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Calcs.com
United States
AISC 360-22AISC 360-16

Steel Beam (ASD)

Beam reactions link to your column and footing calculations automatically - change a load once and everything downstream updates. For US structural engineers designing hot-rolled steel floor and roof beams to the current AISC 360-22 using Allowable Stress Design. Checks bending, shear, and three deflection limits under service-level ASD load combinations.

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What it calculates

Beam reactions link to the columns and footings below, so load changes propagate downstream automatically. Design hot-rolled steel beams to AISC 360-22 ASD with multiple spans and service-level loads. Checks allowable bending (Chapter F), allowable shear (Chapter G), and three deflection limits.

Code standards

  • AISC 360-22 (ASD)

How it calculates

The Steel Beam (ASD, AISC 360-22) calculator performs a full allowable strength and serviceability check per AISC 360-22 on hot-rolled steel beams with any number of spans and loads.

Section classification (AISC 360-22 B4)

Flanges and webs are classified as compact, noncompact, or slender by comparing width-to-thickness ratios to lambda_p and lambda_r limits. Classification governs whether full plastic moment capacity is available or whether flange and web local buckling reductions apply.

Flexural capacity - AISC 360-22 Chapter F

Allowable bending strength is Mn / Omega_b where Omega_b = 1.67. Positive and negative bending are evaluated separately. For compact sections: utilization = M_service / (Mn / 1.67) ≤ 1.0. Lateral-torsional buckling is checked with the unbraced length Lb against limiting lengths Lp and Lr. The Cb moment gradient factor is applied to account for moment variation along the unbraced length. Flange local buckling and web local buckling reductions are applied for noncompact and slender elements.

Shear capacity - AISC 360-22 Chapter G

Allowable shear strength is Vn / Omega_v where Omega_v = 1.67. For standard W-shapes: utilization = V_service / (0.6 Fy Aw Cv1 / 1.67) ≤ 1.0. The web shear coefficient Cv1 or Cv2 is selected based on web slenderness h/tw.

Load combination analysis

All applicable ASD service-level combinations are run with FEA (D; D+L; D+S; D+0.75L+0.75S; D+0.6W; etc.). The governing combination for moment and for shear is identified separately. Unfactored load cases are used directly for ASD demand calculations and for deflection computations.

Deflection checks

Three serviceability deflection limits are tracked:

  • Instantaneous deflection - compared to L/n or absolute value (typically L/360 for floor beam live load)
  • Long-term deflection - includes creep amplification of sustained loads; typically L/240
  • Simplified DL+(LL or SL) deflection - combined dead plus live or snow

utilization = delta / delta_allow ≤ 1.0 for each criterion.

Inputs summary

Geometry: section designation, yield strength Fy (ksi), span lengths, support types, incline pitch, tributary spacing. Loads: service-level dead, live, roof live, snow, and wind loads applied as uniform, partial, point, or moment loads. Design criteria: separate deflection limit inputs for live load, long-term, and simplified combined deflection.

Outputs summary

The summary reports critical moment demand and allowable moment, governing load combination for moment and shear, shear demand and allowable shear, maximum vertical and horizontal reactions, and deflection ratios for all three criteria. Reactions are structured for direct load linking to column and footing calculations downstream.

Related calculators

Steel Beam (LRFD, AISC 360-22)→Steel Beam (LRFD, AISC 360-16)→Steel Beam Torsion (ASD, AISC 360-22)→Steel Beam Torsion (ASD, AISC 360-16)→

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Frequently asked questions

What design method and code standard does this calculator use?
This calculator uses the Allowable Strength Design (ASD) method per AISC 360-22. Service-level demands from ASD combinations are compared to allowable strengths Rn / Omega for bending (Omega_b = 1.67) and shear (Omega_v = 1.67).
What are the key inputs?
Key inputs include the steel section (W, S, C, HSS, angle, or custom), yield strength Fy, span lengths and support conditions, service-level loads (dead, live, snow, wind) with tributary widths, unbraced length for LTB, and deflection limit criteria for live load, total, and DL+(LL or SL) checks.
What does it check or output?
The calculator checks service moment demand versus allowable moment (AISC 360-22 Chapter F), service shear versus allowable shear (Chapter G), and three deflection limits. The summary shows the governing ASD load combination for moment and shear, support reactions for load linking, and deflection ratios.
Can it handle continuous spans and lateral-torsional buckling?
Yes - continuous spans, cantilevers, and simple spans are supported with unlimited loads. Lateral-torsional buckling is checked per AISC 360-22 Chapter F using the unbraced length Lb and the Cb gradient factor. Section classification per B4 determines whether FLB or WLB reductions apply.
When should I use the ASD version versus the LRFD version?
Use ASD when your project applies service-level load combinations (D+L, D+S, etc.) or when the design basis requires ASD. Use the LRFD version (steelBeamAISC360-22) when using factored strength-level combinations (1.2D+1.6L etc.). Both reference AISC 360-22 and produce equivalent designs at the strength limit; the difference is in load combination philosophy and resistance factors.
Does this calculator support load linking with column and footing calculations?
Yes - beam reactions at supports link directly to connected column and footing calculations in the same project. When span length, loads, or member size changes, all connected calculations update automatically - no manual re-entry.

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