News
Design software for SIN beams now available
The Steel Construction Institute (SCI) has completed designing a software programme for Ireland-based steelwork contractor Kiernan Structural Steel, covering fabricated girders with sinusoidal beam webs, commonly known as SIN beams.
“The new SIN beam design software enables consulting engineers and steelwork contractors to quickly design plate girders with a corrugated web; taking into account restraint conditions, end moments and deflection limits. This allows the designer to quickly determine whether the SIN beam could be a cost-effective solution in potential scenarios such as roof rafters, mezzanine floor beams and footbridges,” said Kiernan Structural Steel Sales Manager Paul Watson.
The sinusoidal profile stiffens the web, meaning thin material can be used, reducing the weight of the section. Design rules are given in Annex D of BS EN 1993-1-5, which identifies the flanges to carry the bending moment and any axial force, and the web to carry the shear.
Lateral torsional buckling between restraints uses the simplified rules in BS EN 1993-1-1 clause 6.3.2.4. Both bending deflection and shear deflection is calculated by the software and compared with user-defined limits.
The beam itself may be tapered or of uniform depth, with the opportunity to apply UDLs, point loads, end moments and axial forces. Restraints may be added to either flange independently or a fully restrained flange specified. The individual components of the beam may be verified separately or the lightest weight flanges and web automatically selected.
“The wide range of applied loading and the requirement to verify the member between user-defined restraint positions would lead to laborious hand calculations making a software solution very attractive,” said SCI Associate Director David Brown.
“Alternative member cross sections can be examined immediately to identify an efficient solution, with automatic lowest weight solutions found for a given beam depth.”
The software has been written to accommodate design to the UK National Annex or the Irish National Annex.
The SIN beam design software can be downloaded from www.sinbeamsteel.com/downloads