A Beginner's Guide to the Steel Construction Manual, 13^th ed. (old)

Chapter 8 - Bending Members

© 2006, 2007, 2008 T. Bartlett Quimby

Section 8.5

Miscellaneous Beam Limit States

Last Revised: 06/16/2011

The principle limit states for selecting beams are related to flexure, shear, and deflection.  These limit states will generally be used to select an appropriate beam size.  In addition to these critical limit states are other limit states that affect how the beam transfers forces to supporting elements or receives forces from elements that it supports.

Some of these connection related issues have already been covered in the bolts and welds chapters.  All of the limit states related to the connections due to bolts and welds are applicable but will rarely change the size of the selected beam member.

In addition to the bolted and welded connection limit states are others that related to the transfer of concentrated loads applied to flanges and webs.  In these cases, substantial forces are supported by small parts for the beam.

This section covers two limits states, web local yielding and web crippling, that are commonly found in many structures.  The SCM also has provisions for other, less common, limit states that effect connection design. The objective of the two limit states covered in this text is to provide sufficient strength in the member to prevent local failure at locations where concentrated loads are applied to the beam.

The two considered limit states, web local yielding and web crippling, may occur when point loads are applied to the flange in a direction transverse to the member axis and in the plane of the web.  This commonly occurs when beams rest on top of other structural elements such as other beams, walls, and columns.  It also occurs where columns or other beams rest on the beam and transfer a large concentrated load to the beam.

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