4.0.

DESIGN OF FLEXURAL MEMBERS (BEAM

AND GIRDERS)
Section 4 of the code applies to the design of simple members
and members that comprise parts of frames.
Cross-sectional areas should be checked from section 3.5, and
design strength py from section 3.1.1.

1
4.1. Bending
• The structural action of a beam is predominantly bending,
with other effects such as shear, bearing and buckling.
• Apart from ensuring that beams have sufficient strength
capacities to resist these effects, stiffness properties must
be adequate to avoid excessive deflection or local buckling
of the cross-section.
• In elastic design assumes no redistribution of moments
due to plastic rotation of a section throughout the
structure.
• When a simply supported beam bends, the extreme fibres
above the neutral axis are placed in compression.

2
4.1. Bending (cont …)
• Owing to the combined effect of the resultant
compressive loading and the vertical loading, the top
flange tends to deform sideways and twist about its
longitudinal axis.
• This is called lateral torsional buckling, and could lead to
premature failure of the beam before it reaches its
maximum moment capacity.
 

3
4.1. Bending (cont …)
• Lateral torsional buckling (LTB) is the combined lateral
(sideways) deflection and twisting of an unrestrained
member subject to bending about its major axis.

• LTB can either occur over the full length of a member

or between points of intermediate lateral restraint.
 

4
4.1. Bending (cont …)
• Lateral torsional buckling
occurs in unrestrained beams
because the compression
flange will try to buckle
laterally about the beam’s
more flexible minor axis. The
section then twists because the
other flange is in tension and is
reluctant to buckle.  

5
4.1. Bending (cont …)
• Lateral torsional buckling is
only possible where the beam
has a less stiff minor axis (i.e. Ix
> Iy). Hence, circular and
square hollow sections need
not be designed for lateral
torsional buckling. Rectangular
hollow sections only need to
be designed for lateral
torsional buckling if they are
relatively tall and narrow (see
Table 15 of BS 5950-1).
6
4.1. Bending (cont …)
• Situations where lateral
torsional buckling has to be
taken into account include
gantry girders, runway beams
and members supporting walls
and cladding.

7
• Members subjected to bending should meet the following
conditions:
a) At critical points, the combination of maximum moment
and co-existent shear should be checked.
b) Deflection shall be considered as given in section 2.5.2 of
the code.
c) Unless the member is fully restrained against lateral-
torsional buckling (sect. 4.2.2) its resistance to lateral-
torsional buckling should be checked in accordance to sec.
4.3.
d) For class 4 slender sections, local buckling should be taken
into account, (sec 3.6).
e) When loads or reactions are applied through the flange to
the web the conditions of 4.5 for bearing and buckling
should be met.
8
 4.1. Bending (cont …)
1) The span of a beam is defined in Clause 4.2.1.2 of BS 5950 as
the distance between points of effective support. In broad,
unless the supports are wide columns or piers then the span can
be considered as the centre-to-centre of the actual supports.
2) The design of beams to satisfy the requirements of BS 5950-1
includes the consideration of:
• Section classification (Cl. 3.5 of the code).
• moment capacity (including lateral torsional buckling),
• deflection,
• web bearing,
• web buckling,
• Torsional capacity (not required for the design of most
beams).
9
4.2. Dimensioning and Section classification
• The section classification of steel structural elements (Cl.
3.5 of the code) is described in detail in Section 1.2.4.1 of
this handout.

4.3. Shear capacity (Cl. 4.2.3)

• In the design of beams for buildings, the effects of shear are
negligible and will not significantly reduce the moment
capacity.
• From the elastic, shear stress distribution in an I-beam in
Figure 4.2, the web of a cross-section is the primary
element which carries the shear force.

10
4.3. Shea capacity (Cl. 4.2.3) (cont …)

Figure 4.2: Shear force distribution in UB

11
4.3. Shea capacity (cont …)
At internal supports, there is likely to be high coincident shear
and moment effects which may induce significant principal
stresses, it is therefore necessary to consider the reduction in
moment capacity caused by the effects of the shear.
 

The shear force Fv should not be greater than the shear capacity
Pv given by: Pv  0.6 p y Av
 

Where: 0.6 py is approximately equal to the yield

stress of steel in shear
Av is the shear area (Clause 4.2.3 of the code).

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 4.3. Shea capacity (cont …)
• If the aspect ratio d/t exceeds 70ε for a rolled sections
or 62ε for welded sections, the web should be checked
for shear buckling in accordance with clause 4.4.4.
• In the design of webs of variable thickness and/or
which contain large holes (e.g. castellated beams), shear
stresses should be calculated from first principles,
assuming linear elastic behaviour (clause 4.15).
• In this case maximum shear stress distribution should
not exceed 0.7py.

13
Example 4.1:
A simply supported 406 × 178 × 74 UB S 275 is required to
span 4.5 m and to carry an ultimate design load of 80 kN/m.
Check the suitability of the section with respect to shear.

Solution 4.1:
1. Section properties 406 × 178 × 74 UB S 275
t = 9.5 mm, D = 412.8 mm, d = 360.4 mm, and d/t =
37.9
80  4.5
i. Design shear force at support Fv   180 kN
2
ii. From clause 4.2.3, shear capacity, Pv = 0.6pyAv
iii. For rolled section (clause 4.23)
Av = tD = (9.5 × 412.8) = 3.922 mm2 14
Solution 4.1 (cont …):
iv. From clause 3.1.1, web thickness t = 9.5 mm
v. From Table 9, for t = 9.5 mm, py = 275 N/mm2 and
ε = 1.0
vi. From clause 3.5, since the beam is subjected to pure
bending the neutral axis will be at mid-depth.

15
Solution 4.1 (cont …)
2. Section classification
i. From Table 11, d/t = 37.9 < 80 ε Web is plastic
ii. From clause 4.2.3, shear capacity,
0.6  275  3.922 103
Pv  3
 647 kN
10
Pv  Fv  180 kN
iii. No need to check for shear buckling as the ratio,
d/t = 37.9 < 70 ε
In cases where bolt holes are required in the web, no
allowance is required provided that:
Av.net ≥ 0.85Av / Ke 16
Solution 4.1 (cont …)
Where: Av.net is the net shear area after deducting bolt
holes,
Ke is the effective net area coefficient from
clause 3.4.3.
If Av.net < 0.85Av / Ke the net shear capacity should be taken
as Pv = 0.7 py KeAv.net with respect to clause 6.2.3.

17
4.4. Moment Capacity
• The moment capacity Mc should be determined from
Clause 4.2.5.2, 4.2.5.3 and 4.2.5.4 allowing for the effect of
co-existing shear. The effects of bolt holes should be
allowed for as detailed in 4.2.5.5.
• The additional check (Mc ≤ 1.2pyZ) is to guard against
plastic deformations under serviceability loads and is
applicable to simply supported and cantilever beams.
For other beam types this limit is 1.5pyZ.

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4.4. Moment Capacity (cont …)
The moment capacity of a beam is determined by considering a
number of factors which are:
a) design strength Table 9
b) section classification Tables 11 and 12
c) elastic section modulus Z
d) plastic section modulus S
e) co-existent shear , clauses (4.2.5.2 and 4.2.5.3) and
f) lateral restraint to the compression flange clause 4.3

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4.4. Moment Capacity (cont …)
The designs of beams in this case may be considered in two
categories:
i. Beams in which the compression flange is fully restrained
and lateral torsional buckling cannot occur.
ii. Beams in which either no lateral restraint or only
intermittent lateral restraint is provided to the
compression flange.
Effective Length
The effective length of a compression flange is the equivalent
length between restraints over which a pin-ended beam would fail
by lateral torsional buckling. The values of effective length are
given in Tables 13 and 14 of the code for beams and cantilevers
respectively. 20
4.4. Moment Capacity (cont …)

21
 

4.6. Moment Capacity (Mc) of Beams with Full Lateral

Restraint
The moment capacity (Mc) of a beams with the compression
flange fully restrained is determined using equations which are
given in Clauses 4.2.5.2 and 4.2.5.3 for low coincident shear and
high coincident shear respectively.

22
4.6. Mc of Beams with Full Lateral Restraint (cont …)
Low Shear (clause 4.2.5.2)
Provided that the shear force Fv ≤ 0.6Pv
− For class 1 and 2 plastic and compact sections:
Mc = pyS
− For class 3 semi-compact sections:
Mc = pyZ or alternatively Mc = pySeff
− For class 4 slender sections:
Mc = pyZeff
Where: S is the plastic modulus
Seff is the effective plastic modulus (clause 3.5.6.2)
Z is the sectional modulus
Zeff is the effective sectional modulus (clause 3.6.2)
The limitations based on the elastic section modulus are to ensure
23
that plasticity does not occur at service loads.
4.6. Mc of Beams with Full Lateral Restraint (cont …)
High Shear (clause 4.2.6)
Where Fv > 0.6Pv
− For class 1 and 2 plastic and compact sections:
Mc = py(S − ρSv)
− For class 3 semi-compact sections:
Mc = py(Z - ρSv/1.5) or alternatively Mc = py(Seff - ρSv)
− For class 4 slender sections:
Mc = py (Zeff - ρSv/1.5)
In which Sv is obtained from the following:
− For section with equal flange:
24
S =S-S
4.6. Mc of Beams with Full Lateral Restraint (cont …)
High Shear (clause 4.2.6)
In which Sf is the plastic modulus of the effective section
excluding the shear area Av, (clause 4.2.3)
− otherwise
Sv is the plastic modulus of the shear area, (clause 4.2.3)
ρ is given by : [2(Fv/Pv) − 1]2

25
4.5. Mc of Beams with Full Lateral Restraint (cont …)
High Shear (clause 4.2.6)
In which Sf is the plastic modulus of the effective section
excluding the shear area Av, (clause 4.2.3)
− otherwise
Sv is the plastic modulus of the shear area, (clause 4.2.3)
ρ is given by : [2(Fv/Pv) − 1]2

26
Example 4.2
A single span beam is simply supported between two columns and
carries a reinforced concrete slab in addition to the column and
loading shown in Figure 4.2. Using the characteristic loads indicated,
select a suitable section considering section classification, shear and
bending only. Assume S 275 steel and that dead loads are inclusive of
self weights.

Fig.4.3

27
Solution 4.1
To design a suitable beam section
Design point load = 1.4Gk +1.6Qk = (1.4 × 10) + (1.6 × 30)
= 62.0 kN
Design UDL = 1.4Gk +1.6Qk = (1.4 × 8) + (1.6 × 10)
= 27.2 kN/m

Fig. 4.4
28
Solution 4.1 (cont …)
 27.2  6   62  4 
Shear force at A, FvA      122.9 kN
 2   6 
 27.2  6   62  2 
Shear force at C, FvC      102.3 kN
 2   6 
Therefore design shear force, Fv  122.9 kN

Fig. 4.5 SFD

Position of zero shear,

 6.5 
x   0.24 m
 27.2  29
Solution 4.1 (cont …)
Maximum bending moment occurs at position of zero shear
The maximum bending moment = shaded area (Figure 4.4)

Mx 
122.9  68.5   2  6.5  0.24 
  192.2 kNm
 
2  2 
a) Consider a UB section
Assume the max. flange thickness T < 16 mm, hence
py = 275 N/mm2
192.2  106
Then the, S x , req   698.9  103 mm 3
275

30
Solution 4.1 (cont …)
Try section 305 × 165 × 46 UB S 275 with section properties as
follows;
D = 306.6 mm, d = 265.2 mm, B = 165.7 mm, T=
11.8 mm, t = 6.7 mm, b/T = 7.02 mm,
d/t = 39.6 mm, Sx = 720 × 103 mm3,
Zx = 646 × 103 mm3
 275 
i. Section classification    p   1.0
 y 
Flange – outstanding element of compression flange rolled
section
b/T = 7.02 < 9.0 ε Flange is plastic
Web – neutral axis at mid depth (i.e bending only)
d/t = 39.6 < 80 ε Web is plastic
The section is plastic 31
Solution 4.1 (cont …)
d/t = 39.6 < 70 ε do not consider shear buckling
ii. Shear
Design shear force, Fv  122.9 kN
Shear capacity,
Pv  0.6 p y Av  0.6 p y tDv
Pv  0.6  275  6.7  306.6  338.9 kN
PSection
v  Fv is adequate in shear

32
Solution 4.1 (cont …)
iii. Moment capacity
0.6 Pv  0.6  338.9  203.3
LowkNshear
> 68.5 kN
Note: 68.5 kN is the coincident shear at the position of
maximum bending moment.
forpsimply
M c  1.2 yZx
supported beams

M c  (1.2  275  646 103 ) / 106  213.2 kNm

M c  p y S x  (275  646 103 ) / 10 6  198 kNm

Maximum applied moment,

M x  192.2 kNm  198 kNm  M c

33