Composite Beam

Design Manual
BS 5950-3.1:1990
For

ISO ETA080522M66 Rev. 1 October 2023

Proudly developed in the United States of America
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i
 Contents

Symbols 1

1 Introduction 5

2 Design Preliminaries 7

2.1 Design Preferences and Beam Overwrites 7

2.2 Frame Objects Designed as Composite Beams 8

2.2.1 Hard Requirements 8
2.2.2 Soft Requirements 8
2.2.3 Overwriting the Frame Design Procedure 9

3 Steel Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance 10

3.1 Steel Section Properties 10

3.2 Upper-Limit on Grade of Steel 10

3.3 Steel Section Classification 10

3.4 Plastic Resistance to Vertical Shear of Steel Cross-Sections 11

3.5 Fully Braced Moment Capacity of Steel Cross-Sections 12

3.6 Beam Unbraced Length 12

3.7 Lateral-Torsional Buckling Moment Capacity, Mb 13

9.1.1 Equivalent Slenderness and Limiting Slenderness 13

9.1.2 Equivalent Slenderness Less than the Limiting Slenderness 14
9.1.3 Equivalent Slenderness Less than the Limiting Slenderness 14

i
4 Composite Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance 16

4.1 Deck Properties and Effective Slab Width 16

4.1.1 Location where Deck Properties and Slab Width are checked 16
4.1.2 Deck Orientation and Properties 16
4.1.3 Effective Width of the Composite Beam 18

4.2 Transformed Section Moment of Inertia 20

4.3 Transformed Elastic Section Modulus 23

4.4 Effective Moment of Inertia for Partial Composite Connection 23

4.5 Effective Section Modulus for Partial Composite Connection 24

4.6 Plastic Moment Capacity of a Composite Cross-Section 24

5 Strength Checks 27

5.1 Design Load Combinations 27

5.1.1 Strength Checks for Construction Loads 27

5.1.2 Strength Checks for Service Loads 28

5.2 Beam Stations Checked for Strength 28

5.3 Shear Strength Check 28

5.4 Construction Bending Check 29

5.5 Negative Bending Check 29

5.6 Positive Bending Check 30

5.7 Elastic Stresses Check 31

6 Deflection Checks 33

6.1 Composite Beam Deflections 33

6.2 Dead Load Deflection Check 34

6.3 Camber 34

6.4 Post-Composite and Live Load Deflection Checks 35

6.5 Net Deflection Checks 35

6.6 Additional Cantilever Backspan Checks 36

ii
7 Shear Connectors 37

7.1 Beam Segments and their Maximum and Minimum Numbers of Studs 37
7.1.1 Beam Segments 37
7.1.2 Maximum Number of Shear Connectors on Beam Segments 39
7.1.3 Minimum Number of Shear Connectors on Beam Segments 40

7.2 Shear Capacity of Shear Connectors 40

7.2.1 Characteristic Resistance of Headed Stud Connectors 41
7.2.2 Headed Stud Connectors in Solid Slabs 41
7.2.3 Headed Stud Connectors in Filled Decks with Ribs Transverse to the Beam 41
7.2.4 Headed Stud Connectors in Filled Decks with Ribs Parallel to the Beam 42

7.3 Minimum Percentage of Composite Action 42

7.4 Maximum Percentage of Composite Action 43

7.5 How ETABS Distributes Shear Connectors on Beams 43

7.6 User Defined Shear Connector Distributions 45

8 Vibration Checks 46

8.1 Beam Fundamental Natural Vibration Frequency 46

8.2 Initial Displacement Amplitude resulting from a Heel-Drop Impact 48

9.1.4 Initial Displacement Amplitude of a Single Beam 48

9.1.5 Effective Number of Beams Resisting Heel Drop Impact 49

8.3 Minimum Frequency Criterion 50

8.4 Murray Minimum Damping Criterion 50

Appendix A. Design Preferences 51

A1. Beam Tab 51

A2. Shear Studs Tab 52

A3. Camber Tab 53

A4. Deflection Tab 54

A5. Vibration Tab 55

A6. Prices Tab 56

Appendix B. Beam Overwrites 57

B1. Beam Tab 57

iii
B2. Bracing (C) and Bracing (S) Tabs 59

B3. Deck Tab 60

B4. Shear Studs Tab 62

B5. Deflection Tab 63

B6. Vibration Tab 65

iv
 Symbols

The following table provides a list of the symbols used in this manual and their definitions. As a
rule, the symbols used in this manual match those used in BS5950-3 , and Murray as referenced
elsewhere in this manual.

A Area of the structural steel cross-section

Ac Area of concrete slab within effective width
Ac-left Area of concrete slab within effective width on left side of beam
Ac-right Area of concrete slab within effective width on right side of beam
ASb Initial displacement amplitude of a single beam resulting from a heel drop impact
Atr Transformed area of an element of the composite steel beam section
Av Shear area
Aw Area of the web equal to the overall depth D times the web thickness tw
Cbot Cope depth at bottom of beam
Ctop Cope depth at top of beam
D Depth of the steel section, not counting any cover plate. Also inherent damping
ratio of a floor system.
Ds Total depth of the deck
E Modulus of elasticity of steel
Ec Modulus of elasticity of concrete
Fv Vertical shear force in a beam
H Warping constant of a steel section
IO Moment of inertia of an element of the composite steel beam section taken about
its own center of gravity
Ieff Equivalent moment of inertia of a partially composite beam
Ip Moment of inertia for fully composite transformed section
Itr Moment of inertia for checking vibrations
Isteel Moment of inertia of the structural steel section, including any cover plate

Symbols 1
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Symbols

Ix Moment of inertia of the structural steel section about its major axis
Iy Moment of inertia of the structural steel section about its minor axis
J Torsion constant of a steel section
Kf A unitless coefficient typically equal to 1.57 unless the beam is the overhanging
portion of a cantilever with a backspan
L Center-of-support to center-of-support length of the beam
LE Laterally unbraced length of beam; length between points that are braced against
lateral displacement of the compression flange or braced against twist of the
cross-section
M Design bending moment
Mb Lateral-torsional buckling moment capacity of a steel beam
Mc Moment capacity of a composite cross-section
Ms Fully braced moment capacity of a steel cross-section
N1 Required force to be provided by the shear connectors between the point of
maximum moment and an adjacent point of zero moment (or end of slab)
N2 Required force to be provided by the shear connectors between a point load and a
point of zero moment (or end of slab)
Neff Effective number of beams resisting the heel drop impact
P0 Amplitude of the driving force, P0 =290N
PV Shear capacity for the major shear
Qk Characteristic resistance of a headed stud connector
Qp Design value of the shear resistance of a single shear connector in a solid concrete
slab
Rc Compression force in the concrete slab
Rq Sum of strengths of shear connectors between the location of the station being
checked and the nearest point of zero moment to either side
Rs Axial resistance of a steel section
Sr Center-to-center spacing of metal deck ribs
Sx Plastic modulus of a steel section about the major axis
T Thickness of flange
Tbot Thickness of bottom flange
Ttop Thickness of top flange
W Total weight supported by a beam
Z Elastic section modulus of the structural steel section, including cover plate if any

Symbols 2
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Symbols

Zp Elastic section modulus for the concrete flange

Zs Elastic section modulus for the fully composite transformed section referred to the
tension flange of the steel section (including cover plate)
Zx Section modulus about its major axis of the structural steel section, including
cover plate if any
a Depth of the compression block in the concrete slab
b Width of top steel flange
beff Effective width of the concrete flange of the composite beam., beff = beff-left + beff-
right

beff-left Effective width of the concrete slab on the left side of a beam
beff-right Effective width of the concrete slab on the right side of a beam
br Average width of concrete rib
d Clear distance between flanges less the fillet or corner radius at each flange for
rolled shapes and clear distance between flanges for welded shapes
d1 Distance from the centroid of the compression force, C, in the slab the top of the
steel section
d2 Distance from the centroid of the compression force in the steel section to the top
of the steel section
d3 Distance from the centroid of the steel section to the top of the steel section
davg Average depth of concrete slab including the concrete in the metal deck ribs
f Natural fundamental vibration frequency of a beam
fcu Design value of compressive strength of concrete
f cu −left Design compressive strength of concrete on left side of beam

f cu − right Design compressive strength of concrete on right side of beam

fu Specified ultimate tensile strength of structural steel or shear connector

g Acceleration of gravity
hr Height of metal deck rib. Possibly different on the left and right sides of the beam.
hw Depth of the web
pb Steel bending strength in an unbraced steel beam
py Nominal value of the yield strength of structural steel
t0 Time to the maximum initial displacement of a single beam resulting from a heel
drop impact

Symbols 3
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Symbols

tc Thickness of concrete slab. If there is metal deck, this is the thickness of the
concrete slab above the metal deck. Possibly different on the left and right sides of
the beam
tcp Thickness of cover plate
tf Thickness of the flanges
tw Thickness of the web
u Buckling parameter
wp Unit weight of rhythmic activity participants distributed over the entire bay
wt Distributed weight supported, including dead load, superimposed dead load,
occupants and participants distributed over the entire bay

z Distance from the bottom of the bottom flange of the structural steel section to the
elastic neutral axis of the fully composite beam section
y Distance from the bottom of the bottom flange of the steel section, excluding any
cover plate, to the neutral axis of the composite section, including any cover plate
ybare Distance from the bottom of the bottom flange of the steel section, excluding any
cover plate, to the neutral axis of the structural steel, including any cover plate
αe Effective modular ratio used to evaluate the contributions of the concrete
αl Modular ratio for long-term loading
αs Modular ratio for short-term loading
ε Coefficient depending on py
ηLT Perry coefficient, , for rolled and welded sections

λL0 limiting slenderness of a beam

λLT equivalent slenderness of a beam
ρ Parameter related to reduced design bending resistance accounting for vertical
shear

Symbols 4
 1 Introduction

This manual describes composite beam design in ETABS per the BS 5950-3.1:1990+A1:2010
Structural use of steelwork in Building Part 3: Design in composite construction – Section 3.1
Code of practice for design of simple and continuous composite beams – referred to as BS5950-
3 henceforth.

Once you have analyzed a model, you can perform the design of its composite beams by
selecting the Design menu > Composite Beam Design > Start Design/Check command.

Other commands in the Composite Beam Design submenu let you:

• control the various design parameters, including the applicable design code, on a
model-wide basis
• control the various design parameters on a beam-by-beam basis
• select groups of beams to be designed all with the same section
• change the design load combinations from the default ones
• design individual or grouped beams interactively,
• view the design results
• freeze the design section of selected beams
• change the design section of selected beams by selecting a specific section from a list
• change the design of selected beams by copying a design from a beam and pasting it to
other beams
• change the design sections of selected beams by resetting them to what they were when
the model was last analyzed
• compare the current design sections to what they were when the model was last
analyzed
• verify that all the previous designs are still acceptable after the model was re-analyzed,
or the design preferences and/or the beam overwrites were changed
• reset all the design parameters
• delete the current design results

Composite beam design consists of trying various trial structural steel sections, computing their
composite section properties, the resulting shear and flexural stresses and deflections at several
key locations along the length of a beam, and then comparing those computed values with
acceptable limits. That comparison produces a demand/capacity ratio, which typically should
not exceed a value of one if code requirements are to be satisfied. ETABS checks the

Introduction 5
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Introduction

requirements for strength and deflection limit states under construction and service conditions.
It also checks vibrations acceptability under service conditions.

For each structural steel section it evaluates, ETABS determines the total number of shear
connectors required to satisfy the design requirements and their distribution. If you prefer,
ETABS can check the adequacy of a shear connector distribution you specify. In interactive
design mode, you can try out various design sections and vary the percentage of composite
action for each and view the resulting demand/capacity ratios and shear connector distributions.

The design output can be presented graphically, in tables for both input and output data, or in
calculation sheets prepared for each beam.

The remainder of this manual is organized in seven chapters and two appendices:

• Chapter 2 introduces the composite beam design preferences and beam overwrites and
explains which frame objects are designed as composite beams

• Chapter 3 provides an overview of how ETABS determines the values of the section
properties of the steel beam acting alone and its bending resistance

• Chapter 4 explains how ETABS computes the transformed moment of inertia and the
elastic and plastic bending resistance of composite beams

• Chapter 5 explains how ETABS checks the strength of beams

• Chapter 6 explains how ETABS checks beam deflections

• Chapter 7 explains how ETABS determines the total numbers of shear connectors
required on beams and their distribution

• Chapter 8 explains how ETABS checks beam vibration acceptability

• Appendix A lists the various design preferences items

• Appendix B lists the various beam overwrites items

Introduction 6
 2 Design Preliminaries

This chapter introduces the composite beam design preferences and beam overwrites and explains
which frame objects are designed as composite beams.

2.1 Design Preferences and Beam Overwrites

The composite beam design preferences are assignments that apply to all the composite beams
in an ETABS model. Notably, the preferences include the selection of a design code.

Default values are provided for all preference items and you should review these with the
Design > Composite Beam Design > View/Revise Preferences… command to ensure they are
acceptable. The preference items are described in Appendix A.

You can change the values of the preferences with the View/Revise Preferences…command at
any time. After changing the preferences, you can redesign the beams, or you can check that the
previous designs are still acceptable with the Design > Composite Beam Design > Verify All
Members Passed… command.

The beam overwrites are assignments that apply only to selected beam objects. They take
precedence over the preference items. They include most of the preference items, plus some
assignments that are beam-specific by nature.

Default values are provided for all overwrite items. You can change these values with the
Design > Composite Beam Design > View/Revise Overwrites… command or by clicking the
Overwrites… button when designing a beam in interactive mode. The overwrite items are
described in Appendix B.

After changing the overwrites with the View/Revise Overwrites… command, you can redesign
the affected beams, or you can check that the previous designs are still acceptable with the
Verify All Members Passed… command.

Design Preliminaries 7
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Design Preliminaries

2.2 Frame Objects Designed as Composite Beams

2.2.1 Hard Requirements

ETABS puts the following restrictions on the frame objects that it can design as composite
beams:

(a) Section Requirement

Only frame objects that are assigned an I-section, channel section, or auto-select section
consisting of a list of any of these can be designed as composite beams. The I-shaped and
channel sections can be imported from the built-in property files, or they can be user-defined.
Sections defined with the Section Designer and non-prismatic sections are categorized as
“general” sections regardless of their actual shape, and ETABS will not design beams with such
sections as composite beams.

Unsymmetrical I-section and channels in which the top and bottom flange have different
dimensions are valid composite beam sections, although you may have limited use for them
since you can specify the provision of a bottom flange cover plate in the beam overwrites.

(b) Material Property Requirement

Only frame objects that are assigned a material whose property data specifies “Steel” as the type
of design can be designed as composite beams.

(c) Beam Orientation Requirement

Only frame objects whose line type is "Beam" can be designed as composite beams. This means
the frame objects must lie in a horizontal plane, or in a plane with an inclination that is within
the maximum inclination from horizontal for beams and floors tolerance defined in the model.

Furthermore, the local axis 2 angle of the frame object must be zero, which means its local axes
1 and 2 are in the same vertical plane. You can check the local axis 2 angle of any beam by right
clicking on it and then selecting the Geometry tab of the Beam Information form.

(d) Support and Extent Requirement

Only frame objects spanning between two supports or frame objects representing cantilevers
can be designed as composite beams. Composite beams cannot be modeled using multiple,
adjacent frame objects between supports for a single composite beam.

Cantilevers and their backspans can be modeled as a single object when the cantilever is a beam
overhang extending over a supporting girder, but they should be modeled as two separate
objects when the cantilever is moment-connected to its backspan.

2.2.2 Soft Requirements

ETABS will by default design steel beam objects as composite beams when they meet the

Frame Objects Designed as Composite Beams 8

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Design Preliminaries

above hard requirements, plus the following two soft requirements:

 At least one side of the beam objects must support a floor object whose section is
specified as a deck section (not a slab or a wall section). The deck section can be filled,
unfilled or it can be a solid slab. When the deck is unfilled, the beam will still go
through the composite beam design procedure, which will design it as a non-composite
beam.

 The beam objects must not frame continuously into a column or a brace. Both ends of
the objects must be pinned for major axis bending (bending about the local 3 axis). Note
that the assembly of a column and a beam moment connected to it at one end and
simply supported at the other makes an elementary frame capable of resisting lateral
forces.

2.2.3 Overwriting the Frame Design Procedure

By default, ETABS designs steel beam objects that meet the hard requirements above but not
the two soft requirements per the steel frame design procedure.

You can change the design procedure for one or more steel beam objects from steel frame design to
composite beam design by selecting them, selecting the Design menu > Overwrite Frame Design
Procedure command, and choosing composite beam design. This change is successful only if the
beam objects meet the hard requirements above. For example, if you select a steel beam with a
tube section and try to change its design procedure to composite beam design, the change will
not happen. Also, the floor object will not provide any composite action. Floor objects that are
intended to provide composite action should be defined as deck sections, which include an
option to model solid slabs.

You can set the design procedure of a steel beam object that supports a floor object with a slab
section instead of a deck section. If you do, you should also set the modeling type of the floor
object section to membrane, to ensure that the distributed loads applied on the floor object result
in distributed line loads on the beam.

When ETABS performs the composite beam design of a non-composite beam that does not
support any deck, it computes the flexural capacity of the beam based on its unbraced length but
it does not account for axial forces or any out-of-plane bending, and it does not check the
adequacy of slender sections. Therefore, the design results for some beams will be different
when they are designed with the steel frame design procedure.

Frame Objects Designed as Composite Beams 9

 3 Steel Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

This chapter provides an overview of how ETABS determines the values of the various section
properties of the steel beam acting alone and evaluates its shear and bending resistance when
designing a composite beam per BS5950. ETABS designs the steel beam per BS5950-1:2000
Structural use of steelwork in building - Part 1: Code of practice for design - Rolled and welded
sections– referred to as BS5950-1 henceforth. The subject is also covered in the Steel Frame
Design Manual AISC ASD-1989, AISC LRFD-1993 and BS 5950-2000 For ETABS, to which
you are referred for additional information.

3.1 Steel Section Properties

When designing a composite beam and evaluating a structural steel section, ETABS:

• retrieves its section properties from the properties tables if the section is a catalog
section and the beam overwrites do not specify the provision of a cover plate,
• computes the section properties otherwise.

3.2 Upper-Limit on Grade of Steel

Per BS5950-3 Section 3.1, the value of the design yield strength, py, of the steel the beams are
made of is capped at 355 MPa in all composite beam design calculations.

3.3 Steel Section Classification

Per BS5950-3 Section 4.5.2, ETABS classifies steel sections as class 1 plastic, class 2 compact,
class 3 semi-compact, or class 4 slender in accordance with BS5950-1 Table 11, except for the
following:

• The limiting width to thickness, d/t, for webs is obtained from BS5950-3 Table 2
• A steel compression flange restrained by effective attachment to a concrete slab by
shear connectors in accordance with BS5950-3 Section 5.4, which ETABS assumes is
always the case – even when the shear connectors distribution is user-specified – can be
assumed to be class 1.

Steel Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance 10

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Steel Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

• A steel compression flange restrained by effective attachment by shear connectors in

accordance with BS5950-3 Section 5.4 to a filled deck in which either:
o the ribs run at angle of at least 45 degrees to the axis of the beam, or
o the breadth, br, of the rib located directly over the beam is not less than half the
width of the beam flange
may be assumed to be:
o class 1 if its classification per BS5950-1 is class 2, or
o class 2 if its classification per BS5950-1 is class 3.

Specific information on section classification per BS5950-1 is available in Chapter V in the

Steel Frame Design Manual AISC ASD-1989, AISC LRFD-1993 and BS 5950-2000 For ETABS.

ETABS deems class 4 sections not acceptable and does not do any further checks of these.

Per BS5950-3 Section 4.5.3, ETABS designs beams with compression flanges in class 1 or 2
and webs in class 3 based on their plastic moment capacity computed with an effective web area
reduced as shown in BS5950-3 Figure 2. Per BS5950-3 Section 4.5.3, ETABS designs beams
with compression flanges in class 3 based on their elastic moment capacity.

3.4 Plastic Resistance to Vertical Shear of Steel Cross-Sections

For shear design of a composite beam, ETABS checks only the vertical shear, Fv. Per BS5950-3
Section 5.1.4 and BS5950-1 Section 4.2.3, the shear capacity for the major shear in I and
channel sections is equal to:

Pv = 0.6pyAv (BS 5950-1 4.2.3)

Per BS 5950-1 4.2.3, the shear area Av is equal to:

 Dt
 if the section is a rolled section, and
Av 2 =  (BS 5950-1 4.2.3)
( D − Ttop − Tbot ) t if the section is a welded section,


where:

D = full depth of the section,

t = thickness of the web,
Ttop = thickness of the top flange, and
Tbot = thickness of the bottom flange.
One or both ends of a beam may be coped, which reduces the shear capacity of the beam. If a
beam is coped, ETABS automatically calculates the required cope based on the connection
geometry and a minimum gap of 6 mm. For a beam coped at one of its ends, the shear area at
that end is taken from the above equation but with the upper limit given in the following
equations:

Av ≤ (D−Ctop−Cbot) t for rolled sections

Plastic Resistance to Vertical Shear of Steel Cross-Sections 11

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Steel Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

Av ≤ [D− max (Ctop, Ttop) − max (Cbot,Tbot)] t for welded sections

where:

Ctop = Cope at the top of the beam, and

Cbot = Cope at the bottom of the beam.
Note that the shear capacity computed here is valid only if d/t≤ 63ε. For d/t> 63ε, the shear
buckling of the thin members must be explicitly checked by the user.

3.5 Fully Braced Moment Capacity of Steel Cross-Sections

Per BS 5950-1 Section 4.2, the moment capacity of a fully braced beam with a class 1 or 2 I or
channel section, Ms, depends on the shear force in the beam at the location being investigated,
Fv, and on the beam shear capacity, pv:

Ms = pyS ≤ 1.2pyZ when Fv ≤ 0.6pv (BS 5950-1 4.2.5)

Ms = py(S− ρSv) ≤ 1.2pyZ when Fv > 0.6pv (BS 5950-1 4.2.6)
where:
S = Plastic modulus of the gross section about the major axis
Z = Elastic modulus of the gross section about the major axis
Sv = Plastic modulus of the gross section about the major axis less the plastic modulus of
that part of the section remaining after deduction of shear area. For example, for
rolled I-shapes, Sv is taken to be tD2/4, and for welded I-shapes, it is taken as td2/4.
ρ =  2 ( Fv / Pv ) − 1
2

Per BS 5950-1 Section 4.2, the moment capacity of of a fully braced beam with a class 3 I or
channel section, Ms, is equal to:

M s = py Z when Fv ≤ 0.6pv (BS 5950-1 4.2.5)

Ms =( pyZ-ρSv/1.5) when Fv > 0.6pv (BS 5950-1 4.2.6)

3.6 Beam Unbraced Length

When computing the unbraced length, LE, of a beam, ETABS decides whether the deck restrains
the top flange of the beam somewhat differently depending on whether the beam is being
checked for flexural capacity under construction conditions, or under service conditions:

• under construction conditions, the deck restrains the top flange of the beam only if it is
transverse to it

• under service conditions, the deck always restrains the top flange of the beam if it is
filled, and if it is not filled, only restrains the top of the beam if it is transverse to it.

Beam Unbraced Length 12

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Steel Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

Under both construction and service conditions, ETABS considers that the top
and bottom flange of a beam are braced at any joint where another beam

Beam Considered
frames into it at an angle greater than 30 degrees, as depicted in the sketch to Br
ac
ing
the right. You need to detail the connection so as to ensure that the flanges are Be
adequately braced, or else redefine the beam brace points in the beam am

overwrites. θ > 30°

When the bracing is program-calculated or brace points are user-specified in

the beam overwrites, ETABS always assumes that each end of the beam is braced at both the
top and the bottom flange. If the unbraced length of a beam is longer than the actual beam, you
need to specify an unbraced length in the beam overwrites instead of brace points.

3.7 Lateral-Torsional Buckling Moment Capacity, Mb

Per BS 5950-1 Appendix B, the lateral-torsional buckling resistance moment, Mb, of a member
depends on whether or not its equivalent slenderness λLT is not more than the limiting
slenderness λL0

9.1.1 Equivalent Slenderness and Limiting Slenderness

For flanged members symmetrical about at least one axis and uniform throughout their length,
the limiting slenderness λL0 is computed as follows:

π2 E
λL0 = 0.4 (BS 5950-1 B2.2)
py

The equivalent slenderness λLT is computed as follows:

λ LT = uν βW (BS 5950-1 B2.3)

where:

 1
4
 4 S x γ
2

 , for I sections, and

 A2 ( D − t f ) 2

u =   (BS 5950-1 B2.3)
 I y S x 2 γ 
 2  , for channel sections
 A H 


 I 
γ= 1 − y  . (BS 5950-1 B2.3)
 Ix 
1
ν= 0.25
(BS 5950-1 B2.3)
1 + 0.05 ( λ / x )  2
 
λ =LE / ry (BS 5950-1 4.3.6.7)

Lateral-Torsional Buckling Moment Capacity, Mb 13

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Steel Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

0.566hs ( A / J )0.5 for I sections, and


x=  AH  (BS 5950-1 B2.3)
1.132   for channel sections
  IY J 

1.0 for class 1 and 2 sections

βW = (BS 5950-1 4.3.6.9)
 Z X /S X for class 3 sections
where:

A is the cross sectional-area

H is the warping constant
hs is the distance between the shear centers of the flanges
Ix is the moment of inertia about the major axis
Iy is the moment of inertia about the minor axis
J is the torsion constant
Sx is the plastic modulus about the major axis
LE is the unbraced length of the member

9.1.2 Equivalent Slenderness Less than the Limiting Slenderness

If the equivalent slenderness is not more than the limiting slenderness, then per BS5950-1
Section 4.3.6.5, no allowance needs to be made for lateral torsional buckling and Mb is equal to:

M b = p y S x for class1 and 2 sections (BS5950 4.3.6.4 and 4.3.6.5)

M b = p y Z x for class 3 sections (BS5950 4.3.6.4 and 4.3.6.6)

9.1.3 Equivalent Slenderness Less than the Limiting Slenderness

If the equivalent slenderness is not more than the limiting slenderness, then per BS5950-1
Section 4.3.6.5, Mb is equal to:

M b = pb S x for class1 and 2 sections (BS5950 4.3.6.4 and 4.3.6.5)

M b = pb Z x for class 3 sections (BS5950 4.3.6.4 and 4.3.6.6)

where pb, the bending strength, is equal to:

pE p y
pb = (BS 5950-1 B2.1)
φ LT + (φ2LT − pE p y )0.5

Lateral-Torsional Buckling Moment Capacity, Mb 14

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Steel Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

where:

( π2 E / λ 2LT )
pE = (BS 5950-1 B2.1)

p + (ηLT + 1) PE
φ LT =y (BS 5950-1 B2.1)
2
and the Perry coefficient, ηLT, for rolled and welded sections is computed as follows:

• for rolled sections

ηLT = αLT(λLT−λL0)/1000 ≥ 0 (BS 5950-1 B2.2)

with αLT a constant taken as equal to 7.0

• for welded sections:

ηLT = 0 if λLT ≤ λL0 (BS 5950-1 B2.2)

ηLT = 2 αLT(λLT−λL0)/1000 if λL0≤λLT ≤2 λL0 (BS 5950-1 B2.2)

ηLT = 2αbλL0/1000 if 2 λL0≤λLT ≤3 λL0 (BS 5950-1 B2.2)

ηLT = αLT(λLT−λL0)/1000 if λLT > λL0 (BS 5950-1 B2.2)

Lateral-Torsional Buckling Moment Capacity, Mb 15

 4 Composite Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

This chapter explains how ETABS computes the transformed moment of inertia, transformed
section modulus, and plastic moment capacities of composite beams. These depend on the adjacent
deck properties and effective slab width so the determination of these is presented first.

4.1 Deck Properties and Effective Slab Width

4.1.1 Location where Deck Properties and Slab Width are checked
In order to compute the section properties and plastic resistance moment of a composite beam,
ETABS only computes the effective slab width and retrieves the adjacent deck properties along
the middle 70% of the beam. This 70% ratio is derived based on two assumptions:

• The plastic resistance moment of the composite beam is approximately twice that of the
steel beam alone.

• The steel beam alone is capable of resisting the entire moment in the beam for the last
15% of the beam length at each end of the beam. Note that for a uniformly loaded
beam, the moment drops off to half of the maximum moment or less in the last 15% of
the beam.

• You can redefine this default “middle range” of 70% in the design preferences, as
explained in Appendix A.

4.1.2 Deck Orientation and Properties

ETABS distinguishes between the properties of the deck on the left and right sides of a composite
beam since they can differ on the two sides and carries the distinction throughout the rest of the
composite section property calculations. The figure below shows examples of different deck types

Composite Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance 16

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Composite Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

and different deck directions on the two sides of a beam:

Figure 4-1 Different Deck Types and Different Deck Directions

on the Two Sides of the Beam
For the purpose of composite beam design, the deck ribs are considered as either parallel or
transverse (“perpendicular”) to the span of a beam. Concrete in the metal deck ribs is included
in the transformed section moment of inertia and composite bending resistance calculations
when the deck ribs are oriented parallel to the beam, and it is not included when the deck ribs
are perpendicular to the beam. ETABS assumes the deck span is parallel to the beam span as
long as the two are within 15 degrees of one another.

While it accounts for different types of deck and different deck orientations on the two sides of
a beam, ETABS only accounts for a single set of deck properties and a single deck orientation
on each side.

When multiple deck types or deck directions occur within the middle range on the same side of a
beam, ETABS decides which single deck section and direction to use on that side of the beam based
on the following steps:

• ETABS computes the product of tc • f cd for each deck where tc is the depth of the
concrete above the metal deck and f c′ is the concrete slab compressive strength. It uses
the deck section that has the smallest value of tc • f cd in the calculations for the beam.

• If two or more deck sections have the same value of tc • f cd but the deck spans in
different directions, ETABS uses the deck section that spans perpendicular to the beam.

• If two or more deck sections span in the same direction and have the same value of tc •
f cd ETABS uses the deck section with the smaller tc value.

• If two or more deck sections span in the same direction and have the same values of tc
and f cd ETABS uses the first defined deck section.

You can specify the deck properties and deck orientation on each side of a beam as beam
overwrites, as explained in Appendix B.

Deck Properties and Effective Slab Width 17

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Composite Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

4.1.3 Effective Width of the Composite Beam

Per BS5950-3 Section 4.6, the effective width of a composite beam, Be, is the sum of the
effective widths, be, on each side of the beam centerline. How each be is computed depends on
the type of deck adjacent to the beam and its relative orientation to the beam. be is the smallest
of:

• Lx/8 where Lx is the distance between points of zero moment

• half the smallest distance from the beam centerline to the nearest approximately parallel
beam

• the smallest distance from the beam centerline to the nearest slab edge

• the width b of the beam if the deck is a filled deck perpendicular to the beam

• 0.8b if the deck is a solid slab or is parallel to the beam.

For a simply supported beam, Lx is equal to span of the beam measured the center of support to
center of support. For a moment connected beam, the location of the points of zero moment will
vary with the load combinations and Lx, Be and the composite properties of the beam are
evaluated separately for each load combination under consideration.

You can specify the values of be on the two sides of a beam, be-left and beright, as beam overwrites
as explained in Appendix B.

4.1.3.1 Effect of Diagonal Beams on Effective Slab Width

Consider the example shown in Plan A of Figure 4-2. In Plan A, the length of Beam A is LA.
Assume that the effective width of this beam is controlled by the distance to the centerline of
the adjacent beam. Also, assume that ETABS checks the effective width of the slab over the
default middle range (70%) of Beam A. If the variable labeled xA in the figure is less than or
equal to 0.15, the effective width of the concrete slab on the upper side of Beam A (i.e., the side
between Beam A and Beam X) is controlled by the distance between Beam A and Beam X. On
the other hand, if xA is greater than 0.15, the effective width of the concrete slab on the upper
side of Beam A is controlled by the distance between Beam A and Girder Y, at a location of
0.15LA from the left end of Beam A. This distance is measured along a line that is perpendicular
to Beam A.

Deck Properties and Effective Slab Width 18

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Composite Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

Figure 4-2 Examples of the Effect of Diagonal Beams on

Composite Beam Effective Width
Now consider the example shown in Plan B of Figure 4-2. Assume that the effective width of
Beam B is controlled by the distance to the centerline of the adjacent beam. When considering
the perpendicular distance from Beam B to the adjacent beam on the upper side of Beam B,
ETABS considers the diagonal beam labeled Beam Z when the angle θ is less than 45 degrees.
If the angle θ is greater than or equal to 45 degrees, Beam Z is ignored when computing the
effective slab width on the upper side of Beam B.

Plan C in Figure 4-2 shows a special case where two diagonal beams frame into Beam C at the
same point. In this special case, ETABS assumes that the effective width of the slab on the side
of the beam where the two diagonals exist is zero. You may change this in the beam overwrites.
ETABS assumes the zero effective width because, although it is checking the effective width
for Beam C, it is unable to determine whether a slab is actually between the two diagonal
beams.

4.1.3.2 Effect of Openings on Effective Slab Width

Now consider Plan D shown in Figure 4-3. There is an opening on both sides of the slab at the
left end of Beam D:

Deck Properties and Effective Slab Width 19

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Composite Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

LV

xD * LD

Beam D

Plan D

Figure 4-3 - Example of the Effect of Openings on Composite Beam Effective Width
Assume again that the effective width of this beam is controlled by the distance to the centerline
of the adjacent beam, and assume that ETABS checks the effective width of the slab over the
default center 70% of the Beam D length. If the width of the opening, xD • LD is less than
0.15LD, ETABS bases the effective width of the concrete slab on the distance to the adjacent
beams. On the other hand, if xD • LD exceeds 0.15LD, ETABS assumes the effective concrete
slab width for Beam D to be zero; that is, it assumes a non-composite beam.

4.2 Transformed Section Moment of Inertia

The transformed moment of inertia of a composite section is the moment of inertia of a steel
section equivalent to it. This section describes how ETABS computes the transformed moment of
inertia, Ip, of the fully composite section of a beam subject to positive bending resulting in stresses
in the elastic range.

Per BS5950-3 Section 4.1, the effective modular ratio, αe, used to evaluate the contributions of
the concrete components to the transformed moment of inertia is equal to:

α e = α s + ρl ( α l − α s ) (BS5950-3 Eqn. 4.1)

where:

αl is the modular ratio for long-term loading

αs is the modular ratio for short-term loading
ρl is the proportion of the total loading which is long-term
Per BS5950-3 Section 4.1 Table 1, αl is taken as equal to 18 for normal weight concrete and 25
for lightweight concrete, and αs is taken as equal to 6 for normal weight concrete and 10 for
lightweight concrete.

Transformed Section Moment of Inertia 20

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Composite Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

Because the value of αe can vary with the load combination, ETABS computes the value of the
transformed moment of inertia Ip separately for each load combination. Ip is also evaluated
separately when vibrations are evaluated because concrete is then considered effective in both
tension and compression and a special value of the modular ratio is used as explained in
Vibration Checks.

The concrete in the metal deck ribs is included in the composite moment of inertia and plastic
bending resistance calculations when the deck ribs are oriented parallel to the beam, and not
included otherwise. Note that the deck type and deck orientation may be different on the two
sides of the beam as described in Deck Properties and Effective Slab Width.

All calculations are done based on a “transformed section” of the beam, that is, the section
consisting of the steel section, including any cover plate, plus the “transformed areas” of the
concrete slab to the left and right of the beam. The transformed area of the concrete slab on one
side of the beam is defined as the area of the concrete slab on that side divided by αe. αe itself
may be different on the two sides of the beam if the densities of concrete are different.

ETABS first computes the location y of the elastic neutral axis, “ENA”, of the transformed
section. By definition of the ENA, when the beam is subject to positive bending such that the
flexural stresses remain in the elastic range, all the parts of the composite section located below
the ENA are in tension, and all the parts above it are in compression. When all the concrete is in
compression, or when concrete is considered effective in both tension and compression, the
ENA is located at the centroid of the transformed section. If concrete in tension is considered
not effective and there is some, the ENA is located at the centroid of the transformed section
obtained by considering the steel and only the parts of the concrete slab that are in compression.
ETABS measures y from the bottom of the steel section – without cover plate.

When the deck properties are the same on both sides of the beam, the location of the ENA can
be computed by checking whether it is located within the steel section, or within the deck ribs,
or within the deck cover. Because “within the deck ribs” or “within the deck cover” may be ill-
defined when there are different deck types on each side of the beam, an iterative algorithm is
used in which concrete in tension is removed and the location of the ENA is recomputed at each
iteration until no concrete in tension remains.

Once the location of the ENA is known, Ip is computed through a two-step process:

1. ETABS computes the moment of inertia relative to the bottom flange of the steel section,
Σ (A y
tr 1
2
), per the equations in the table below:

Table 4-1 Transformed Section Properties for a Fully Composite Beam

Transformed
Item Area, Atr y1 Atry1 Atry12 IO

Concrete slab, beff tc* tc* beff tc*3

d + hr + tc − Atry1 Atry12
left side αe 2 12α e

Transformed Section Moment of Inertia 21

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Composite Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

Table 4-1 Transformed Section Properties for a Fully Composite Beam

Transformed
Item Area, Atr y1 Atry1 Atry12 IO

Concrete slab, beff tc* tc* beff tc*3

d + hr + tc − Atry1 Atry12
right side αe 2 12α e

Concrete in
beff hl* wl hr* beff wl hl*3
metal deck d + hr − Atry1 Atry12
Sl α e 2 12 Sl α e
ribs, left side
Concrete in
beff hr* wr hr* beff wr hr*3
metal deck d + hr − Atry1 Atry12
Sr αe 2 12 Sr α e
ribs, right side
Steel section
including any Aa ybare Atry1 Atry12 Isteel
cover plate

Sums ΣA tr Σ (A y ) Σ (A y
tr 1 tr 1
2
) ΣI O

* *
In the above table, hr and tc have different meanings depending on whether Ip is computed for
beam deflection checks or for beam vibration checks:

*
• For strength and deflection checks, hr is the height of the metal deck ribs above the
ENA, if the deck ribs are parallel to the beam, and zero if they are perpendicular to it

*
• For vibration checks, the concrete in tension is considered effective and hr = hr if the
deck ribs are parallel to the beam, and zero if they are perpendicular to it

*
• For strength and deflection checks, tc is the thickness of the concrete slab that lies
*
above the ENA, zero if the ENA is above the concrete slab, tc = 0

*
• For vibration checks, tc is the thickness of the concrete slab

* *
Note that the value of hr and tc can be different on the left and right sides of the beam.

2. Once Σ (A y tr 1
2
) is known, Ip is computed by application of the parallel axis theorem:

∑A ∑ I − (∑ A ) y
2 2
I p= tr y1 + O tr

Transformed Section Moment of Inertia 22

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Composite Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

4.3 Transformed Elastic Section Modulus

The value of the elastic section modulus for the bottom flange of the fully composite section Zs,
is derived from the value of Ip and y :

Ip
Zs = (equivalent to BS5950-3 Eqn. B4.1)
y + tcp

where tcp is the depth of the cover plate if there is one.

The value of the elastic section modulus for the concrete flange of the fully composite section
Zp, is derived from the value of Ip and y :

αe I p
Zp = (equivalent to BS5950-3 Eqn. B4.1)
D + DS − y

where D is the depth of the steel section, not counting any cover plate, and DS is the total depth
of the deck.

4.4 Effective Moment of Inertia for Partial Composite Connection

Per BS5950-3 Section 6.1.4, δ, is taken as equal to:

Na
δ=
δ c + 0.5(1 − )(δ s − δ c ) if the beam is shored
Np
Na
δ=
δ c + 0.3(1 − )(δ s − δ c ) if the beam is not shored
Np
where:

δs is the deflection for the steel beam acting alone

δc is the deflection of a composite beam with full shear connection for the same loading

Na is the actual number of shear connectors between the location of the maximum
moment and the nearest point of zero moment

Np is the number of shear connectors between the location of the maximum moment and
the nearest point of zero moment required to develop full composite action

A corresponding moment of inertia, Ieff, for the partially composite beam is computed as
follows:

δc
I eff = I if the beam is shored
δ g

Effective Moment of Inertia for Partial Composite Connection 23

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Composite Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

δ c − δ s ,dead
I eff = I if the beam is not shored.
δ − δ s ,dead g

4.5 Effective Section Modulus for Partial Composite Connection

In the absence of guidance in BS5950-3, the value of the elastic section modulus for the bottom
flange of the partially composite section, Z s −eff , is taken as equal to:

I eff − I x
Z s −eff =
Zx + ( Zs − Z x )
Ic − I x

Note that the value of Z s −eff is only used when checking the flexural strength of a beam with a
class 3 web. The elastic stresses check presented in Elastic Stresses Check is based on the
values of Zs and Zp.

4.6 Plastic Moment Capacity of a Composite Cross-Section

Per BS5950-3 Section 4.4.2.1, ETABS computes the plastic resistance moment, Mc, of a
composite cross-section based on the assumptions that:

• the concrete is stressed to 0.45 f cu over the full depth of concrete on the compression
side of the plastic neutral axis
• the steel in the steel section is stressed to its design yield strength, p y, in tension or
compression. Also, note that per BS5950-3 Section 3.1, the value of py is capped at 355
MPa
• the contribution of the steel in part of the web defined in BS5950-3 Section 4.5.3 is
neglected if the web of the section is class 3
• the contribution of the steel reinforcement can be neglected.

A typical plastic stress distribution is shown in the figure below. The compression force in the
concrete slab, C, is the smallest of:

=Rc 0.45( f cu −left Ac −left + f cu − right Ac − right ) (equivalent to BS5950-31 Eqn. B2.1)

Rs = A p y if the web is class 1 or 2 (BS5950-31 B2.1)

Rn = Rs − Rv + R0 = As p y − dtp y + 38εt 2 p y if the web is class 3 (BS5950-31 B2.1)

Rq = ∑ Q = sum of strengths of shear connectors between the location of the station

being checked and the nearest point of zero moment to either side
When computing Rc, ETABS computes separately the maximum compressive forces that can be
developed by the concrete in the slab on the left side of the beam and on the right side of the

Plastic Moment Capacity of a Composite Cross-Section 24

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Composite Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

beam and adds up the two.

When computing Rs, ETABS includes the contribution of the bottom flange cover plate if there
is one.

When computing Rq, ETABS conservatively counts the shear studs acting at the beam station
being checked instead of those acting at the point of maximum positive moment so as to satisfy
the requirements of BS5950-3 Section 5.4.5.2.

α1 f c′
CConc
a

CSteel

Fy
Plastic neutral axis (PNA)

TSteel

Fy

Beam Section Beam Elevation Plastic Stress

Distribution

Figure 4-4 – Composite Beam Plastic Stress Distribution

Given a value of the compression force, C, the resulting plastic bending resistance, Mc, is
computed through a three-step process:

1. ETABS first computes the depth, a, of the compression block in the slab and the distance,
d1, from its centroid to the top of the steel section.

a is such that if the top of the highest slab on the left and right sides of the beam is offset by
a, the compressive force developed by the concrete located above the resulting plane is
equal to Nc.

If the deck properties are the same on both sides of the beam, and the slab is a solid slab, or
there is deck and it is perpendicular to the beam on both sides, then:

Rc
a=
0.45 fu beff
Because the computation is not as straightforward when the deck properties differ on the
two sides of the beam, or when the concrete in the deck rib contributes to the compression
force, ETABS uses an iterative algorithm in which the value of a is adjusted until the exact
answer is found.

2. ETABS computes the location of the plastic neutral axis, PNA, in the steel section, and the

Plastic Moment Capacity of a Composite Cross-Section 25

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Composite Beam Section Properties and Bending Resistance

distance, d2, from the centroid of the compression force in the steel section to the top of the
steel section. When C is equal to Rs the steel section is completely in tension, the PNA is at
the top of the steel section and d2 is zero.

3. ETABS computes Mc:

Mc = C(d1 + d2) + Rs(d3 – d2)

where d3 is the distance from the centroid of the steel section to the top of the steel section.

Plastic Moment Capacity of a Composite Cross-Section 26

 5 Strength Checks

This chapter explains how ETABS checks the shear and bending resistance of the beams it
designs under construction conditions and service conditions.

5.1 Design Load Combinations

ETABS can automatically generate default composite beam design load combinations with
which it will check the shear and bending resistance of the composite beams it designs. You
may use the default load combinations; you may define your own load combinations and use
these instead; or you may use both. You may modify the default load combinations, and you
may delete them if you have defined your own.

5.1.1 Strength Checks for Construction Loads

The load combinations used for checking the strength of an unshored beam subjected to
construction loads are the “construction load combinations”. The automatically generated
construction load combinations consist of a single load combination given by the following
formula:

Σ Σ
1.4 ( WDL) + 1.6 ( CL) (BS5950-1 Section 2.2 Table 2)

where:

ΣWDL = the sum of all wet dead load (WDL) load cases defined for the model. Note
that if a load case is simply defined as dead load, it is considered a WDL load
case.

ΣCL = the sum of all construction load (CL) load cases defined for the model. Note
that you need to explicitly define these.

Strength Checks 27
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Strength Checks

5.1.2 Strength Checks for Service Loads

The load combinations used for checking the strength of a composite beam under service loads
are the “strength load combinations”. The automatically generated strength load combinations
are given by the following formulas:

Σ
1.4 ( WDL + ΣSDL) (BS5950-1 Section 2.2 Table 2)

Σ
1.4 ( WDL + ΣSDL) + 1.6 (ΣLL + ΣRLL) (BS5950-1 Section 2.2 Table 2)

where:

ΣLL = the sum of all live load (LL) load cases defined for the model.

ΣRLL = the sum of all reducible live load (RLL) load cases defined for the model.
ΣSDL = the sum of all superimposed dead load (SDL) load cases defined for the model.
and the remainder of the terms are as defined previously.

5.2 Beam Stations Checked for Strength

ETABS performs the strength checks described in this Chapter at the following beam stations:

• The first and last stations on the beam

• The stations where the maximum shear, maximum positive bending moment, and
maximum negative bending moment occur for the load combination being checked
• The stations located where point loads are applied
• The stations located where other beams frame in.

5.3 Shear Strength Check

ETABS checks that the shear resistance of a beam is adequate for all the construction and all the
strength load combinations at all the stations listed in Beam Stations Checked for Strength. The
design must satisfy:

Fv
≤ 1.0
Pv

where:

Fv = The required shear strength; that is, the applied factored vertical shear force
Pv = Shear capacity for the vertical shear, computed as explained in Plastic Resistance to
Vertical Shear of Steel Cross-Sections.

Shear Strength Check 28

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Strength Checks

5.4 Construction Bending Check

If the beam is unshored, ETABS checks that the bending resistance of the steel beam alone is
adequate for all the construction load combinations at all the stations listed in Beam Stations
Checked for Strength.

The design must satisfy:

M
≤ 1.0
min( M s , M b / mLT )
where:

• M is the design bending moment. It can be positive or negative.

• Ms is the fully braced moment capacity of the section computed as explained in Fully
Braced Moment Capacity of Steel Cross-Sections.

• Mb is the lateral-torsional buckling moment capacity of the beam computed as explained

in Lateral-Torsional Buckling Moment

• mLT is the equivalent uniform moment factor for lateral-torsional buckling and is
conservatively taken as 1.0 by ETABS

Ms and Mb are computed anew for each load combination at each location based on the
corresponding forces in the beam and unbraced length of the beam.

Note that the above check does not take into account any axial force or out-of-plane bending
that may occur in the beam.

5.5 Negative Bending Check

If a beam is subject to negative bending for any of the strength load combinations at any of the
stations listed in Beam Stations Checked for Strength, the bending resistance of the steel beam
alone is checked for that load combination at that station.

The design must satisfy:

−M
≤ 1.0
min( M s , M b / mLT )

Negative Bending Check 29

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Strength Checks

where Ms and Mb are again computed anew for each load combination at each location based on
the corresponding forces in the beam and unbraced length of the beam

5.6 Positive Bending Check

The flexural strength of the composite beam is checked for all the strength load combinations at
all of the stations listed in Beam Stations Checked for Strength where the bending in the beam is
positive.

The design must satisfy:

M
≤ 1.0
Mc
where:

M is the design bending moment

Mc is the moment capacity of the beam.

Per BS5950-3 Sections 4.5.3 and 4.5.4, the value of Mc depends on whether or not the beam is
designed as composite and the classification of its section flanges:

• If the beam is composite and its section flanges are class 1 or 2, Mc is equal to the plastic
moment capacity of the composite section which is computed as explained in Plastic
Moment Capacity of a Composite Cross-Section. Because the value of Mc depends on the
value of the shear force Fv, Mc is computed anew for each load combination at each
location.

• If the beam is composite and its section flanges are class 3, Mc is equal to the elastic
moment capacity of the composite section which is equal to p y Z s −eff where Zs-eff is
computed as explained in Effective Section Modulus for Partial Composite Connection.

• If the beam is non-composite, Mc is the smallest of Ms and Mb which are computed anew
for each load combination at each location based on the corresponding forces in the beam
and unbraced length of the beam.

A beam is considered non-composite if:

• its effective width is zero, or

• the deck(s) next to it is (are) not filled, or

• there are not enough shear connectors on it to achieve the BS5950-3-specified or user-
specified minimum percentage of composite action.

Also, you can specify in the beam overwrites if ETABS is to design a beam as non-composite
without connectors, non-composite with connectors, composite as required, or always

Positive Bending Check 30

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Strength Checks

composite.

In the case of a moment-connected beam supported at both ends, ETABS makes an allowance
for pattern loading in which only a fraction of the live load is present on the adjacent spans,
since this will increase the positive bending of the beam.

M
When the highest ratio occurs at a beam station other than the one where the maximum
Mc
positive bending moment occurs, the percentages of composite action attained based on the
shear stud distribution and resulting composite plastic moment capacities are reported for both
stations in the output.

Note that the above check does not take into account any axial force or out-of-plane bending
that may occur in the beam.

5.7 Elastic Stresses Check

In accordance with BS5950-3 Section 6.2, ETABS checks that steel and concrete flexural
stresses remain in the elastic range under un-factored service loads.

If a beam is not shored during construction, its design must satisfy for all deflection load
combinations the following two equations at the location of maximum positive bending:

M dead M super-dead + M live

+ ≤ p y and
Z Zs
M super − dead + M live
≤ 0.5 f cu
Zp

and if a beam is shored, its design must satisfy:

M
≤ p y and
Zs
M
≤ 0.5 f cu
Zp
where:

Mdead = Maximum positive bending moment produced by the dead load

Msuper-dead = Maximum positive bending moment produced by the superimposed dead
load
Mlive = Maximum positive bending moment produced by the live load
M = Maximum positive bending moment

Elastic Stresses Check 31

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Strength Checks

Z = Elastic section modulus of the steel section with respect to its bottom flange
Zs = Elastic section modulus of the fully composite section for the bottom flange
of the steel member, computed as explained in Transformed Elastic Section
Modulus
Zp = Elastic section modulus of the fully composite section for the concrete
flange, computed as explained in Transformed Elastic Section Modulus

Elastic Stresses Check 32

 6 Deflection Checks

This chapter explains how ETABS computes and checks the deflections of the composite beams
it designs.

6.1 Composite Beam Deflections

Composite beam deflections are computed using a moment-area technique: ETABS constructs
an M/EI diagram by computing the M/EI values at each output station along the length of the
beam and assuming a linear variation of M/EI between the stations. M/EI is taken as zero along
the end length offsets of the beams. Deflections at each station are then computed based on this
M/EI diagram. Finally, the overall deflected shape of the beam is drawn by connecting the
computed values of the deflection at the various stations with straight-line segments.

For the purpose of composite beam design, in the case of a beam supported at both ends, beam
deflections are measured from the straight line joining the two supports as illustrated below:

Figure 6-1 Deflection Results Reported by the Composite Beam Design Postprocessor
In the case of cantilever beams, the displacement is measured at the free end relative to the
beam support. For loads other than live loads, the deflection includes the tilt caused by the
rotation of the supported end, taken as equal to the rotation of the point object at the fixed end
computed during analysis with two possible adjustments:

• a reduction of the analysis rotation if the backspan is composite to account for the
increased moment of inertia of the composite section compared to that of the analysis
steel section (incidentally, when designing several selected beams, ETABS identifies
and designs the backspans first)

Deflection Checks 33
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Deflection Checks

• a downwards rotation to account for the initial curvature of the backspan if it has a
camber.

For live loads, the tilt caused by the rotation of the supported end is ignored when the cantilever
is designed as live loads may not always be present on nearby beams.

The automatically created design load combination for computing deflections is given by the
following equation:

ΣWDL + ΣSDL + ΣLL + ΣRLL (AISC L1, ASCE 2.4.1, C.1.1, C.2)

where all of the terms are as described in Design Load Combinations. Note that all the load
factors for this serviceability check are 1.0. Dead load deflections are the dead load component
of the deflections computed for this load combination. Likewise, superimposed dead load are
the superimposed dead load component of the deflections computed for it, and live load
deflections are the sum of the unreducible live load and reducible live load components of the
deflections computed for it.

As explained in Elastic Stresses Check, ETABS always checks that the flexural stresses remain
in the elastic range under un-factored service loads.

6.2 Dead Load Deflection Check

Shoring during construction affects how dead load deflection is evaluated and how camber is
specified. By default, beams are not shored during construction, but you can specify shoring for
specific beams in the beam overwrites.

If a beam is shored, ETABS computes its dead load deflection using:

• the moment of inertia of the steel section (including any cover plate) Is, if the beam is
non-composite or is a cantilever beam
• the effective moment of inertia of the beam, Ieff, otherwise – see Effective Moment of
Inertia for Partial Composite Connection for information on Ieff

and does not check the computed value against any limit, but retrieves it later, to compute the
total beam deflection.

If a beam is not shored, ETABS computes its dead load deflection based on Is. If the design
preferences or the beam overwrites specify a maximum limit for dead load deflection, ETABS
checks that the dead load deflection is less.

6.3 Camber
If you have specified a specific camber during interactive beam design or in the beam
overwrites, ETABS uses that camber.

Otherwise, it computes a camber equal to 80% of the dead load deflection, rounded down to the

Camber 34
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Deflection Checks

nearest beam camber increment if the beam and its structural steel section meet the following
criteria:

• the beam is not shored

• camber is not preempted in the beam overwrites
• the beam span is more than 7.5 m
• the depth of the steel section is more than 350 mm
• the web thickness of the section is more than 6 mm
• the computed camber is at least the minimum camber specified in the design
preferences

If that camber is more than the maximum camber specified in the design preferences, the
maximum camber is used.

All the numbers used in the above criteria, as well as the 80% ratio, can be changed in the
design preferences. The next to last three criteria implement recommendations published by
AISC in the Specifying Camber Steelwise article of Modern Steel Construction, July 2006.

6.4 Post-Composite and Live Load Deflection Checks

ETABS computes the superimposed dead load and live load deflections using Isteel if the beam is
designed as non-composite or is a cantilever beam, Ieff, otherwise. How Ieff is computed is
explained in Effective Moment of Inertia for Partial Composite Connection. Because the
effective modular ratio αe depends on the proportion of short-term to long-term load on the
beam, Ieff is evaluated anew for each load combination.

In the case of a moment-connected beam supported at both ends, ETABS makes an allowance
for pattern loading in which only a fraction of the live load is present on the adjacent spans
since this will increase the estimated deflection of the beam. Also, note that Ieff is used along the
entire length of the beam, even in the areas of negative bending.

If the design preferences or the beam overwrites specify a maximum limit for post-composite
deflection, the sum of the superimposed dead load and live load deflections is checked against
that limit.

If the design preferences or the beam overwrites specify a maximum limit for live load
deflection, ETABS checks that the live load deflection is less.

6.5 Net Deflection Checks

If the design preferences or the beam overwrites specify a maximum limit for net deflection, the
sum of the dead load, superimposed dead load, live load deflections, and deflection caused by
concrete shrinkage, minus any computed camber, is checked versus that maximum limit.

Net Deflection Checks 35

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Deflection Checks

6.6 Additional Cantilever Backspan Checks

When designing a beam that acts as a cantilever backspan, ETABS performs some additional
checks to ensure its deflection will not cause the connected cantilever(s) at the end(s) to tilt
excessively.

Each cantilever deflection is computed assuming the same section for the cantilever and the
backspan and as explained in Composite Beam Deflections for loads other than live loads.

The cantilever live load deflection is taken as equal to its tilt, i.e., it is computed assuming no
live load on the cantilever, and with a rotation at the supported end corresponding to the rotation
induced by a fraction the design live load on the backspan. The value of that fraction is the
Pattern Live Load Factor specified in the Beam Tab of the Composite Beam Preferences form.

Additional Cantilever Backspan Checks 36

 7 Shear Connectors

This chapter explains how ETABS determines the total number of shear connectors required to
satisfy the design requirements on a composite beam, and their distribution.

It first introduces the concept of “beam segments”, along with the maximum workable and
minimum required numbers of shear connectors on any beam segment based on the minimum
and maximum spacing requirements specified in the design preferences.

Next, it explains how shear connectors are distributed along the beam segments to satisfy design
requirements.

Finally, it explains how composite beams are designed when their shear connector distribution
is user-specified.

7.1 Beam Segments and their Maximum and Minimum Numbers of Studs

7.1.1 Beam Segments

ETABS divides the top flange of each composite beam into one or more beam segments that
together extend the full length of the beam. A composite beam segment may span between any
two of the following three locations:

• the physical end of the beam top flange, which takes into account the physical
dimensions of the frame object or wall object supporting the beam, plus a half inch gap,
• a connection to another beam that frames into or sits on the beam being considered,
• the physical end of the concrete slab on top of the beam.

Figure 7-1 shows some examples of beam segments. The figure uses the following notation:

L = Length of composite beam measured from center-of-support to center-of-support

LCBS = Length of a beam segment

Shear Connectors 37
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Shear Connectors

LCBS

a) LCBS for Beam Between Two Columns

LCBS

b) LCBS for Beam Between Two Girders

LCBS LCBS LCBS

c) LCBS when Beams Frame into Considered Beam

End of
slab

LCBS

d) LCBS when Slab Ends in Beam Span

Figure 7-1 – Examples of Beam Segments and their Lengths

Beam Segments and their Maximum and Minimum Numbers of Studs 38

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Shear Connectors

7.1.2 Maximum Number of Shear Connectors on Beam Segments

As stated in Deck Properties and Effective Slab Width, for the purpose of composite beam
design, there is at most a single deck type and orientation on each side of the middle range of
the beam.

7.1.2.1 Deck Ribs Oriented Perpendicular to Beam Span

If the deck on the left side or the deck on the right side, or both of them, has or have ribs and is
or are perpendicular to the beam, then shear connectors must be placed within these deck ribs.
The number of rows of shear connectors running along the width of the beam flange in each
metal deck rib is limited to one. For a typical case with 19 mm diameter shear connectors and
an average width of the deck rib equal to150 mm, it is difficult to fit more than one row of shear
connectors in a deck rib and still have adequate edge clearances. (To have more than one row of
shear connectors in a single deck rib, you can specify a user-defined shear connector pattern for
the beam.) The maximum number of shear connectors that can be placed on a segment is then
equal to the product of the number of deck ribs that occur in that segment times the maximum
number of shear connectors that can be placed within one rib.

The number of deck ribs itself is computed by dividing the segment length, LCB, by the deck rib
spacing and rounding the number down. When the deck on the left and the deck on the right
have a different rib spacing, the widest one is used.

The maximum number of shear connectors that can be placed within one rib is computed based
on the beam flange width, the minimum transversal shear connector spacing specified in the
design preferences, and a side cover requirement of 25 mm. or one connector diameter,
whichever is larger, as illustrated in the sketch below. If you want, you can specify a different
maximum number of connectors that can be placed within one rib in the beam overwrites.

7.1.2.2 Solid Slab or Deck Ribs Oriented Parallel to Beam Span

If instead:

• there is a deck on one side only of the beam and it is a solid slab type or it is parallel to
the beam
• or there are decks on both sides of the beam and both decks are a solid slab type or are
parallel to the beam

shear connectors can be placed anywhere on the flange of the beam. (This assumes that the deck
is split over the flange of the beam if necessary.)

The maximum number of shear connectors that can be placed in a single row along a segment is

Beam Segments and their Maximum and Minimum Numbers of Studs 39

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Shear Connectors

computed by dividing the segment length, LCB, by the minimum longitudinal shear connector
spacing specified in the design preferences and rounding the number down.

The maximum number of rows of connectors on the beam is computed based on the beam
flange width, the minimum transversal shear connector spacing specified in the design
preferences, and a side cover requirement of 25 mm or one connector diameter, whichever is
larger, as illustrated in the sketch above. Again, the maximum number of rows of connectors
that can be placed on the beam can be specified in the beam overwrites.

7.1.2.3 No Deck or Unfilled Deck

When there is no deck on either side of the middle range of a beam, the beam is not designed as
composite and does not place any connectors on it. It does the same when the decks on both
sides of the beam are unfilled, or when there is a deck on only one side and it is unfilled.

7.1.3 Minimum Number of Shear Connectors on Beam Segments

Generally, the minimum number of shear connectors required to satisfy the maximum spacing
requirements on a beam segment is computed by dividing the segment length by the maximum
shear connector spacing and rounding the number up.

If the deck on the left side or the deck on the right side, or both of them, has or have ribs and is
or are perpendicular to the beam, shear connectors must be placed within the deck ribs and the
maximum shear connector spacing is rounded down to the nearest multiple of the rib spacing.
When the deck on the left and the deck on the right have a different rib spacing, the widest one
is used.

7.2 Shear Capacity of Shear Connectors

BS5950-3 only provides equations for the shear capacity of headed stud connectors, and
accordingly, ETABS only computes the capacity of such connectors. If you want to use a
different type of shear connector, you can specify the shear capacity of a connector in the beam
overwrites of the beams being designed.

The shear capacity of a headed stud connector, Qp, depends on whether it is in a solid slab, in a
deck with ribs parallel to the supporting beam, or in a deck with ribs transverse to the
supporting beams. In all cases, that shear capacity is a function of the characteristic resistance,
Qk, of the connector.

ETABS does not rely on composite action when checking the negative bending strength of
beams and, when checking their positive bending strength and deflection, does not count
connectors located in areas of negative bending so the equations below only apply to connectors
located in areas of positive bending.

The detrimental effect of eccentric placement of studs on the rib and the beneficial effect of
staggered placement of studs are not considered in ETABS.

Shear Capacity of Shear Connectors 40

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Shear Connectors

7.2.1 Characteristic Resistance of Headed Stud Connectors

The characteristic resistance, Qk, of a headed stud connector in normal weight concrete is
retrieved from BS5950-3 Table 5, reproduced below, with the values for stud dimensions not
listed in the table obtained by rounding up the diameter to the nearest larger diameter in the
table, and the values for height of studs and strengths of concrete not listed in the table obtained
by interpolation.

Dimensions of Studs Characteristic Strength of Concrete, fcu, N/mm2

Nominal Stud Nominal Stud 0 25 30 35 40 ≥40
Diameter, mm Height, mm N/mm2 N/mm2 N/mm2 N/mm2 N/mm2 N/mm2
13 any 0 44 47 49 52 52
16 any 0 70 74 78 82 82
19 ≤75 0 82 87 91 96 96
19 ≥100 0 95 100 104 109 109
22 any 0 119 126 132 139 139
25 Any 0 146 154 161 168 168

Table 7-1 : Characteristic Resistance Qk of Headed Studs, kN

The stud dimensions and the concrete strength can be different on the two sides of the beam. In
that case, ETABS computes Qk, for each side of the beam separately and uses the smaller value
in the calculations.

7.2.2 Headed Stud Connectors in Solid Slabs

The design resistance of a single headed stud connector embedded in a solid slab is equal to:

Qp = 0.8RlwQk (BS5950-3 5.4.3)

with Rlw equal to 1 in the case of normal weight concrete and to 0.9 in the case of lightweight
concrete per BS5950-3 Section 5.4.6.

7.2.3 Headed Stud Connectors in Filled Decks with Ribs Transverse to the Beam
The design shear resistance of a single headed stud connector embedded in a filled deck with its
ribs transverse to the supporting beam depends on the geometry of the deck ribs, and in
particular on whether or not they are re-entrant — i.e., they are narrower at their top.

If the deck ribs are re-entrant, the design shear resistance of the stud is taken as its capacity in a
solid slab multiplied by a reduction factor k equal to:

 b  h 
0.85 r  s − 1 ≤ 1 if N R ≥ 1,
 Dp  Dp 
k = (BS5950-3 5.4.7.2)
 br  hs 
0.6 D  D − 1 ≤ 0.8 if N R ≥ 2,
 p  p 

Shear Capacity of Shear Connectors 41

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Shear Connectors

where:

br = Average breadth of the concrete rib

Dp = Overall depth of the profiled steel sheet (depth of the rib)
hs = Overall height of the stud; hs is taken as not more than 2Dp and also not more than
Dp + 75 mm in the calculation (BS5950-3 5.4.7.2)
hs≤ 2Dp, (BS5950-3 5.4.2.2)
hs≥Dp + 75 mm, and (BS5950-3 5.4.7.2)
NR = Number of studs per rib
If the deck ribs are open instead of re-entrant, the design shear resistance of the stud is taken as
its capacity in a solid slab multiplied by a reduction factor k equal to:

 b  h 
0.63 r  s − 1 ≤ 0.82 if N R ≥ 1,
 Dp  Dp 
k = (BS5950-3 5.4.7.2)
 br  hs 
0.34 D  D − 1 ≤ 0.45 if N R ≥ 2,
 p  p 
Note that when there are two studs per rib, the design shear resistance of these studs is nearly
halved when the ribs are open instead of re-entrant.

7.2.4 Headed Stud Connectors in Filled Decks with Ribs Parallel to the Beam
The design shear resistance of a single headed stud connector embedded in a filled deck with its
ribs running parallel to the supporting beam is taken as its capacity in a solid slab multiplied by
a reduction factor k equal to:

 br
1.0 if
Dp
≥ 1.5, and

k =
0.6 br  hs  br
 − 1 ≤ 1.0 if < 1.5,
 Dp 
  Dp  Dp
(BS 5950 4.4.7.3)

7.3 Minimum Percentage of Composite Action

The minimum percentage of composite action to be provided on beams is computed as follows:

• For beams with a steel section with equal flanges:

Na  355 
≥ 1−  (0.80 − 0.03L) ≥ 0.4 when L ≤ 25 m
 p 
(BS5950-3 5.5.2.2(a))
Np  y 

Minimum Percentage of Composite Action 42

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Shear Connectors

Na
≥ 1 when L > 25 m (BS5950-3 5.5.2.2(a))
NP
• For beams with a steel section having a bottom flange with an area equal to three times
the area of the top flange:

Na  355 
≥ 1−  (0.33 − 0.02 L) ≥ 0.4 when L ≤ 25 m
Np  p  (BS5950-3 5.5.2.2(b))
 y 
Na
≥ 1 when L > 25 m (BS5950-3 5.5.2.2(b))
NP
• For beams with a steel section having a bottom flange with an area exceeding the area
of the top flange but less than three times that area, the minimum percentage of
composite action is obtained by linear interpolation from the above values.

In the absence of specific equations for shored beams, ETABS uses these minimum values for
both shored and unshored construction.

You may specify a higher value of the minimum percentage of composite action in the design
preferences, and the value you specify will be used provided it is greater than the value
computed per the equations above. You may specify a different value of the minimum
percentage of composite action in the beam overwrites, and the value you specify there will be
used instead of the value computed above.

7.4 Maximum Percentage of Composite Action

The target percentage of composite action cannot exceed the maximum percentage of composite
action specified in the design preferences or in the beam overwrites.

7.5 How ETABS Distributes Shear Connectors on Beams

A beam is considered non-composite if its effective width is zero, or the deck(s) next to it is
(are) not filled. Also, you can specify in their overwrites if ETABS is to design beams as non-
composite without shear connectors, non-composite with shear connectors, composite as
required, or always composite.

If a beam is non-composite, a minimum number of shear connectors are placed on it, as

explained in Minimum Number of Shear Connectors on Beam Segments, or no shear connectors
if it is what you specified in the beam overwrites.

If the strength and stiffness of the structural steel section are adequate without composite action,
and you have not specified always composite in the beam overwrites, a minimum number of
shear connectors are placed.

Otherwise, ETABS determines the optimal number of shear connectors through an iterative

How ETABS Distributes Shear Connectors on Beams 43

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Shear Connectors

process, in which for each iteration:

• a tentative percentage of composite action is set,

• a corresponding shear stud distribution is computed as explained below,
• the strength and deflection of the beam with that shear stud distribution are checked as
explained in Strength Checks and Deflection Checks — with, in particular, Mc
computed for each station being checked based on the number of shear connectors
acting at that station
• a next percentage of composite action is chosen based on the results of the checks.

The investigated percentage of composite action is at least:

• the value computed from the preceding equations

• the minimum percentage of composite action you specified in the design preferences or
beam overwrites
• whatever you set it to in interactive design mode.

Also, the investigated percentage of composite action cannot exceed the maximum percentage
of composite action specified in the design preferences or beam overwrites.

For a given percentage of composite action, ETABS computes the corresponding target
horizontal shear force Nc,1 to be provided by the shear connectors between the location of the
maximum bending moment and the nearest point of zero-moment for each load combination.

If there are point loads on the beam, ETABS also computes, for each point load location and
each load combination, a target horizontal shear force Nc2 to be provided by the shear
connectors between the location of the point load and the nearest point of zero-moment per the
following equation:

 M − Ms 
N 2 = N1  
 Mc − Ms 
where:

Mc = Maximum bending resistance of the composite beam, considering partial

composite connection if applicable
Ms = Plastic bending resistance of the steel beam alone
M = Design bending moment at the point load location
N1 = Horizontal shear force to be provided by the shear connectors between the
point of maximum moment and the point of zero moment
N2 = Horizontal shear force to be provided by the shear connectors between the
point load considered and the point of zero moment
The use of this equation is conservative because it assumes a linear relationship between the
percentage of composite action and the beam plastic bending resistance, whereas the actual
plastic bending resistance is somewhat higher.

How ETABS Distributes Shear Connectors on Beams 44

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Shear Connectors

The design load combinations are then sorted in order of decreasing shear connector densities.
The shear connector density is the ratio of the target horizontal shear force to the corresponding
distance between the nearest point of zero moment and the location at which the shear force was
computed.

The shear connectors are then distributed on the beam segments. ETABS first places the
minimum number required to satisfy maximum spacing requirements on all the segments. Then,
starting with the design load combination with the greatest shear connector requirement, and
continuing with the following load combinations, it checks that, at each of the locations where a
shear force has been computed, there are enough shear connectors on the segments to develop
that shear force. If there are not enough, the number of shear connectors on the segments is
progressively increased, starting with the segments closest to the ends of the beam, until there
are enough shear connectors.

7.6 User Defined Shear Connector Distributions

As mentioned in the Introduction and explained in Shear Studs Tab, you can specify composite
shear connector distributions in the beam overwrites. This can be useful when you check an
existing building, or when you are not satisfied with the shear connector distribution generated.
Before you use this feature, note that in interactive design mode, you can vary the percentage of
composite action for a given structural steel section, view the resulting demand/capacity ratios,
deflection ratios, and shear connector distributions for each of these percentages, and choose
one. Also, note that you can achieve a shear connector distribution of one shear connector per
foot on most beams by setting the maximum longitudinal shear connector spacing in the design
preferences to one foot.

When you specify the shear connector distribution on a beam, ETABS computes the number of
rows of shear connectors along the beam is computed based on the deck type and the deck
orientation relative to the beam as explained above. This number of rows determines the
number of shear connectors per row and the individual capacities Qp of the shear connectors.

ETABS checks the strength and deflection of the beam as explained in Strength Checks and
Deflection Checks — with, in particular, Mc computed for each station being checked based on
the number of shear connectors acting at that station.

Shear connector minimum spacing requirements are NOT checked for user-defined shear
connector distributions.

User Defined Shear Connector Distributions 45

 8 Vibration Checks

By default, ETABS does not check beam vibration acceptability when designing composite
beams per BS5950-3, but you can instruct it to do so by:

• setting the Consider Frequency option to Yes in the design preferences, in which case
ETABS checks that the natural frequencies of the beams is more than a minimum value
you specify, and/or
• setting the Consider Murray Damping option to Yes in the design preferences, in which
case ETABS checks beam vibration acceptability per the “Murray minimum damping”
criterion described in the Building Floor Vibrations article written by Thomas Murray
and published in the 1991 issue of the Engineering Journal of the American Institute of
Steel Construction – referred to as Murray henceforth.

The evaluation of these criteria depends on the value of the beam fundamental natural vibration
frequency, and in the case of the Murray minimum damping criterion, on the value of the initial
displacement amplitude of the floor system resulting from a heel-drop impact. This Chapter first
explains how the natural frequency and initial displacement amplitude are computed, and then
explains how the minimum frequency and Murray minimum damping criteria are evaluated.

8.1 Beam Fundamental Natural Vibration Frequency

The fundamental natural vibration frequency of a beam, f, is given by:

g E I tr
f = Kf (Murray Eqn. A.1)
W L3
where:

Kf = A unitless coefficient typically equal to 1.57 unless the beam is the

overhanging portion of a cantilever with a backspan, in which case Kf is as
defined in Figure 8-1 and digitized in Table 1, or the beam is a cantilever that is
fully fixed at one end and free at the other end, in which case Kf is 0.56.
g = Acceleration of gravity,
E = Modulus of elasticity of steel

Vibration Checks 46
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

Itr = Transformed section moment of inertia for the composite beam calculated
assuming full (100%) composite connection, regardless of the number of shear
connectors on the beam, inclusion of the concrete in tension, and using a value
of Ec equal to 1.35 times the value of Ec specified in the material properties.
W = Total load supported by the beam. This is calculated as the sum of all of the
dead load and superimposed dead load supported by the beam, plus a
percentage of all of the live load and reducible live load supported by the beam.
That percentage is percentage of the live load expected to be a sustained load.
Its default value is 25% but you can specify different percentages in the
Composite Beam Design Preferences.
L = Center-of-support to center-of-support span of the beam
1.6

L H
1.4
gEI w
f = Kc
WL3
1.2
Frequency Coefficient, Kf

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.4
Cantilever / Backspan Ratio, H/L

Figure 8-1 Kf Coefficient for an Overhanging Beam for Use in the Preceding Equation

Beam Fundamental Natural Vibration Frequency 47

 Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

Point H/L Kf Point H/L Kf Point H/L Kf

1 0 1.57 11 0.6 0.8 21 1.6 0.15
2 0.05 1.57 12 0.7 0.64 22 1.7 0.14
3 0.1 1.56 13 0.8 0.52 23 1.8 0.13
4 0.15 1.55 14 0.9 0.43 24 1.9 0.12
5 0.2 1.53 15 1 0.37 25 2 0.11
6 0.25 1.5 16 1.1 0.31 26 2.1 0.1
7 0.3 1.44 17 1.2 0.27 27 2.2 0.09
8 0.35 1.35 18 1.3 0.22 28 2.3 0.08
9 0.4 1.25 19 1.4 0.2 29 2.4 0.07
10 0.5 1.03 20 1.5 0.17 30 2.5 0.06
Table 8-1 Digitization of Figure 8-1 used by ETABS

8.2 Initial Displacement Amplitude resulting from a Heel-Drop Impact

The maximum initial displacement amplitude of a floor system due to a heel-drop excitation is
equal to:

Asb
A0 = (Murray Eqn. A2)
N eff
where:

Asb = Initial displacement amplitude of a single beam resulting from a heel drop
impact.
Neff = Effective number of beams resisting the heel drop impact

9.1.4 Initial Displacement Amplitude of a Single Beam

The initial displacement amplitude of a single beam resulting from a heel drop impact depends
on the time to the maximum initial displacement, t0:

1
=t0 tan -1 (0.1π f )
πf

P0 L3
Asb = (0.1 − t0 ) , if t0 ≤ 0.05 sec
2.4 Es I tr

P0 L3 1
=Asb * * VF , if t0 > 0.05 sec
2.4 Es I tr 2πf
where:

P0 = Heel drop force, taken as 290 N

Initial Displacement Amplitude resulting from a Heel-Drop Impact 48

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

2 1 − 0.1πf sin ( 0.1πf ) − cos ( 0.1πf )  + ( 0.1πf )

2
VF=

9.1.5 Effective Number of Beams Resisting Heel Drop Impact

ETABS defaults to using an Neff value of 1. Alternatively, you can specify a value of Neff on the
composite beam overwrites, or specify that ETABS calculate Neff based on a user-specified
beam spacing using the following equations.

Note the following about the implementation of the following equations:

 When calculating Neff using the following equation, ETABS does not check or consider the
number of parallel, equally spaced identical beams.

 The beam spacing used in the equation is user input in the composite beam overwrites.

 If a beam is a cantilever overhang, Neff is always set to 1.0.

 If a beam has a deck on one side only, or not at all, the value of Neff is always set to 1.0.

 Otherwise:
3
 s   L4   L
2.967 − 0.05776  b
N eff =  + 2.556 *10 
−8
 + 0.00010  
d
 avg   I tr   sb 

where:

sb = Beam spacing as input by the user in the composite beam overwrites

davg = Average depth of concrete slab including the concrete in the metal deck ribs
 wr left hr left  w h 
 + tc left  beff left +  r right r right + tc right  beff right
S r left   S 
=   
r right
d avg
beff left + beff right

where:

wr = Average width of the metal deck ribs

hr = Height of the metal deck ribs
Sr = Center-to-center spacing of the metal deck ribs.
tc = Depth of the concrete slab above the metal deck ribs or depth of the solid
concrete slab
beff = Effective slab width for composite design
with these quantities evaluated separately on the left and right sides of the beam.

Initial Displacement Amplitude resulting from a Heel-Drop Impact 49

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

8.3 Minimum Frequency Criterion

A beam design is deemed acceptable per the minimum frequency criterion if its natural
vibration frequency satisfies:

f ≤ f min
where fmin is a frequency you can specify in the design preferences and whose default value is
otherwise 8 cycles/second.

8.4 Murray Minimum Damping Criterion

A beam design is deemed acceptable per the Murray minimum if the following equation is
satisfied:

D ≥ 35 A0 f + 2.5 (Murray Eqn. 1)

where:

D = Damping ratio percentage, the amount of inherent damping in the floor system.
Its default value is 4%, but you can specify a different percentage in the design
preferences.
A0 = maximum initial amplitude of the floor system resulting from a heel-drop
impact, measured in inches.

Murray Minimum Damping Criterion 50

 Appendix A. Design Preferences

The composite beam design preferences are assignments that apply to all the composite beams
in a model. You can review and modify their values with the Design > Composite Beam
Design > View/Revise Preferences... The command displays the Composite Beam Design
Preferences form, which features seven tabs:

• Beam tab
• Shear Studs tab
• Camber tab
• Deflection tab
• Vibration tab
• Prices tab

A1. Beam Tab

Table A1 lists the design preference items available on the Beam tab:

Table A1: Composite Beam Preferences on the Beam Tab

Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Shored Toggle for shored or unshored
Yes/No No
Construction? construction.
Length in the middle of the beam over
which the program checks the effective
Middle Range (%) ≥ 0% 70%
width on each side of the beam, expressed
as a percentage of the total beam length.
Factor applied to live load for special
Pattern Live Load
≥0 0.75 pattern live load check for cantilever back
Factor
spans and continuous spans.
The acceptable stress ratio limit. This item
Stress Ratio Limit >0 1.0
applies to design optimization only.

Design Preferences 51
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

A2. Shear Studs Tab

Table A2 lists the design preference items available on the Shear Studs tab:

Table A2: Composite Beam Preferences on the Shear Studs Tab

Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Minimum percent composite connection
applied to the beams that require
Minimum PCC composite action to meet strength or
>0 40
(%) deflection criteria. This percentage also
applies to beams for which Always
Composite is specified in the Overwrites.
Maximum percent composite connection
Maximum PCC(%) >0 100
for the beams.
Toggle for placement of shear connectors
in a single segment. To place connectors in
a single segment with uniform spacing
Single
Yes/No No throughout the beam, select Yes. This
Segment?
factor has no effect on checking beams
with user- defined shear connector
distributions.
6ds Minimum longitudinal spacing of shear
Min. Long. (i.e., six connectors along the length of the beam.
>0
Spacing connector
diameters)
Maximum longitudinal spacing of shear
connectors along the length of the beam.
Max. Long.
>0 1m This setting applies to all beams composite
Spacing
or non-composite unless "Non Composite
w/o Studs" is specified in the overwrites.
4ds Minimum transverse spacing of shear
Min. Trans. (i.e., four connectors across the beam flange.
>0
Spacing connector
diameters)
Max. Studs per Maximum number of shear connectors in a
>0 3
Row single row across the beam flange.

Shear Studs Tab 52

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

A3. Camber Tab

Table A3 lists the design preference items available on the Camber tab:

Table A3: Composite Beam Preferences on the Camber Tab

Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Toggle for whether or not beams may have
Calculate Camber? Yes/No Yes
a camber.
Percent of dead load (not including
Camber DL, % ≥0 80 superimposed dead load) on which camber
calculations are based.
Minimum Beam Actual (not nominal) beam depth below
≥0 340 mm
Depth for Camber which beams are never cambered.
Minimum Web Web thickness below which beams are
≥0 6 mm
Thick. for Camber never cambered.
Minimum Beam Minim beam span below which beams are
≥0 7m
Span for Camber never cambered.
The limiting number in the current unit. If
Minimum Camber, the calculated camber falls below this
≥0 15 mm
abs. limit, the required camber will be reported
as zero.
The minimum camber limitation
denominator. Inputting a value of 360
Minimum Camber, means that the maximum camber limit is
>0 900
L/ L/360. If the calculated camber falls below
this limit, the required camber will be
reported as zero.
The absolute maximum camber in the
Camber Abs Max current unit. If the calculated camber is
>0 150 mm
Limit larger than this limit, the required camber
will be reported as this limiting value.
The maximum camber limitation
denominator. Inputting a value of 360
Camber Max means that the maximum camber limit is
>0 180
Limit, L/ L/360. If the calculated camber is larger
than this limit, the required camber will be
reported as this limiting value.

Camber Tab 53
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

Table A3: Composite Beam Preferences on the Camber Tab

Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
The camber interval in the current unit.
The camber is reported as an integer
Camber Increment >0 5 mm
multiple of the interval. This is used for
rounding purposes only.
Camber rounding procedure. If Yes is
Camber Rounding selected, camber is rounded down
Yes/No Yes
Down consistently to the next level; else camber
is rounded to the nearest level.

A4. Deflection Tab

Table A4 lists the design preference items available on the Deflection tab:

Table A4: Composite Beam Preferences on the Deflection Tab

Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Pre-composite dead load deflection
PreComp DL limitation denominator. Inputting a value
≥0 0
Limit, L/ of 120 means that the deflection limit is
L/120. Zero means no check for this item.
Post-composite superimposed dead plus
live load deflection limitation
Super DL+LL
≥0 240 denominator. Inputting a value of 120
Limit, L/
means that the deflection limit is L/120.
Zero means no check for this item.
Live load deflection limitation
denominator. Inputting a value of 360
Live Load
≥0 360 means that the deflection limit is L/360.
Limit, L/
Inputting zero is special, since it means no
check has to be made for this item.
Net deflection (total deflection minus
Total Camber camber) limitation denominator. Inputting
≥0 240 a value of 240 means that the deflection
Limit, L/ limit is L/240. Zero means no check for
this item.

Deflection Tab 54
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

A5. Vibration Tab

Table A5 lists the design preference items available on the Vibration tab:

Table A5: Composite Beam Preferences on the Vibration Tab

Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Percent of live load plus reduced live load
considered (in addition to full dead load)
Percent Live Load,
>0 25 when computing weight supported by the
%
beam for use in calculating the first natural
frequency of the beam.
Toggle to consider the frequency as one of
Consider
Yes/No No the criteria to be used For determining If a
Frequency
beam section is acceptable.
Minimum acceptable first natural
Minimum
frequency For a floor beam. This item is
Frequency, >0 8
used When the Consider Frequency item is
cyc./sec
Set to Yes.
Toggle to consider Murray's minimum
Consider Murray damping requirement as one of the criteria
Yes/No No
Damping to be used for determining if a beam
section is acceptable.
Number Number of frequencies between the lower
Frequencies >0 16 step and upper step frequencies for which
Checked the beam will be checked.
Percent critical damping that is inherent in
Inherent Damping, the floor system. This item is used when
>0 4
% the Consider Murray Damping item is set
to Yes.

Vibration Tab 55
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

A6. Prices Tab

Table A6 lists the design preference items available on the Prices tab:

Table A6: Composite Beam Preferences on the Prices Tab

Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Toggle to consider price rather than steel
Optimize for
Yes/No No weight when selecting the optimum beam
Price?
section from an auto select section list.
Price of steel per unit weight of steel beam
Steel Price ($/N) ≥0 $1 per N
(including any cover plate).
Stud Price ($) ≥0 $2 Installed price for a single shear connector.
Camber Price Camber price per unit weight of steel beam
≥0 $0.1
($/N) (including any cover plate).

Prices Tab 56
 Appendix B. Beam Overwrites

The composite beam overwrites are assignments that apply only to their target beam objects.
You can review and modify their values for selected beams with the Design > Composite
Beam Design > View/Revise Overwrites... The command displays the Composite Beam
Design Overwrites form, which features seven tabs:

• Beam tab
• Bracing (C) tab
• Bracing (S) tab
• Deck tab
• Shear Studs tab
• Deflection tab
• Vibration tab

B1. Beam Tab

Table B-1 lists the overwrite items available on the Beam tab:

Table B-1: Composite Beam Overwrite Items on the Beam Tab

Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Toggle to select if the beam depth is to be
Restrict Beam considered in an auto select section list. If
Yes/No No
Depth? yes, maximum and minimum depths must
be input.
Maximum actual (not nominal) beam
Maximum Depth >0 1100 mm depth to be considered in an auto select
section list.
Minimum actual (not nominal) beam depth
Minimum Depth ≥0 0
to be considered in auto select section list.

Beam Overwrites 57
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

Table B-1: Composite Beam Overwrite Items on the Beam Tab

Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Toggle to select if the beam width is to be
Restrict Beam considered in an auto select section list. If
Yes/No No
Width? yes, maximum and minimum width must
be input.
Maximum actual beam width to be
Maximum Width >0 460 mm
considered in an auto select section list.
Minimum actual beam width to be
Minimum Width ≥0 0
considered in auto select section list.
Shored No Toggle for shored or unshored
Yes/No
Constuction? (unshored) construction.
Specified in Yield stress of the beam, Fy. Specifying 0
Beam Fy ≥0 Material means that Fy is as specified in the material
Properties properties.
Specified in Minimum tensile strength of the beam, Fu.
Beam Fu ≥0 Material Specifying 0 means that Fu is as specified
Properties in the material properties.
Toggle switch indicating the provision of a
Cover Plate
Yes/No No full-length cover plate under the structural
Present?
steel section bottom flange.
Plate width ≥0 0 Width of cover plate, bcp.
Plate thickness ≥0 0 Thickness of cover plate, tcp.
Cover plate yield stress, Fycp. Specifying 0
Plate Fy ≥0 0 means that Fycp is as specified in the beam
material properties.
Live Load Program Toggle specifying how the live load
Program
Reduction calculated or reduction factor for the beam is
calculated
Determination user-defined determined.
Live Load Beam A reducible live load is multiplied by this
> 0 and ≤ 1
Reduction Factor dependent factor to obtain the reduced live load.

Beam Tab 58
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

B2. Bracing (C) and Bracing (S) Tabs

Tables B-2a, B-2b, and B-2c list the overwrite items available on the Bracing (C) and Bracing
(S) tabs. The (C) is short for “under Construction Conditions”, and (S) short for “under Service
Conditions”.

Table B-2a: Initial Composite Beam Overwrite Items on the Bracing(C) and (S) Tabs
Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Modification factor accounting for effects
of moment distribution used to compute
C1 factor ≥0 1.0
the buckling resistance moment of the steel
beam.
Program This item defines how the unbraced
calculated, lengths are determined for buckling about
Unbraced Length bracing Program the beam local 2-axis. They are program
Lb Method specified or calculated calculated, based on user-specified
length uniform and point bracing, or based on a
specified user-specified maximum unbraced length.

When you set the Unbraced Length Lb Method to Bracing Specified, you get to specify the two
items shown in Table B-2b:

Table B-2b: Additional Composite Beam Overwrite Items When the Bracing Condition
Is Specified as Bracing Specified
Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
The number of user-specified point brace
locations. Clicking on this item displays
No. Point Braces ≥0 0
the Point Braces form, where you specify
point braces.
The number of user-specified uniform
No. Uniform braces. Clicking on this item displays the
≥0 0
Braces Uniform Braces form, where you specify
uniform braces.

Bracing (C) and Bracing (S) Tabs 59

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

When you set the Bracing Condition type to Length Specified, you get to specify the two items
shown in Table B2c:

Table B2c: Additional Composite Beam Overwrite Items When the Bracing Condition
Is Specified as Length Specified
Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Absolute Length Yes/No No Toggle switch for whether the maximum
Lb? unbraced length is given as an absolute
length or a relative length.
Unbraced ≥ 0 and ≤ beam Length of Maximum unbraced length for buckling
Length Lb length beam about the beam local 2 axis.
Value
Unbraced ≥ 0 and ≤ 1.0 1.0 Maximum unbraced length ratio for
Length Lb Ratio buckling about the beam local 2 axis.

Specifying the maximum unbraced length as an absolute length means entering the actual
maximum unbraced length. Specifying the maximum unbraced length as a relative length means
entering the ratio of the maximum unbraced length to the length of the beam. This ratio can
range from 0 to 1, inclusive.

B3. Deck Tab

Table B-3 lists the overwrite items available on the Deck tab:

Table B-3: Composite Beam Overwrite Items on the Deck Tab

Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Program
Deck ID Left Program Toggle specifying how the Deck ID on the
calculated or
Determination calculated left side of the beam is determined.
user-defined
Program
calculated, any
Program
Deck ID Left defined deck Deck ID on the left side of the beam.
calculated
property, or
None
Program
Deck Direction Program Determines how the deck direction on the
calculated or
Left Determination calculated left side of the beam is determined.
user-defined

Deck Tab 60
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

Table B-3: Composite Beam Overwrite Items on the Deck Tab

Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Span direction of the metal deck ribs on
Deck Direction Parallel or Beam
the left side of the beam relative to the
Left perpendicular dependent
span direction of the beam.
Program Toggle specifying how the effective width
b-eff left Program
calculated or of the concrete slab on the left side of the
Determination calculated
user-defined beam is determined.
User-specified effective width of the
Program
b-eff left ≥0 concrete slab on the left side of beam, beff
calculated
left.

Program
Deck ID Right Program Toggle specifying how the Deck ID on the
calculated or
Determination calculated right side of the beam is determined.
user-defined
Any defined
deck property Beam
Deck ID Right Deck ID on the right side of beam.
name or dependent
“None”
Deck Direction Program
Program Determines how the deck direction on the
Right calculated or
calculated right side of the beam is determined.
Determination user-defined
Span direction of the metal deck ribs on
Deck Direction Parallel, or Beam
the right side of beam relative to the span
Right perpendicular dependent
direction of beam
Program Toggle specifying how the effective width
b-eff right Program
calculated or of the concrete slab on the right side of the
Determination calculated
user-defined beam is determined
User-specified effective width of concrete
b-eff right ≥0 0
slab on the right side of the beam, beff right

Deck Tab 61
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

B4. Shear Studs Tab

Table B-4 lists the overwrite items available on the Shear Studs tab:

Table B-4: Composite Beam Overwrite Items on the Shear Studs Tab
Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Type of beam design. NC w studs is short
Composite as
for Non-composite with minimum shear
required, NC w
Composite as connectors. NC w/o studs is short for Non-
Beam Type studs, NC w/o
required composite without any shear connectors.
studs, or Force
Force Composite is short for always design
Composite
with composite action.
Minimum value of percent composite
connection applied to beams that require
Minimum PCC composite action to meet strength or
>0 40
(%) deflection design criteria. This percentage
also applies to beams for which "Always
Composite" is specified.
Maximum percent composite connection
Maximum PCC(%) >0 100
considered for the beam.
Toggle to indicate if a user-defined shear
User Pattern? Yes/No No
connector pattern is defined.
Uniform average spacing of shear
connectors along the beam. The actual
spacing depends on the number of shear
0, meaning no
connectors per row, which depends on the
Uniform user-specified
≥0 row spacing. The row spacing is controlled
Spacing shear
by the deck if it has ribs and they are
connectors
transverse to the beam, or by the minimum
longitudinal shear connector spacing set in
the Preferences.
Number of sections in which additional
uniformly spaced shear connectors are
0, meaning no specified. Clicking on this item displays
No. Additional
≥0 user-specified the Additional Sections form, where you
Sections
sections specify the section lengths and the number
of uniformly spaced shear connectors in
the sections.

Shear Studs Tab 62

Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

Table B-4: Composite Beam Overwrite Items on the Shear Studs Tab
Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Toggle for placement of shear connectors
Single in a single segment. To place connectors in
Yes/No No
Segment? a single segment with uniform spacing
throughout the beam, select Yes.
Max. Studs per Maximum number of shear connectors in a
>0 3
Row single row across the beam flange.
Shear capacity for a single shear stud.
Program
Qk ≥0 Specifying 0 in the overwrites means that
calculated
this value is program calculated.

The “Max Studs per Row” item indicates the maximum number of shear connectors that is
allowed in a row across the beam flange. For wider beams, the Min. Trans. Spacing item might
allow for more shear connectors across the beam flange but the Max Studs per Row item will
limit the number of connectors in any row.

B5. Deflection Tab

Table B-5 lists the overwrite items available on the Deflection tab:

Table B5: Composite Beam Overwrite Items on the Deflection Tab

Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Ratio, Toggle to consider live load and total load
Deflection Check
Absolute, Ratio deflection limitations as absolute or as
Type
Both divisor of beam length (relative).
Pre-composite dead load deflection
PreComp DL limitation denominator. Inputting a value
≥0 0
Limit, L/ of 120 means that the deflection limit is
L/120. Zero means no check for this item.
Post-composite superimposed dead plus
live load deflection limitation
Super DL+LL
≥0 240 denominator. Inputting a value of 120
Limit, L/
means that the deflection limit is L/120.
Zero means no check for this item.

Deflection Tab 63
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

Table B5: Composite Beam Overwrite Items on the Deflection Tab

Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Live load deflection limitation
Live Load denominator. Inputting a value of 360
≥0 360
Limit, L/ means that the deflection limit is L/360.
Zero means no check for this item.
Net deflection (total deflection minus
Total - Camber camber) limitation denominator. Inputting
≥0 240 a value of 240 means that the deflection
Limit, L/ limit is L/240. Zero means no check for
this item.
Pre-composite dead load deflection limit
PreComp DL used when the absolute deflections are
≥0 0
Limit, abs checked. Zero means no check for this
item.
Deflection limit for Post-composite
deflection (superimposed dead load plus
Super DL+LL Beam Span /
≥0 live load deflection) used when absolute
Limit, abs 240
deflections are checked. Zero means no
check for this item.
Deflection limit for live load deflection
Live Load Beam Span / used when absolute deflections are
≥0
Limit, abs 360 checked. Zero means no check for this
item.
Net deflection (total deflection minus
Total Camber Beam Span / camber) limit used when absolute
≥0
Limit, abs 240 deflections are checked. Zero means no
check for this item.
Toggle for the program to calculate beam
Calculate Camber? Yes/No Yes
camber.
User-specified camber when the program
Fixed Camber ≥0 0
does not calculate beam camber.

Deflection Tab 64
Composite Beam Design BS 5950-3.1:1990 Vibration Checks

B6. Vibration Tab

Table B6 lists the composite beam overwrite items available on the Vibration tab:

Table B-6: Composite Beam Overwrite Items on the Vibration Tab

Item Possible Default Value Description
Values
Program This item indicates whether Neff is user-
Neff Condition calculated or User Defined specified or calculated by the program
user-defined based on a specified beam spacing.
No. Effective Effective number of beams resisting a heel
≥0 1
Beam drop impact..
Beam spacing used to calculate number of
Beam Spacing >0 2500 mm
effective beams.

Vibration Tab 65