COMPUTERS AND STRUCTURES, INC.

, BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA DECEMBER 2001

COMPOSITE BEAM DESIGN AISC-ASD89
Technical Note
Allowable Bending Stresses

General
This Technical Note describes how the program determines the allowable
bending stresses using the AISC-ASD89 specification for composite beams.
The methodologies for determining the allowable bending stress for both the
steel beam alone and the composite beam are described.

Important note concerning cover plates: This section describes how the
allowable bending stresses are determined for steel beams. When a cover
plate is present, the program determines the allowable stresses for the beam
as if the cover plate were not present, except as noted in Note 3 for Table 1.
Based on the allowable bending stress at the bottom of the beam bottom
flange, Fb-bbf, which the program determines as described in this Technical
Note, the allowable bending stress at the bottom of the cover plate, Fb-bcp is
taken as shown in Equation 1.

Fy cp
Fb-bcp = Fb bbf Eqn. 1
Fy

where,

Fb-bbf = Allowable bending stress at the bottom of the beam

bottom flange, ksi.

Fb-bcp = Allowable bending stress at the bottom of the cover

plate, ksi.

Fy = Yield stress of beam, ksi.

Fycp = Yield stress of cover plate, ksi.

General Page 1 of 7
Composite Beam Design AISC-ASD89 Allowable Bending Stresses

Allowable Bending Stress for Steel Beam Alone

This section documents the allowable bending stresses that the program uses
when the steel beam alone (noncomposite) resists the bending. Allowable
bending stresses are provided for both compression and tension.

Note:
Allowable stresses for composite beams are described in the section entitled Allowable
Bending Stresses for Positive Bending in the Composite Beam later in this Technical
Note.

The allowable bending stress for the steel beam alone depends on the type of
beam section, whether the compression flange and the web are compact or
noncompact, the yield stress of the beam and the unsupported length of the
compression flange, Lb. Table 1 identifies the equations that are used to cal-
culate the allowable bending stress of the steel beam alone for various condi-
tions.

Table 1 is based on the requirements of Chapter F, Section F1 in the AISC-

ASD89 specification. The compact and noncompact requirements that the
programe uses for the flanges, web and the cover plate (if it exists and is in
compression) are presented in Technical Note Width-to-Thickness Checks
Composite Beam Design AISC-ASD89.

In the Flange and Cover Plate column of Table 1, if the flange or the cover
plate is noncompact, the column entry is noncompact. Both the flange and
the cover plate must be compact for the entry to be compact.

Allowable Bending Stress for Steel Beam Alone Page 2 of 7

Composite Beam Design AISC-ASD89 Allowable Bending Stresses

Table 1 Equations Used by the Program for Allowable Bending

Stress for Steel Beam Alone
Flange Unsupported
and Length of Equation(s) for Fb,
Type of Cover Beam Compression the Allowable Bending
Beam Section Plate Web Fy Flange1 Stress
3
compact compact 65 ksi Lc
in tension or compression
6
compact compact > 65 ksi Lc
in tension or compression
6
compact noncompact No limit Lc
in tension or compression
Rolled I-shaped or
4
channel section noncompact compact 65 ksi Lc
in tension or compression
from the program
database 6
noncompact compact > 65 ksi Lc
in tension or compression
6
noncompact noncompact No limit Lc
in tension or compression
6 for tension; larger of 7 or
compact or compact or
No limit > Lc 8, as applicable and 9 for
noncompact noncompact
compression2
3
compact compact 65 ksi Lc
in tension or compression
6
compact compact > 65 ksi Lc
in tension or compression
User defined
6
(welded) section compact noncompact No limit Lc
in tension or compression
that is
compact or 5
I-shaped or a noncompact 65 ksi Lc
noncompact in tension or compression
channel
compact or 6
noncompact > 65 ksi Lc
noncompact in tension or compression
6 for tension; larger of 7 or
compact or compact or
No limit > Lc 8, as applicable and 9 for
noncompact noncompact
compression2, 3
Table Descriptive Notes:
1. See Equation 2 for Lc.
2. Equations 7 and 8 do not apply to channels.
3. For I-shaped beams, Equation 9 does not apply if the area of the compression flange is less
than the area of the tension flange. For this check the area of the cover plate is included as
part of the flange area.

Allowable Bending Stress for Steel Beam Alone Page 3 of 7

Composite Beam Design AISC-ASD89 Allowable Bending Stresses

In the fifth column of Table 1, the unsupported length of the compression

flange is compared to Lc. The length Lc is defined in Equation 2.

76b f 20000
L c = smaller of and Eqn. 2
Fy (d A f )Fy

The Af and bf terms in Equation 2 are the area and width of the beam com-
pression flange (not including cover plate even if it exists), respectively.
These terms are never based on the cover plate dimensions. The Fy term is
the yield stress of the beam (not cover plate)

The equations referred to in the last column of Table 1 are listed below.

Fb = 0.66 Fy Eqn. 3

b
Fb = Fy 0.79 0.002 f Fy Eqn. 4
2t f

b Fy
Fb = Fy 0.79 0.002 f Eqn. 5
2t f kc

where

4.05
kc = , for h/tw > 70, otherwise kc = 1 Eqn. 5a
(h t w )0.46
Fb = 0.60 Fy Eqn. 6

In Equation 6, the program takes Fy as the yield stress of the compression

flange for hybrid beams.

102 * 10 3 C b l 510 * 10 3 C b
When
Fy rT Fy
Eqn. 7
2 Fy (l rT )
2

Fb = Fy 0.60Fy
3 1,530 * 10 3 C b

Allowable Bending Stress for Steel Beam Alone Page 4 of 7

Composite Beam Design AISC-ASD89 Allowable Bending Stresses

l 510 * 103 Cb
When >
rT Fy
Eqn. 8
170 * 103 Cb
Fb = 0.60Fy
(l rT )2
12 * 103 Cb
Fb = 0.60Fy Eqn. 9
(ld A f )
In Equations 7 and 8, the l term in l/rT is the unbraced length of the compres-
sion flange. The rT term is based on the compression flange of the beam. This
is significant when the dimensions of the top and bottom flanges are different.
For rolled sections, the rT term is taken from the program database. For user-
defined (welded) sections, the rT term is calculated using Equation 10a or
10b. Equation 10a applies for positive bending and Equation 10b applies for
negative bending. If it exists, the cover plate is ignored when calculating rT.

For positive bending:

b 3f top t f top (d y bare t f top ) t 3w

+
rT = 12 36 Eqn. 10a
(d y bare t f top ) t w
b f top t f top +
3

For negative bending:

b 3f bot t f bot (y t f bot ) t 3w

+ bare
rT = 12 36 Eqn. 10b
(y t f bot ) t w
b f bot t f bot + bare
3

The Cb term in Equations 7, 8 and 9 is defined in "Bracing (C) Tab and Brac-
ing Tab" in Technical Note Overwrites Composite Beam Design AISC-ASC89.

In Equation 9 Af is the area of the compression flange (not including the cover
plate even if it exists).

Allowable Bending Stress for Steel Beam Alone Page 5 of 7

Composite Beam Design AISC-ASD89 Allowable Bending Stresses

The derivation of ybare is provided in "Properties of Steel Beam (Plus Cover

Plate) Alone" in Technical Note Transformed Section Moment of Inertia Com-
posite Beam Design AISC-ASD89.

Allowable Bending Stresses for Positive Bending in the

Composite Beam
Note:
Allowable stresses when composite connection is not considered is described earlier in
this Technical Note in the section entitled Allowable Bending Stress for Steel Beam
Alone.

Figure 1 shows a typical composite beam. When there is positive bending in

the beam there is compression at the top of the concrete and tension at the
bottom of the beam. For positive bending in a composite beam, the program
checks the stresses at the following locations:

Compression stress at the top of the concrete. This stress is limited to

0.45 f c' .

Tension or compression at the top of the top flange of the beam. See Ta-
ble 2 for the allowable stress.

Tension or compression at the bottom of the bottom flange of the beam.

In practice, it is unlikely that the bottom flange of the beam will ever be in
compression for positive bending. It would require an extremely large
cover plate, beyond the bounds of practicality. See Table 2 for the allow-
able stress.

Tension at the bottom of the cover plate. See Table 2 and the section en-
titled General at the beginning of this Technical Note for the allowable
stress.

Table 2 defines the equations that are used to calculate the allowable bending
stress for the steel beam portion of a composite beam section for various
conditions. The equation used depends on whether the beam web is compact
and whether the yield stress is less than or equal to 65 ksi.

Allowable Bending Stresses for Positive Bending in the Composite Beam Page 6 of 7
Composite Beam Design AISC-ASD89 Allowable Bending Stresses

Concrete slab

tc
hr
Metal deck

d
Steel beam

tcp
Cover plate bcp

Figure 1 Composite Beam

Table 2: Equations the Program Uses to Calculate the Allowable Bend-

ing Stress in the Steel Beam Portion of a Composite Beam

Type of Beam Equations Used for Allowable Stresses

Section Web Beam Fy Compression Tension
compact 65 ksi 11 11
non-
Any 65 ksi 12 12
compact
composite beam
compact or
> 65 ksi 12 12
noncompact

Fb = 0.66 Fy Eqn.11

Fb = 0.60 Fy Eqn. 12

Allowable Bending Stresses for Positive Bending in the Composite Beam Page 7 of 7