Crane Beam Design (LRFD)
Crane Beam Design (LRFD)
(OP)
I'm trying to find the nominal moment strength of a crane beam with a channel cap using LRFD. To find the moment strength I need the plastic section modulus, Zx, which I can pull out of the section tables in the AISC Manual. Normally the channel cap is 36 ksi and the W section is 50 ksi, but in my case they are both 36 ksi (50 ksi steel is not available at this location). Do the values for Zx in the table still apply, or are they a function of yield stresses?
Another question this brings to mind (as a sidenote):
If I do happen to have two different yield stresses, which one do I multiply Zx by to obtain the plastic moment, Mp?
Another question this brings to mind (as a sidenote):
If I do happen to have two different yield stresses, which one do I multiply Zx by to obtain the plastic moment, Mp?






RE: Crane Beam Design (LRFD)
The plastic section modulus is a function of the geometric properties of the section (not the material properties). In design, and specifically LRFD design, the plastic section modulus is used when the entire cross section is assumed to have yielded instead of only yielding at the extreme fibers (9th Ed. ASD and back utilized the regular section modulus Sx). It's worth noting that this is referencing only the yielding failure mode and not local buckling, LTB, WSSB or any of the other possible failure modes for your crane beam.
These sort of questions are commonly answered in undergraduate steel text books in the bending chapter. Perhaps you should ask your boss/supervisor for some guidance?
RE: Crane Beam Design (LRFD)
Actually DCBIII what I just told you wasn't entirely accurate for your circumstances, my apologies, I was thinking of a typical doubly symmetric I-beam. The plastic section modulus is a function of the material properties for non-symmetric sections (i.e. your crane beam) and composite sections. The plastic section modulus is the sum of the tension/compression areas and their distance to the plastic neutral axis (the location where tension and compression forces for a yielded section are balanced).
RE: Crane Beam Design (LRFD)
As another sidenote... my boss/supervisor wouldn't touch LRFD with a 10' pole.
RE: Crane Beam Design (LRFD)
You're correct; For a typical crane beam with differing steel types (50 KSI and 36 KSI) it would be a function of the material type, but since your beam and channel are both 36 KSI your plastic section modulus should be only a function of the geometric properties. Apologies for any confusion my comments may have generated.
So, coming back to your original question, since the AISC tables are setup for a 50 ksi beam and 36 ksi channel, you may need to recalculate the plastic section modulus by hand.
RE: Crane Beam Design (LRFD)