A beam refers to structural element that has the capacity to withstand load by resisting against bending. Beams give support mainly to vertical loads. It spans in a horizontal direction between supports.
Details about beam strength
Steel beams should be such that it must be strong enough to carry bending moments and shear force. Engineers who are involved with the project must be sure that the beam that they are planning to use is strong enough to carry the imposed load. Bending moment and capacities of force directly relate to physical properties such as material strength and also cross section.
Two important things that are taken into consideration by fabricators, steel beam suppliers and builders are:
- Moment Capacity
- Shear capacity
The max stress known as the yields stress is the stress of the yield point. A steel beam supplier will use all these formulas to ensure that a steel build will be safe and successful.
Size estimation
It is important to know how steel beam suppliers estimate size. This is required so that anyone who is undergoing a project understands pricing better to make estimations for the required size of each section. Very simple methods are used to estimate the sizes for required section.
Usually those who have been in the business for a long time can determine beam sizes without dealing in detailed methods. Just a simple estimation is enough and most of them use “safe load tables.”
These tables are required to give an estimation of depth related to span for various types of beams. Usually the structural frame will include secondary and main beams. In case of beams for the roof of a structure, they are loaded lightly when compared to the floor which makes the area a bit smaller.
There are some factors that affect strengths and size and a professional steel beam supplier will take all of it into consideration so that there is nothing to worry.
Steel Beams VS. Wooden Beams
Because of the size of the building strong support beams are desirable. Steel beams are ideal for supporting the weight of your whole building.
Steel beams are preferred over wooden beams as wooden beams tend to bend due to all the pressure which is not the case with steel beams. Apart from universal beams, W section beams and uc beams are also required to hold the weight of a building. Steel may be a costly expenditure; however, in the long run you will end up saving a lot of money.
When wooden beams are used chances of foundation shifting may happen because of sagging floors and then you may have to rebuild your home. This is when steel beams come into picture as not only can they withstand lot of weight, they are able to withhold their durability for many years.
Steel beams can be bought in any size and can be customized too as per your requirements. With the large variety of beams available you will not have to worry about finding the correct one.