Steel Beam Analysis & Design Notes and Spreadsheet

This guide provides essential knowledge for civil and structural engineers on the design and analysis of steel beams subjected to bending and shear force design actions. The accompanying Excel spreadsheet is a powerful tool that enables quick analysis and design of various steel beam section types and loading combinations.

These resources are developed around Australian Standards and steel section libraries. While the worked examples and references are tailored to the Australian context, the underlying design principles and methodology are widely applicable and can be adapted for use with other codes and section profiles. Please note that this 17-page guide and Excel spreadsheet both utilise the metric system where units are required.

Design Notes

• Essential knowledge about steel beams
• Simplified core theory applied to the design process
• Explanation of bending and shear capacity calculations for both open and closed sections
• Full worked example including: load calculation procedure, calculation of bending moment and shear force design actions, bending capacity, shear capacity, and deflection analysis

Excel Spreadsheet:

Design Module (Design and analysis of a simply supported beam under uniformly distributed load):

• Fully customisable dead, live, and wind loading inputs with automated load case/combination outputs
• Analyse a range of typical Australian steel sections from an integrated drop-down menu: Welded Beam (WB), Welded Column (WC), Universal Beam (UB), Universal Column (UC), Parallel Flange Channel (PFC), Equal Angle (EA), Unequal Angle (UA), Square Hollow Section (SHS) Grades 450 and 350, Rectangular Hollow Section (RHS) Grades 450 and 350, Circular Hollow Section (CHS) Grades 350 and 250
• Automated bending capacity check for both downward and upward load cases
• Automated shear capacity check
• Deflection analysis and vibration check
• Easy-to-follow calculations
• Summarised input and results section

Analysis Module:

• Input your own design positive and negative bending moments and design shear force
• Analyse a range of typical Australian steel sections from an integrated drop-down menu (same section list as above)
• Selection of moment modification factor (αm) for alternative loading scenarios
• Automated bending capacity check for both downward and upward load cases
• Automated shear capacity check
• Vibration check
• Easy-to-follow calculations
• Summarised input and results section