Beam Design Package

Prepared for:
Chris McDaniel
Professor of Engineering

Prepared by:
Kenneth Bolling
Undergraduate Engineering Student of ENGR 1201-012

Date Submitted:
Tuesday, April 13, 2015

I have neither given nor received any unauthorized help on this assignment,
nor witnessed any violation of the UNC Charlotte Code of Academic Integrity.

Problem Statement

The XLIX Design Firm has put in a request for 1,000 structural beams to
withstand a certain load while under restrictions. The beam must be no
longer than 24 inches, 2 inches wide, 2 inches tall, and must way no more
than 240 grams. The beam must be created using basswood obtained from
the 1201 lumberyard. The beam will only be tested in the y-axis direction.
Once the 300 pounds is placed on the center of the beam, it must deflect
more than 0.05 inches but less than 0.2 inches. The beam styles allowed to
be used to meet the criteria are: h beam, I beam, and the hollow box
beam. The Design Firm will only pay for the design with the best opportunity
costs. Keeping this in mind, the beam price is limited to under $10.00.

Research
Both the I Beam and H beam are constructed with webbing in between
two flanges. These two beam types are heavily relied upon in the
construction industry to provide support for load-bearing walls. I beams are
generally found as: construction support beams for residential and
commercial construction, support frames and columns for trolley ways,
platforms, along with trailer and truck bed framing. Whereas H beams can
also be associated with: residential or commercial construction, platforms and
trailer or truck bedding, along with bridges and machine bases. (Carbon
Steel)
The hollow box beam is much like the solid box beam except that it is hollow
in the center. Therefore, the hollow box beam is not as strong as the solid
beam. However, where the hollow beam lacks in strength compared to the
solid box beam, it does not have as much weight. The lower weight allows for
easier movement to work with. Hollow box beams can also be assembled onsite making it a favorite in the construction of homes and other small
buildings. Because it can be made on-site to the exact specifications, there is
less waist of material. (Tatum, Malcolm)
A large concern engineers have is to ensure that a chosen beam is strong
enough to carry the load imposed on it safely. The chosen beam must be able
to withstand the bending moment and the shear force or pushing force. When
a force is exerted onto a beam it will bend or deflect. This deflection should
meet code to ensure the residents are comfortable and the building material
is not damaged. The deflection of a beam can be found using the equation:

P L3
=
48 EI

where P is the load, L is the length between the supports, E

is the materials elasticity, and I is the inertia. (Beam Strength)

Inertia is the resistance of the beam to change in any state of motion. The
moment of inertia quantifies an object's resistance to being spun around an
axis. The area moment of inertia, or second moment of inertia can be
3

calculated using the formula

I=

bh
12

where b is the base and h is the

height. I Beams have high bending moments on the y-axis, meaning that

they are good at resisting shearing and bending when force is applied to the
flanges. (Emerson, E)
A large factor that can come into play involving the deflection of the beam is
the elasticity. The elasticity of the beam depends on the material that the
beam is made of. Most beams used in construction are made of a low-carbon
based steel with an elasticity of 36,000 psi. The lower the elasticity then the
higher the deflection or movement of the beam. ( Calvert, J.)

Beam Designs
Design 1: 1.5

x 2 I-Beam

Design 2: 1.5 x 1.5 Hollow Box Beam

Design 3: 1.75 x 2 I-Beam

Calculations
Design 1: Beam
3

I=
Inertia (y-axis):
3

bh
12

PL
48 EI
3

(1.5)(0.25)3
(0.25)(1.5)3
(0.25)(1.5)3
+
+
12
12
12
4
I x =0.1436

) (

( 1.5)(1.5+ 0.25+0.25)
(0.625)(1.5)
2
12
12
4
I y =0.6484
I y=

Inertia (x-axis):

)(

I x=

)(

Deflection (y-axis):

300(18)3
y=
48(1.46 x 10 6)(0.6484 )
y =0.039
Deflection (x-axis):

300(18)3
48(1.46 x 106 )(0.1436)
x =0.175
x=

Volume:

( 1.5 0.25 ) + ( 1.5 0.25 )+ ( 1.5 0.25 )=27 3

27 3
3
=0.0156 ft
123

Mass:

m=( 0.015625 ft 3 ) (28

m=0.4375 lb m

lb m
ft 3

Design 2: Box Beam

b h3 ,
I=
12

Inertia (y-axis):
3

)(

P L3
=
48 EI
3

(1.5+ 0.1875)( 1.5+ 0.25)

(1.3125)(1.25)
I y=

12
12
4
I y =0.5400

Inertia (x-axis):

(1.5+0.25)(1.5+0.1875)3
(1.50.25)(1.50.1875)3
I x=

12
12

)(

I x =0.4653

Deflection (y-axis):

300( 18)3
48(1.46 x 10 6)(0.5400)
4
I y =0.0462
y=

Deflection (x-axis):

300(18)3
x=
48(1.46 x 106 )(0.4653)
x =0.0537
Volume:

( ( 1.6875 ) (1.75 )( 24 ) )( (1.3125 )( 1.25 ) ( 24 ) ) =31.5 3

3

31.5
=0.0182 ft 3
3
12

Mass:

m=( 0.0182 ft 3 ) 28

lbm
ft 3

m=0.5104 lb m
Design 3: I Beam

I=
Inertia (y-axis):

b h3 ,
12
3

P L3
48 EI
3

) (

( 1.75)(1.625+ 0.1875+ 0.1875)

(0.75)(1.625)
2
12
12
4
I y =0.6303
I y=

Inertia (x-axis):
3

)(

)(

(0.1875)(1.75)
(0.1875)(1.75)
( 1.625)(0.25)
+
+
12
12
12
4
I x =0.1696
I x=

Deflection (y-axis):

300(18)3
y=
48(1.46 x 10 6)(0.6302)
y =0.039
Deflection (x-axis):

300(18)3
48(1.46 x 106 )(0.1436)
x =0.147
x=

Volume:

( 1.625 0.25 ) + ( 1.75 0.1875 ) + ( 1.75 0.1875 )=25.5 3

25.5 3
=0.0148 ft 3
3
12

Mass:

m=( 0.0148 ft 3 ) 28

lb m
ft 3

m=0.4132 lb m

Table 1: Proposed Beam Results

Beam
Configura
tion on
Primary
Axis
1.5 x 2
I-Beam
1.687 x
1.75 Box
Beam
1.5 x
1.5 IBeam

Calculated
Mass

Total
Cost
of
Wood
and
Glue
Joints
($)

Calculate
d Volume

X-Axis
Calculation
s

Y-Axis
Calculation
s

I
(in4)

I
(in4)

( )

()

lbm

ft3

in3

0.43
75

198
.4

0.01
56

27

$ 9.60

0.14
36

0.17
5

0.64
84

0.03
9

0.51
04

231
.5

0.01
82

31.
5

$
11.50

0.46
53

0.05
37

0.54
00

0.05
37

0.41
32

187
.4

0.01
48

25.
5

$ 9.17

0.16
96

0.14
7

0.63
03

0.04
0

Bill of Materials
Table 2: Design 1 Materials and Cost
Size
Quantity
Flange
0.25 x 1.5
2
Web
0.25 x 1.5
1
Glue Joint
3

Table 3: Design 2 Materials and Cost

Size
Quantity
Vertical
0.1875 x
2
1.5
Horizontal
0.25 x 1.5
2
Glue Joint
4

Table 4: Design 3 Materials and Cost

Rate
$ 2.70
$ 2.70
$.50
Total

Price
$ 5.40
$ 2.70
$ 1.50
$ 9.60

Rate
$ 2.05

Price
$ 4.10

$ 2.70
$ 0.50
Total

$ 5.40
$ 2.00
$ 11.50

Flange
Web
Glue Joint

Size
0.1875 x
1.75
0.25 x 1.625

Quantity
2
1
3

Rate
$ 2.36

Price
$ 4.72

$ 2.95
$ 0.50
Total

$ 2.95
$ 1.50
$ 9.17

Decision Matrix
Table 5: Ease of Build Key
Ease of Build

Rating
5
4
3
2
1

Values/Description
1 day
2 days
3 days
4 days
5 days

Table 6: Deflection in the Y-axis Key

Deflection (y-axis)
Rating
5
4
3
2
1

Values/Description
Under 0.049in
0.05 in 0.09 in
0.10 in 0.14 in
0.15 in 0.19 in
Over 0.2 in

Table 7: Total Beam Mass Key

Total Beam Mass

Table 8: Beam Price Key

Final Beam Price

Rating
5
4
3
2
1

Values/Description
Under 139
140 g 169 g
170 g - 199 g
200 g 229 g
Over 230

Rating
5
4
3
2
1

Values/Description
Under $ 8.49
$ 8.50 - $ 8.99
$ 9.00 - $ 9.49
$9.50 - $9.99
Over $10.00

Table: Final Decision Matrix

Criteri
a
Beam
Cost
Weight
(g)
Deflect
ion (yaxis)
Ease of
Build
Total

Weigh
t
0.2

Rating

Score

Rating

Score

Rating

Score

0.4

0.1

0.6

0.3

0.9

0.3

0.6

0.4

2.0

1.6

2.0

0.1

0.3

0.1

0.3

1.0

3.6

2.2

3.5

Work Cited
1. "Beam Strength." Tata Steel. October 1, 2013. Accessed April 13, 2015.

http://www.tatasteelconstruction.com/en/reference/teachingresources/architectural-teaching-resource/elements/design-of-beamsstructural-steel/beam-strength.
2. Calvert, J. "Beams." Beams. October 2, 2003. Accessed April 15, 2015.
https://mysite.du.edu/~jcalvert/tech/beam.htm.
3. "Carbon Steel Structural Beams." Carbon Steel Beams. January 1,
2012. Accessed April 13, 2015. http://www.onealsteel.com/carbonsteel-beam.html.
4. Emerson, E. "Moments and Bending Moments of Inertia, Area, Mass." I-Beam
Calculator. July 12, 2010. Accessed April 14, 2015.
http://www.had2know.com/technology/I-beam-calculator-moments-engineering.html.
5. Tatum, Malcolm, and Bronwyn Harris. "What Is a Box Beam." WiseGeek.
January 1, 2003. Accessed April 14, 2015.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-box-beam.htm.