Structural Steel Design

CIVL1521

Page 1 of 3

Calculation Sheet:

Due: March 21, 2014

Assignment #4 Solution

Problem 1

For the beam shown below, design the lightest W250 section, if it is:
a) braced only at supports
b) braced at supports and midspan
c) braced at supports and quarter points
The steel is G40.21-M 350W and the loads are service loads with 75% live load and 25%
dead load.

w = 30 kN/m

6m

service load

w 30

span length

L 6m

dead load

wD 0.75 w

wD 22.5

live load

wL 0.25 w

wL 7.5

factored load

wf 1.25 wD 1.5 wL

wf 39.4

factored moment

Mf

factored shear force

V f

wf L

kN
m

kN
m
kN
m

8
wf L
2

Mf 177.2 kN m

V f 118.1 kN

(a) braced only at supports unbraced length, Lu 6m

Beam Selection Table
choose W250x58

M'r = 181kN m ( @ Lu = 6000mm ) > Mf 177 kN m

(b) braced at supports and midspan unbraced length, Lu 3m

Beam Selection Table
Mr = 178kN m ( @ Lu = 3160mm ) > Mf 177 kN m
choose W250x49

(c) braced at midspan and quarter points unbraced length, Lu 1.5m

Beam Selection Table
M'r = 187kN m ( @ Lu = 2170mm ) > Mf 177 kN m
choose W250x45

kN
m

Structural Steel Design

CIVL1521

Page 2 of 3

Calculation Sheet:

Due: March 21, 2014

Assignment #4 Solution

Problem 2

Design a W310 section to support a uniform service live load of 65 kN/m over a span of
5.5 m. The beam is simply supported and braced at the supports and midspan. Use
either G40.21-M 350W steel. Consider live load deflection criteria for construction and
finishes not susceptible to cracking.
kN
m
kN
wL 45
m
wD 20

dead load
wD = 20 kN/m
w L = 45 kN/m

live load

6.5 m

factored load

wf 1.25 wD 1.5 wL
wf L

factored moment

Mf

factored shear force

V f

moment of intertia

W wL L

span length

L 6.5m

unbraced length

Lu 3.25m

deflection

max

wf 92.5

L
300

kN
m

Mf 489 kN m

8
wf L

V f 301 kN

W 293 kN
4
6 mm

Cd 0.83 10

Ireqd W Cd B d

kN

B d 1.0
6

Ireqd 243 10 mm

from the beam selection tables, choose:

W310x107

Mr 550kN m ( @ Lu = 4790mm 3250mm ) > Mf 489 kN m

V r 695kN > Vf 301 kN
6

I 248 10 mm

> Ireqd 243 106 mm4

Structural Steel Design

CIVL1521

Page 3 of 3

Calculation Sheet:

Due: March 21, 2014

Assignment #4 Solution

Select an economical W section to support uniformly distributed service loads of 16

kN/m dead and 24 kN/m live over a span of 10 m. The beam is simply supported
and braced at the supports and midspan. Consider live load deflection criteria for
construction and finishes susceptible to cracking. Headroom limits the depth of the
beam to no more than 550 mm.

Problem 3

kN
m
kN
wL 24
m
wD 16

dead load
wD = 16 kN/m
w L = 24 kN/m

live load

10 m

factored load

wf 1.25 wD 1.5 wL
wf L

factored moment

Mf

factored shear force

V f

moment of intertia

W wL L

span length

L 10m

unbraced length

Lu 5m

deflection

max

wf 56

kN
m

Mf 700 kN m

8
wf L

V f 280 kN

W 240 kN
4
6 mm

Cd 2.35 10

kN

Ireqd W Cd B d

B d 1.0
6

from the beam selection tables, choose:

W530x123

Mr 762kN m ( @ Lu = 5000mm ) > Mf 700 kN m

V r 1460kN > V f 280 kN
6

I 761 10 mm

> Ireqd 564 106 mm4

d 544mm < 550mm

Ireqd 564 10 mm

L
360