing area at mid height of web,

𝐴 = (𝑏 + 𝑛 ) × 𝑡

Stiff bearing length 𝑏 = 100 𝑚𝑚 (assumed)

𝐷 200
𝑛 = = = 100 𝑚𝑚
2 2
Hence,
𝐴 = (100 + 100) × 5.4 = 1080 𝑚
Effective length of web = 0.7 d
Where, d = effective depth of web = 200 – 2 (tf + r1) = 200 – 2x(7.3+9.5) = 166.4 mm

Ieff of web strut

Note: the strut under consideration is a portion of web with width = stiff bearing length and
thickness = web thickness.
Strut

D/2

100 mm

𝑏 𝑡 100 × 5.4
𝐼 = = = 1312.2 𝑚𝑚
12 12
 𝐴 = 𝑏 × 𝑡 = 100 × 5.4 = 540 𝑚𝑚

𝐼 1312.2
𝑟= = = 1.559 𝑚𝑚
𝐴 540

. × .
∴ slenderness ratio 𝜆 = = = 74.72 𝑚𝑚
.

For this slenderness ratio of 74.75 and fy = 250, corresponding to buckling class ‘c’ (Table 9.c
IS 800)

152

136

70 80
74.72

fcd = 144 N/mm2

Effective width of web allowing for dispersion

𝐴 = (𝑏 + 𝑛 ) × 𝑡 = 1080 𝑚𝑚
∴ Buckling resistance = 𝑓 × 𝐴 = 144 × 1080 × 10 = 155.52 𝑘𝑁
> 30 𝑘𝑁 (𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟)
Hence safe in web buckling

Check against web bearing (crippling)

Cl. 8.7.4 Pg. 67 IS 800

Web bearing strength, 𝐹 = (𝑏 + 𝑛 ) × 𝑡 ×

𝑏 = stiff support length

𝑛 = length obtained by dispersion through the flange to the web junction at a slope of 1 :2.5
 𝑏 + 𝑛

(Flange thickness Slope 1: 2.5

+ root radius)

100 mm

𝑛 = 2.5 × (𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑡 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠 + 𝑓𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠) = 2.5 (9.5 + 7.3) = 42 𝑚𝑚

250
∴ 𝐹 = (100 + 42) × 5.4 × × 10 = 174.27 𝑘𝑁 > 30 𝑘𝑁
1.1
Hence safe.
Q. Design a laterally supported beam of effective span 6 m for the following data.
Grade of steel: Fe 410;
Factored bending moment: 150 kNm; Factored shear force: 210 kN
Check for deflection is not required.
Soln.
Mu = 150 kNm; Vu = 210 kN
×
Plastic section modulus required, 𝑍 , = ⁄
= ( ⁄ . )
=

660 × 10 𝑚𝑚
Try ISLB 350 @ 495 N/m. (Table 46, IS 800)
The relevant properties of the section are
• Depth of section, h = 350 mm
• Width of flange, bf = 165 mm
• Thickness of flange, tf = 11.4 mm
• Thickness of web, tw = 7.4 mm
• Radius at root, R = 16 mm
• Depth of web, d = h – 2 (tf + R) = 350 – 2 × (11.4 + 16)
= 295.2 mm
• Moment of inertia, Iz = 13158.3 × 104 mm4
• Plastic section modulus, Zpz = 851.11 × 103 mm3
• Elastic section modulus, Zez = 751.9 × 103 mm3

Section classification:

250
𝜀= = 1.0
𝑓

The outstand of flange element, b = bf/2=165/2= 82.5 mm

.
Flange: = = 7.23 < 9.4 𝜀
.

.
Web: = = 39.05 < 84 𝜀

Hence full section is plastic.

Requirement for shear buckling check:
𝑑
= 39.9 < 67 𝜀
𝑡
Hence check for shear buckling of web is not required.

Check for shear capacity:

Design shear force, V = 210 kN
Design shear strength of the section,

𝑓 ⁄√ 3
𝑉 = ×ℎ×𝑡
𝛾

250⁄√3
= × 350 × 7.4 = 340 𝑘𝑁 > 210 𝑘𝑁
1.1
Hence safe.

Check for high/low shear:

0.6 Vd = 0.6 × 340 = 204 kN < 210 kN. (Cl.8.2.1.3, Pg. 53 IS 800)
Hence the problem is a case of high shear and shear is expected to interact with moment.

Check for moment capacity:

Since V > 0.6 Vd , the factored moment of the section should be less than the moment capacity
of the section under higher shear force Mdv, given by Cl. 9.2.2, Pg.70 IS 800

Where,

Md = plastic design moment of the whole section disregarding high shear force effect, given by
 𝑓 250
𝑀 = 𝛽 𝑍 = 1.0 × 851.11 × 10 × = 156.3 𝑘𝑁𝑚
𝛾 1.10

Mfd = plastic design strength of the area of the cross-section excluding the shear area,
considering partial safety factor 𝛾 .
𝑓
𝑀 = 𝑍 ×
𝛾

𝑍 = 𝑍 − 𝐴 𝑦

𝐴 𝑦 = first moment of the web area about the equal area axis.
Since the section is symmetric about z-z axis,

𝑦 = × = 87.5 mm

Hence,
𝑍 = 851.11 × 10 − (350 × 7.4) × 87.5 = 624.485 × 10 𝑚𝑚

Therefore,

Check for web buckling at support:

Assume a stiff bearing length, b = 100 mm.
For 𝜆= 96.7415, fyw = 250 N/mm2, and buckling curve c, the design compressive stress from
Table 9c, fcd = 111.55 N/mm2
Capacity of web section Fwb = Ab fcd = 2035 × 111.55 × 10–3 = 227.00 kN > 210 kN

Check for web bearing at support:

Fw = (b + n1) tw fyw/𝛾m0
n1 = 2.5 (tf + R1) (assuming dispersion at 1:2.5 )
= 2.5 × (11.4 + 16) = 68.5 mm
Stiff bearing length has been assumed, b = 100 mm
Fw = (100 + 68.5) × 7.4 ×250/1.1× 10–3 = 283.38 kN > 210 kN
Hence safe.

Q. Design a laterally unsupported beam for the following data.

Effective span: 4 m
 Maximum bending moment: 550 kNm; Maximum shear force: 200 kN
Steel of grade: Fe 410

Soln.
Trial section
𝑀 550 × 10
𝑍 , = = = 242 × 10 𝑚𝑚
𝑓 ⁄𝛾 (250/1.1)

Since the beam is laterally unsupported, increase the 𝑍 , by approximately by 30%

𝑍 = 1.3 × 242 × 10 = 314.6 × 10 𝑚𝑚

From Table 46, Pg. 138 IS 456

Try section ISMB 600 @ 1202.7 N/m
Section properties:
Depth of section, h = 600 mm; Width of flange, bf = 210 mm
Thickness of flange, tf = 20.8 mm; Thickness of web, tw = 12 mm
Radius at root, R1 = 20 mm
Depth of web, d = h – 2 (tf + R1) = 600 – 2 × (20.8 + 20) = 518.4 mm
Moments of inertia: Iz = 91813 × 104 mm4, Iy = 2651 × 104 mm4
Plastic section modulus: Zpz = 3510.63 × 103 mm3
Elastic section modulus: Zez = 3060.4 × 103 mm3
Radius of gyration – ryy- 4.12 cm from steel table
Section classification

250
𝜀= = 1.0
𝑓

The outstand of flange element, b = bf/2=165/2= 82.5 mm

/
Flange: = = 5.04 < 9.4 𝜀
.

.
Web: = = 43.2 < 84 𝜀

Hence full section is plastic.

Requirement for shear buckling check:
 𝑑
= 39.9 < 67 𝜀
𝑡
Hence check for shear buckling of web is not required.
Check for shear capacity
⁄√
Design shear strength, 𝑉 = (ℎ × 𝑡 )

250⁄√3
𝑉 = (600 × 12)
1.1
𝑉 = 944.75 𝑘𝑁 > 200 𝑘𝑁

𝑉 >𝑉 Hence safe.

Check for low / high shear:
0.6 𝑉 = 0.6 × 944.75 = 566.85 𝑘𝑁
𝑉 < 0.6 𝑉 . Hence low shear case.
Check for design bending strength:

𝑀 = 𝛽 𝑍 𝑓
𝑘𝐿 4000
= = 97.0
𝑟 41.2
ℎ 600
= = 28.85
𝑡 20.8

Estimation of critical stress fcr,b from table 14 of IS 800: 2007 Pg.57

307.24

344.2

291.4

KL/r=90 KL/r=97 KL/r =100

For 𝒉⁄𝒕𝒇 = 𝟐𝟓
 286.5

322.9

270.9

KL/r=90 KL/r=97 KL/r=100

for 𝒉⁄𝒕𝒇 = 𝟑𝟎

𝑓 ,

307.24

286.5

h/tf = 25 h/tf= 28.85 h/tf = 30

Interpolation for 𝑓 ,

For 𝛼 = 0.21 (𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛); 𝑓 = 250; 𝑓 , = 291.27

Estimation of design bending stress fbd From table 13(a) Pg. 55 of IS 800
 𝑓

163.6

152.3

fcr,b = 300 fcr,b = 291.27 fcr,b = =250

𝑓 = 161.52 𝑀𝑃𝑎
∴ 𝑀 = 𝛽 𝑍 𝑓
= 1.0 × 3510.63 × 10 × 161.52 = 567.64 > 550 𝑘𝑁𝑚.
Hence safe.

Check for web buckling at support:

Assume a rigid bearing length, b = 100 mm
Cross-sectional area of web for buckling,
Ab = B1tw = (b + x) tw = (100 + 300) × 12 =4800 mm2
( n =h/2=600/2= 300 mm )
Effective length of web = 0.7 d = 0.7 ×518.4 = 362.88 mm
Check for web buckling: