×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Drilling 2" hole through steel beam...

Drilling 2" hole through steel beam...

Drilling 2" hole through steel beam...

(OP)
There are 4 existing steel beams supporting the roof of a structure. The beams are 42" x 3/8" web with four L's that are 6"x6"x5/8". The beams are 60' long clear span. The client is wondering if he can drill 2" holes through the beam to install a stormwater drain. There would be 5 holes drilled in the beam approximately equal spaced along the 60'. Can someone steer me in the right direction to where I can begin to determine if a 2" hole can be drilled through the beam and if it needs to be reinforced. Thank you.

RE: Drilling 2" hole through steel beam...

AISC has a design guide for web openings in beams.

AISC Design Guide 2

RE: Drilling 2" hole through steel beam...

The usual rule is that any holes should be in the middle third of the web. Two inch diameter holes should be no problem.

BA

RE: Drilling 2" hole through steel beam...

Use a hole 'drill' rather than a bit... they cut through faster than a regular drill and use a mag drill...

Dik

RE: Drilling 2" hole through steel beam...

No problem with the holes, but you would have to wonder about how much good a 2" hole does for stormwater.

RE: Drilling 2" hole through steel beam...

I don't suppose a four inch hole would be a problem either.

BA

RE: Drilling 2" hole through steel beam...

Not with a hole drill...

Dik

RE: Drilling 2" hole through steel beam...

Unless it is a W4 beam.

RE: Drilling 2" hole through steel beam...

(OP)
Thanks for the replies. The stormwater text was a typo, it is a drain line for a sprinkler system.

So as long as the holes are in the middle third of the beam he should be all set right

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources