Review of steel beam design

Codes, Specifications and Standards:

1. National Building Code of Canada, 2015.
2. Ontario Building Code, 2012.
3. CSA Standards (Canadian Standard Association)
a) CAN/CSA-S16-19 for buildings (Limit States Design of Steel
Structures)
b) CAN/CSA-S6-19 for bridges (Canadian Highway Bridge
Design Code)

Loads on Structures:
• Dead load: Self-weight of the structure (including weight of the
structural members, floors, ceiling, ductworks, exterior walls and
permanent partitions. See table in pages 7-68 and 7.69, CISC
Handbook for self-weight of each material.

• Live Load: includes floor loads specified by Building Codes for

various cases as well as snow loads on roofs. This also includes truck
loads on bridges.

• Wind load: specified in Building Codes.

• Earthquake loads: specified in building codes.

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Open-web steel joist and Gerber Girder system

Multi-storey braced frame

2
 Load transfer in steel roofs and floors
• Corrugated steel sheets placed on the top flanges of steel beams are used to
support the roof and floor weights. Due to high flexural stiffness of the
corrugated sheet in one direction compared to the perpendicular direction, roof
and floor loads are transferred in one way direction to the supporting beam.
Corrugated steel deck

Spot welded of sheets 5

with top steel flange

Steel decks

6 6

3
 One-way load transfer in steel roofs and floors
to supporting beams in the direction of the
steel deck span

OWSJ
Main beam
Main beam

OWSJ

OWSJ

Main beams will be subjected to concentrated loads from the reactions

of open-web steel joists (OWSJ) 8

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 Methods of Analysis
• Elastic analysis: Under a particular loading combination, the
forces and moments throughout all or part of the structure may
be determined by an analysis that assumes that individual
members behave elastically.

Method of Design
1. Serviceability limit states (SLS): use the elastic analysis
with specified loads to check for deflection, and camber and
dynamic effects.
2. Ultimate limit states (ULS): use elastic analysis with
ultimate (factored) loads to check for member strength,
overturning, sliding and fatigue, as if all members behave
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elastically but with overloads.

Load Factors and Load Combinations for Ultimate Limit States

Factored (ultimate) loads = Load factors  specified loads

D = Dead load L = Live load

S = Snow load W = Wind load E = Earthquake load

Note: Use counteracting factored dead load of 0.9 D in load combination cases 2, 3, and 4
when the dead load acts to resist overturning, uplift, sliding, failure due to stress reversal,
and factored resistance of members. 10

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The Importance Factor (I)

• The specified snow, wind and earthquake loads shall be multiplied by the
Importance Factors (I) given below for the shown different importance
categories for buildings (which is based on building use and occupancy).

• See NBCC 2015 for more details

• Example:
Wf = 1.25D + 1.5L + Is (1.0S)
Wf = 1.25D + 1.5L + IW (0.4W)
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Wf = 1.0D + IE (1E) + 0.5L + Is (0.25S)

Importance categories of buildings

12

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Loading pattern to obtain maximum positive moment at point A

Loading pattern to obtain maximum negative moment at point B

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Extending the influence line concept to multi-storey frame,

loading patterns become checkerboard arrangements of loading

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Loading case for maximum positive moment at point B

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 Loading case for maximum negative moment at point A
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International System of Units (SI units)

• Force: N (Newtons)
• Length: mm (millimeters)
• Moment: N.mm
• Strength or Stress: MPa (N/mm2)
• KPa: kN/m2

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 Structural Steel
Actual Steel stress-strain relationship
Stress,

Stress

Fy = yield stress

E
Strain
Strain
Idealized relationship
used in design Yield Strain at beginning Strain17at
strain of strain hardening ultimate stress

Structural steel in Canada

1- CAN/CSA G40.21 350W steel:
- It is the basic steel grade in Canada; the 350W steel means a
weldable steel of 350 MPa yield strength.
- It used in all structural shapes except angles, channels and plates.

2- CAN/CSA G40.21 300W steel:

- It has a yield strength of 300 MPa.
- It used for steel angles, channels and plates produced in Canada.

• For design purposes:

• Modulus of elasticity of steel, E, = 200,000 MPa
• Unit weight (Density) of steel = 77 kN/m3
• Poissons’ ratio of steel,  = 0.30
• Shear modulus of steel = G = E / 2(1 + ) = 77,000 MPa 18

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 Types of Structural Steel
• Type W : Weldable Steel
• Type WT : Weldable Notch Tough Steel
• Type R : Atmospheric Corrosion-Resistance Steel
• Type A : Atmospheric Corrosion-Resistance Weldable Steel
• Type AT : Atmospheric Corrosion-Resistance Weldable
Notch Tough Steel
• Type Q : Quenched and Tempered Low Alloy Steel Plate
• Type QT :Quenched and Tempered Low Alloy Notch Tough
Steel Plate

Example:
350WT, 350AT, 350W, or 350R steel mean a steel with yield stress of 350 MPa. 19

Page 1-59
Resistance factor, :
• According to CAN/CSA-S16-19,
1.  = 0.90 for structural steel
2.  = 0.85 for reinforcing steel bars
3.  = 0.65 for concrete
4.  = 0.8 for shear connectors and bolts
5.  = 0.67 for bearing resistance in bolted- or welded-type
connections, anchor rods, weld metal.

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 Steel Products
(Designation: Depth (mm)  Mass (kg/m)
Shape Example Page No.
• Welded Wide Flange Shapes WWF 900 x 169 -
• W Shapes W 610 x 113 Page 6-36
• Miscellaneous M Shapes M 200 x 9.7 Page 6-56
• Standard Beams (S Shapes) S 380 x 64 Page 6-58
• Standard Channels (C Shapes) C 230 x 30 Page 6-62
• Miscellanous Channels (MC Shapes) MC 250 x 12.5 Page 6-64
• Structural Tees cut from W Shapes WT 155 x 43 Page 6-80
• Two Channels toe-to-toe Page 6-132
• Two Channels back-to-back Page 6-133
• W-shape and Channel Page 6-134

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Steel Products
(Designation: Length (mm) Depth (mm)  Thickness (mm)
Shape Example Page No.
• Equal Leg angles L 102 x 102 x 9.5 Page 6-68
• Unequal Leg angles L 127 x 89 x 9.5
• Back-to-back angles 2 Ls 102 x 102 x 9.5 Page 6-124
•
• Hollow Structural sections (CSA G40.20/G40.21):
Rectangular HSS 152 x 102 x 9.5 Page 6-100
Square HSS 152 x 152 x 9.5 Page 6-97
Round HSS 141 x 9.5 Page 6-106
• Hollow Structural sections (ASTM A500):
Rectangular HSS 152 x 102 x 9.5 Page 6-110
Square HSS 152 x 152 x 9.5 Page 6-108
Round HSS 141 x 9.5 Page 6-116

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Rolled steel shape versus built-up section:

 Rolled steel sections are steel members readily produced by the steel mills.
They are manufactured in standard shapes and sizes for each shape. They
are made in lengths up to 12 meters long. Common shapes are “L” shaped
angle sections, “C” channel sections, “I” shaped beam section (W or S
shapes) and “HSS” hollow structural shapes.

 These rolled sections have an upper limit on cross sectional size because of
limitations in the capacities and configurations of the rolling mill equipment
in the steel mills where they are produced.

 But when the structure needs even larger shapes from considerations of
load carrying capacity, then these standard rolled shapes will be inadequate.
So flat plates are assembled to a suitable shape and welded together to
produce beams of the required sizes. In this case, such case built-up
sections are is made by joining two or more section (may be or may not be
rolled) to fulfill the design requirements of structural loads. 23

Section properties of common build-up sections

Section properties (Ix, Iy, Sx, Sy) are shown in pages 6-138 to 6-141

24

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 Section properties of common build-up sections

Section properties (Ix, Iy, Sx, Sy) are shown in pages 6-138 to 6-141

25

Design of beams
Types of beams:
Simple beam

Beam with overhanging end

(beam with a cantilever) Continuous beam

Beam with simple connection Beam with rigid (fixed) connection 26

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Beam-Column simple connection:
In this case, the beam web is connected to the column flange to transmit vertical shear
force, Vf. Beam flanges are not connected to the column flange. This allows the beam end
to rotate as a hinge and the beam is analyzed as simply supported beam.

27

Beam-Column moment (fixed or rigid) connection:

In this case, the beam web is connected to the column flange to transmit vertical shear
force, Vf. Also, beam flanges are connected to the column flange to transmit beam
negative moment, Mf. . Connecting both the beam web and flanges to the column
provides rigid joint and the beam is analyzed as fixed-fixed beam.

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Welded moment connection

14
 Bolted moment connection
(Top and seat angles with double web angles) 29

Tables for moment and shear forces in continuous beams:

See Steel Handbook pages 5-132 to 5-150 for bending moment and
shear force and deflection diagrams for different beams and loadings.

Beam design must meet the following requirements:

1. Bending strength
2. Shear strength
3. Deflection limitation

30

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 Classification of steel sections using moment-deflection relation
Ideal Behavior

Mp
My Compact Plastic design
section section
Non-compact (Class 2)
section (Class 1)
(Class 3)

Slender
(Class 4)
Deflection
t bel

(Class 4) (Class 3) (Class 2) (Class 1) 31

Mmax < My Mmax = My Mmax = Mp Mmax = Mp

Flange local buckling:

• At a stress less than the yield strength, the flange plate may buckle
out-of-plane. If this happens, no more load can be applied.
• The buckling consists of a twisting motion of the flange, together with
a rotation of the web plate.
• Any further increase in the load will produce a rapid reduction in
moment capacity
Mr

32

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 33

Local buckling in the bottom flange

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at the negative moment (fixed support)

17
 Web buckling: M
• It is an out-of-plane deformation at a stress
less than the yield stress.
• It is considered as local failure.

• To determine the class of the beam, CSA S16-14 specifies limitations for the width-
to-thickness ratios for each class of sections, as shown in Table 2

supported supported
edge edge
supported
Free
edge N. A.
edge w

Web
First type of flanges Second type of flanges (It is a plate cut by the N.A.)
(Example: flanges of I-beam, (Examples: flange of box section) Part of it is under compression, while
35
angles and channels) the other part is under tension

Built-up box section Hot-rolled box section

36

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 37
Page 1-186

38

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 39

40

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For W sections: bel= b / 2
Calculate bel/t and h/w and compare them with the
Values in Table 2 to determine the Class of the section.

h=d-2t

For monosymmetric (singly-symmetric) section in positing moment region:

The web height, h, by 2dc
Where
dc = depth of compression portion of the web in flexure
= Ytop – t = d – Ybottom – t

For monosymmetric (singly-symmetric) section in negative moment region:

The web height, h, shall be replaced by 2dc

Where
dc = depth of compression portion of the web in flexure
= Ybottom – t

21
 43

Procedure to determine the class of the beam:

1- Determine the part of the cross-section subjected to compression.
Moment about y axis, My Negative Mx Positive Mx

2- Determine width-to-thickness ratio (bel / t) for the flanges and compare it

With the limit for Class (2) section and Class (3) section.
If bel / t ≤ Class (2) limit, consider Class (2) section for the flange
If bel / t > Class (2) limit but ≤ Class (3) limit, consider Class (3) section
If bel / t > Class (3) limit, consider Class (4) section

2- Determine depth-to-thickness ratio (h / w) for the web and compare it

With the limit for Class (2) section and Class (3) section.
If h / w ≤ Class (2) limit, consider Class (2) section for the web
If h / w > Class (2) limit but ≤ Class (3) limit, consider Class (3) section
If h / w > Class (3) limit, consider Class (4) section
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3- Choose the Class of the beam as the higher class of the flange and the web.

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Examples of selection of class of a beam:

Quick determination of class of W sections in bending:

See Table 5.1 in pages 5-4 to 5-6.

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Class (1): Plastic Design:

• It represents the ideal behavior of beams. The resisting Moment, Mp,
reaches the plastic moment, Mp, after a large amount of inelastic
deflection, local buckling of either the flange or web may occur,
leading to a drop-off in moment capacity.
• The limitation bel/t or h/w is more restricted with respect to other
classes.
• Mr =  . Z . F y =  Mp [Z = plastic section modulus, Mp =
plastic moment]
Mr
Fy t bel
-

+ w

Fy b 46

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 Class (2): Compact section

• It is less restrictive than those for class (1) since there is no

requirement for larger inelastic deformations.
• Mr =  . Mp =  . Z . F y (as class (1))
• It has bigger bel/t or h/w than for class (1).

Mr
Fy t bel
-

w
+

Fy b 47

Class (3): Non-compact section

• The or ratios of bel/t or h/w are less restrictive than those for class (2).
• The more slender plates will buckle locally before the moment of
resistance reach, Mp; the plates Composing the cross-section should be
capable of allowing the member to develop a resisting moment just equal
to the yield moment, My.
• Mr =  . S . F y =  My [S is the elastic section modulus.]

Mr
Fy t bel
-

w
+

Fy b 48

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 Class (4): Slender section
• Sections having plate components that are too slender to meet the
requirements for class (3).
• These sections buckle locally in the compression elements, all moments
are less than, My, and these moments of resistance is expressed as a
function of the width-to thickness ratios of the plates composing the
sections.

Mr
< Fy t bel

w
+

< Fy b 49

S and Z values from CISC Steel Handbook

50
Page 6-48

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 51
Page 6-49

Page 1-66 & 1-84

Class (4) sections can be designed as follows:
(i) When both the web and the compression flange exceed the limits of Class 3
sections, Mr shall be determined in accordance with CSA Standard S136:
Design of Cold Formed Steel Structural Members.

(ii) For beams whose flanges meet the requirements of Class 3 and whose
webs exceed the limits of class 3, calculate the resisting moment as the
smaller of:

where Mr =  . Mp =  . Z . Fy for class (2) flange

Mr =  . My =  . S . Fy for class (3) flange

52

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(iii) For beams whose webs meet the requirements of Class 3 and whose
flanges exceed the limits of Class 3, the resisting moment shall be calculated
as: Mr =  Se Fy

To calculate Se, determine the location of the N.A. of the new section with reduced flange
width, and calculate its new moment of inertia. Then, calculate Se as:
Ix / (the greater of ytop and ybottom).

Ignore

53

Lateral torsional buckling failure of laterally unsupported

beams, (laterally unbraced beams)

Original
location

54

27
 Collapse of the Station Square Shopping Center Roof ,
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, in 1988

Jacob Feld and Kenneth Carper. 1997. Construction Failure, Second Edition. John Wiley
55
& Sons, Inc.

Lateral torsional buckling failure at the negative moment region

since bottom flange in compression was not supported laterally 56

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 Lateral torsional buckling failure at the negative moment region
since bottom flange in compression was not supported laterally 57

Solution 2:

Extend bottom
chords of truss
at column location
and truss adjunct
to it to connect to
the bottom flange
of the beam to
Resist negative
moment by limiting
The lateral torsional
buckling moment

58

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• If the concrete deck and/or corrugated steel sheet is mechanically connected (using welding
or bolting) to the steel top flange along its length, the steel beam is considered continuously
braced along the top flange, so the moment due to lateral torsional buckling should not be
considered.
• While the steel bottom flange at the negative moment location is considered unbraced. the
moment due to lateral torsional buckling should be considered.
Bottom compression Top compression
flange flange

Spot welded of sheets

with top steel flange 59

Spot welded of steel deck to

the top steel flange

60

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 Moment that causes lateral buckling of beam Page 1-67

• Lu = Unbraced length, E = Modulus of elasticity of steel = 200,000 MPa

• Iy = moment of inertia @ y axis.

• G = shear modulus = = 77,000 MPa

t

• J = polar moment of inertia =

b
• Cw = warping torsional constant

61

w2= moment modifier depends on loading condition, end moments at the points of lateral

Method (1): conservative values for unbraced beams loaded above the shear center
between brace points (i.e. loads applied at the level of the top flange)
w2 = 1.0
And using modified Lu as : Lu = 1.2 Lu for hinged–hinged beam
Lu = 1.4 Lu for other beam configurations

Method (2): if bending moment distribution within the unbraced segment is

effectively linear
w2= [1.75 + 1.05k + 0.3k2]  2.5

k = absolute value of smaller bending moment/larger bending moment, at the opposite ends
of the unbraced segment
Mmin
k will be of +ve sign for members bent in double curvature. + Mmax
-

Mmin Mmax
K will be of –ve sign for members bent in single curvature
+

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 Page 1-67

Case 1: For doubly-symmetric sections, except closed square and

circular sections:
Class (1) & (2) sections Class (3) sections

If If

Mr is the smaller of: Mr is the smaller of:

1. 1.

2. 2.

If If

63

Case 2: For closed square and circular sections, neglect Mu and calculate
Mr based on the class of the beam.

Case 3: For biaxial bending, the beam shall meet the following criterion:

64

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 USE OF CISC STEEL DESIGN TABLES
If design is required using CISC tables, see pages 5-14 to 5-29

For W-shape, S-shape and C-shape section

65

66

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 Resisting moment if the compression flange is
The maximum unbraced length
1- Supported (restraint) laterally throughout its
between lateral beams supporting the
length
compression flange of the main
beam, beyond which moment due to
2- The distance between lateral beams is less
lateral torsional buckling failure
than or equal to the limiting unbraced length,
needs to be considered in design.
Lu, in column 5 below

67

68

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Hint to use the design tables using the unbraced length:

Per Clause 13.6, for loads applied at the level of the top flange (i.e. unbraced
beams loaded above the shear center between brace points, w2 = 1.0
and using modified Lu as : Lu = 1.2 Lu for hinged–hinged beam
Lu = 1.4 Lu for other beam configurations

69

Example: Page 5-13

Design is a simply-supported beam spanning 8 m to carrier a uniformly
distributed load of 15 kN/m specified live load and 7 kN/m specified dead load.
The beam is laterally supported at mid-span and the ends only. The uniformly
distributed gravity loading is applied on the top flange, but the manner of load
transfer does not provide lateral support between lateral supports.

Vr max = 548 kN > (Vf = 125 kN)

Thus, W360x64 is adequate for moment and shear. 70

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 Check for deflection:
• Why:
1- To control cracking in the floor or roof of the slabs.

2- To control excessive lateral deflection due to wind loading to prevent cracking

of partitions and vibrations.

3- To limit the visible sag of the beams to the observer.

4- To control vibration caused by live load (due to machinery, group activity like
jumping exercise.

• Check:
1- Calculate the dead load and live load deflection using specified loads.
See handbook page 5-132 to 5-142 for bending Moment and shear force diagrams for different
beams and loadings

2- Dead load deflection can be counteracted by cambering the beam.

3- Compare the live load deflection with the limiting values provided by the code. 71
increase the section if live load deflection is more than the limiting value.

• Page 1-214 of the CISC Handbook

72

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 Assumed trial section for W-shape steel beam under gravity loads:

1- Assume depth of beam as span / 20.

or

2- Assumer Class (2) section and obtain required Zx

Then, choose Section that has Zx more than or equal the required Zx.

or

3- Assume the live load deflection = deflection limit to obtain the required
moment of inertia, Ix. Then, choose a section that has Ix more than or equal
the required Ix.

73

Effects of concentrated loads and reactions

P

t t

w N+10t
d N+4t

N
N = length of bearing
t = flange thickness 74

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Due to concentrated load, two cases may occur:
1 Web crippling
Web crippling of the web in the region where it joins the flange may occur if stresses in
the web-to-flange region exceed the yield strength of the material and occur over a
significant length (local yielding)
2. Overall buckling
It occurs in the web over most of its depth.

Web buckling 75
(Photo by T. Murray, Virginia Tech)

Locations of bearing stiffeners at support or concentrated load locations

76

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 Clause 14.3.2 Page 1-83

The factored compressive resistance against web crippling

• At interior location: Br = bi w [N + 10t] Fy
• At end reaction : Br =be w [N + 4t] Fy

Factored compression resistance against overall buckling of the web

(stability of web)

• At interior points:

• At exterior reaction:

Where bi = resistance factor at interior location = 0.8

be = resistance factor at end location = 0.75 77

Check the limitations to web crippling and overall buckling of the web:
- Check (1): Clause 14.3.2
For factored (P or R)  Br min. (no need to bearing stiffeners)
For factored (P or R) > Br min. (use pair of bearing stiffeners or increase the plate
length (N)
- Check (2): Clause 14.4.1

a)  no need to bearing stiffeners

b)  use bearing stiffeners

78

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Example:
The end of W460×74 beam of G40.21 350W steel is supported on a bearing plate
200 mm long. The reaction is 265 kN. Are bearing stiffeners required?

79

80

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