"STIFFNER13" --- STEEL BEAM WEB STIFFENER ANALYSIS

Program Description:
"STIFFNER" is a spreadsheet program written in MS-Excel for the purpose of analysis of steel beams subject
to concentrated loads. Specifically, web yielding, web crippling, and web buckling criteria are checked to
determine if web stiffeners are required to resist the concentrated load. If stiffeners are required, the stiffener
size and weld requirements are determined.
This program is a workbook consisting of three (3) worksheets, described as follows:

Worksheet Name

Description

Doc
Beam Stiffeners
Beam Stiffeners (Table)

This documentation sheet

Steel beam web stiffener analysis for concentrated loads
Steel beam web stiffener analysis for concentrated loads (table version)

Program Assumptions and Limitations:

1. This program follows the procedures and guidelines of the AISC 13th Edition Allowable Stress (ASD) Manual
for wide flange beams subjected to concentrated compressive loads per Chapter J10, pages 16.1-115 to 16.1-121.
2. This program uses the database of member dimensions and section properties from the "AISC Shapes
Database", Version 13.0 (2005) as well as the AISC 13th Edition (ASD) Manual (2005).
3. For the purpose of determining the total composite section to be considered for resisting the compressive
load, the program assumes a spacing of 3" center-to-center between the stiffener pairs. Thus the total
effective strips of web to be included in the composite section along with the stiffeners are as follows:
For interior condition (P or R > d/2):
1-pair: 25*tw
2-pairs: 25*tw+3"
3-pairs: 25*tw+6"
For end condition (P or R <= d/2):
1-pair: 12*tw
2-pairs: 12*tw+3"
3-pairs: 12*tw+6"
4. This program contains numerous comment boxes which contain a wide variety of information including
explanations of input or output items, equations used, data tables, etc. (Note: presence of a comment box
is denoted by a red triangle in the upper right-hand corner of a cell. Merely move the mouse pointer to the
desired cell to view the contents of that particular "comment box".)

"STIFFNER13.xls" Program
Version 1.3

STEEL BEAM WEB STIFFENER ANALYSIS

Flange Local Bending, Web Yielding, Crippling, Buckling, and Stiffener Criteria
for Concentrated Load or Reaction Per AISC 13th Edition Manual (ASD)
Project Name:
Client:
Project No.:
Prep. By:
Date:

R
###
###
###
Yes
No
1-Pair
2-Pairs
3-Pairs
Web Crip
Rwc =
Sidesway
h=
Cr =

Input Data:
Beam Size:

N = 12

Select:

W18x35
x = 10

Beam Load or End Reaction:

Load or Reaction? (P/R)
P
P or R =
30.00
Design Parameters:
Beam Yield, Fy =
50
Bearing Length, N =
12.000
Bearing Width, B =
6.000
Unbraced Length, Lb =
20.000
Distance to P or R, x =
10.000
Actual Moment, Ma =
2.0
Yield Moment, My =
240.0
Loaded Flg. Restrained?
No
Stiffener Thickness, ts =
3/ 8
Stiffener Yield, Fys =
36
Number of Stiff. Pairs =
1-Pair

P = 30
k = 0.827

kips
ksi

Stiffener

in.

(NS & FS)

N+5*k

N+2.5*k

in.

d=17.7

ft.

Stiffener (NS & FS)

ft.
ft.-kips

k = 0.827

ft.-kips

Rwb =
Stiff. Req'd?
###

W18x35

W40X392

Beam We
Stiffener

x
R

in.

Nomenclature

ksi

Notes: 1. When stiffeners are required, program

bs(min) =
bs =

Stiffener

assumes full height stiffeners.

Beam Properties:
d = 17.700
tw = 0.300
bf = 6.000
tf = 0.425
k = 0.827
Sx = 57.60
Results:

2. Only 1-pair of stiffeners depicted at eitherts(min)

in.

Check S

reaction or load (if required) but may be

kc =
b/t =
b/t(max) =
in.
h/t =
in.
h/t(max) =
in.^3
K=
L=
Gross Shear Capacity of Beam Web:
I=
Rv =
N.A.
Rvg = (1/1.5)*0.60*Fyb*Cv*Avg
(Not applicable for P)
kips
r=
Local Flange Bending:
fa =
Rfb =
N.A.
Rfb = (1/1.67)*6.25*tf^2*Fy
KL/r =
kips
(Not applicable for ts > 0)
Fa =
Local Web Yielding:
(Criteria is for P away from beam end per AISC Eqn. J10-2)
If KL/r <=
Rwy = 161.35 kips
Rwy = (1/1.5)*Fy*tw*(N+5*k)
Rwy >= P, O.K.
Stiffener
Web Crippling:
(Criteria is for P away from beam end per AISC Eqn. J10-4)
Ps =
Rwc = 113.83 kips
Rwc = (1/2)*0.80*tw^2*[1+3(N/d)*(tw/tf)^1.5]*sqrt(E*Fy*tf/tw)
Lw =
Rwc >= P, O.K.
in.

2-pairs or 3-pairs spaced 3" o.c.

in.

(continued)

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"STIFFNER13.xls" Program
Version 1.3

Sidesway Web Buckling:

h = 16.046
Cr = 960,000
(dc/tw)/(Lb/bf) = 1.337
Rwb = 23.25

in.
ksi
kips

(min) =
(max)
(Criteria is for beam with unrestrained top flange per AISC Eqn. J10-7) =
h = d-2*k
Stiffener
Cr = 960,000 ksi when 1.5*Ma < My
Ps =
Critical ratio for sidesway web buckling <= 1.7, this check is required
Lw =
Rwb = (1/1.76)*Cr*(tw^3/h^2)*tf*(0.4*((h/tw)/(Lb/bf))^3)
fw =
Rwb < P, Fail
(min) =
(max) =
Conclusion: Stiffeners for beam web are required

Beam Web Stiffener Design:

W33X241

(Note: stiffeners are assumed to be full depth, from flange to flange.)W 33X221
Stiffener Width:
bs(min) =
bs =

W33X201

1.850
2.500

in.
in.

bs(min) = bf/3-tw/2
bs = bf/2-tw/2 (rounded down to nearest 1/2 inch)

W33X169
W33X152
W33X141

Stiffener Thickness:
ts(min) = 0.213

W33X130
in.

ts(min) = larger of: tf/2 or bs/15

ts >= ts(min), O.K.

W30X391

Check Stiffener Slenderness and Compressive Stress:

W30X357
h/t =
0.76
kc = max{ 0.35, min[ 0.76, 4/sqrt(h/t) ] }, h/t = 25 for int. & 12 for ext. W30X326
b/t =
6.67
b/t = bs/ts
W30X292
b/t(max) = 15.84
b/t(max) = 0.64*SQRT(kc*E/Fys)
W30X261
K=
0.75
(assumed effective length factor per AISC Code, page 16.1-121)
W30X235
L = 16.05 in.
L = h = d-2*k
W30X211
I=
4.67
I = 2*(ts*bs^3/12+(ts*bs)*(bs/2+tw/2)^2)+(25*tw)*tw^3/12
in.^4
W30X191
A=
4.13
A = 2*(ts*bs)+(25*tw)*tw
in.^2
W30X173
r = 1.064 in.
r = SQRT(I/A)
W30X148
fa =
7.27
fa =P/A
ksi
W30X132
KL/r =
11.31
(effective slenderness ratio for compression)
W30X124
Fe = ^2*29000/ (KL/r)^2
Fe = 2236.6
W30X116
Fa = 21.56 ksi
If KL/r <= 25 then Fa = (1/1.67)*Fy (Eqn. J4-6)
W30X108
If KL/r <= 4.71*sqrt(E/Fys) then Fa = (1/1.67)*[ 0.658^(Fy/Fe) ]*Fy W30X99
If KL/r > 4.71*sqrt(E/Fys) then Fa = (1/1.67)*0.877*Fe
W30X90
Fa >= fa, O.K.
Stiffener Welding to Beam Flange:
W27X368
Ps =
6.75
Ps = P-(Minimum of Rfb, Rwy, Rwc, or Rwb) (design force)
kips
W27X336
Lw =
7.00
Lw = (bs-0.75)*4
in.
W27X307
fw =
0.96
fw = Ps/Lw
kips/in.
W27X281
(req'd) = 0.0650 in. (size)
(req'd) = fw/((SQRT(2)/2)*(0.30*70))
W27X258
(min) = 0.1875 in.
(min) = Min. fillet weld size from AISC Table J2.4, page 5-67
W27X235
(max) = 0.1818 in.
(max) = 0.40*Fys*ts/((SQRT(2)/2)*0.30*70*2)
W27X217
Weld req'd. <= weld max., O.K.
Stiffener Welding to Beam Web:
W27X178
Ps =
6.75
Ps = P-(Minimum of Rfb, Rwy, Rwc, or Rwb) (design force)
kips
W27X161
Lw = 62.18 in.
Lw = (d-2*(k+0.25))*4
W27X146
fw =
0.11
fw = Ps/Lw
kips/in.
W27X129
(req'd) = 0.0073 in. (size)
(req'd) = fw/((SQRT(2)/2)*(0.30*70))
W27X114
(min) =
(min) = Min. fillet weld size from AISC Table J2.4, page 5-67
3/16 in.
W27X102
(max) = 0.1818 in.
(max) = 0.40*Fy*tw/((SQRT(2)/2)*0.3*70*2)
W27X94
Weld req'd. <= weld max., O.K.

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"STIFFNER13.xls" Program
Version 1.3

W24X370

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"STIFFNER13.xls" Program
Version 1.3

STEEL BEAM WEB STIFFENER ANALYSIS

Project Name:
Project No.:

Flange Local Bending, Web Yielding, Crippling, Buckling, and Stiffener Criteria for Concentrated Load or Reaction
Per AISC 13th Edition Manual (ASD)
Client:
Prep. By:
Date:

Assumptions: 1.
2.
3.
4.

Input Data:
N

Beam Yield Stress, Fyb =

Stiffener Yield, Fys =

50
36

ksi
ksi

P
k
Stiffener

N+5*k

(NS & FS)

N+2.5*k

d
Stiffener (NS & FS)

Beam

Nomenclature

R
N

Beam,
Location,
or Node
I.D.

Beam
Size

1-200
1-200

W18x35
W18x35

02/01/2017
09:32:11

Load
or
Reaction?

Load or
Reaction
P or R

Unbraced
Length
Lb

Distance
to P or R
x

Is Loaded
Flange
Restrained?

Stiffener
Thk.
ts
(in.)

(P or R)

(kips)

(ft.)

(ft.)

(Yes / No)

R
P

30.00
30.00

20.000
20.000

0.500
10.000

No
No

3/ 8
3/ 8

Bearing
Length,
N

Bearing
Width,
B

Actual
Moment
Ma

Yield
Moment
My

No. of
Stiffener
Pairs

Web Shear
Rv

When stiffeners are required, program assumes full height stiffeners.

Only 1-pair of stiffeners is depicted at either reaction or load (if required) in sketch at left, but may be 2-pairs or 3-pairs spaced 3" o.c.
Beam gross web shear: Rv = (1/1.5)*0.60*Cv*Fy*d*tw (per AISC Eqn. G2-1)
Beam flange local bending: Rv = (1/1.67)*6.25*tf^2*Fy (AISC Eqn. J10-1). If B < 0.15*bf, then need not perform this check.
Note: When concentrated force to be resisted is applied at a distance from the member end that is less than 10*tf, Rn shall be reduced by 50 percent.
5. Beam local web yielding:
For load away from beam end per AISC Eqn. J10-2 where x > d: Rwy = (1/1.5)*Fy*tw*(N+5*k)
For load near beam end per AISC Eqn. J10-3 where x <= d: Rwy = (1/1.5)*Fy*tw*(N+2.5*k)
6. Beam web crippling:
For load away from beam end per AISC Eqn. J10-4 where x > d/2: Rwc = (1/2)*0.80*tw^2*(1+3*(N/d)*(tw/tf)^1.5)*SQRT(E*Fy*tf/tw)
For load near beam end per AISC Eqn. J10-5a where x <= d/2 & N/d <= 0.2: Rwc = (1/2)*0.40*tw^2*(1+3*(N/d)*(tw/tf)^1.5)*SQRT(E*Fy*tf/tw)
For load near beam end per AISC Eqn. J10-5b where x <= d/2 & N/d > 0.2: Rwc = (1/2)*0.40*tw^2*(1+(4*N/d - 0.2)*(tw/tf)^1.5)*SQRT(E*Fy*tf/tw)
7. Beam sidesway web buckling:
If loaded flange is restrained and if (h/tw)/(Lb/bf) <=2.3, sidesway web buckling check is required, and capacity of beam is per AISC Eqn. J10-6:
Rwb = (1/1.76)*tf*(Cr*tw^3/h^2)*{1+0.4*[ (h/tw)/(Lb/bf) ]^3} , where: h = d-2*k, and Cr = 960,000 ksi when 1.5*Ma < My, and 480,000 ksi when 1.5*Ma >= My
If loaded flange is restrained and if (h/tw)/(Lb/bf) > 2.3, sidesway web buckling will not occur.
If loaded flange is not restrained and if (h/tw)/(Lb/bf) <=1.7, sidesway web buckling check is required, and capacity of beam is per AISC Eqn. J10-7:
Rwb = (1/1.76)*tf*(Cr*tw^3/h^2)*{0.4*[ (h/tw)/(Lb/bf) ]^3} , where: h = d-2*k, and Cr = 960,000 ksi when 1.5*Ma < My, and 480,000 ksi when 1.5*Ma >= My
If loaded flange is not restrained and if (h/tw)/(Lb/bf) > 1.7, sidesway web buckling will not occur.
8. Stiffener width used: bs = bf/2-tw/2 (rounded down to nearest 1/2 inch)
9. Minimum thickness of stiffeners: ts(min) = larger of: tf/2 or bs/15
10. An effective length factor, K = 0.75, per AISC Code, page 16.1-121 is used in determining allowable compressive stress (Fa) of stiffener and applicable portion of beam web.
11. For 1-pair of stiffeners, assumed effective width of beam web to be included in composite section is: for interior load (P): 25*tw , for end load/reaction (R): 12*tw
For 2-pairs of stiffeners, assumed effective width of beam web to be included in composite section is: for interior load (P): 25*tw+3" , for end load/reaction (R): 12*tw+3"
For 3-pairs of stiffeners, assumed effective width of beam web to be included in composite section is: for interior load (P): 25*tw+6" , for end load/reaction (R): 12*tw+6"
12. When stiffeners are required, stiffener design force is: Ps = (P or R) - (Minimum of Rwy, Rwc, or Rwb)
Beam Web Capacity Checks (without stiffeners)
Max. P or R
Are
Stiffener Design
Flg Bending
Web Yielding Web Crippling
Sidesway Web Buckling
without
Stiffeners
Width
Min. Thk.
Actual Stress
Allow. Stress
Stiffener Welding to Beam Flange
Stiffener Welding to Beam Web
(req'd)
(min)
(max)
(req'd)
(min)
(max)
Rfb
Rwy
Rwc
Rwb
Stiffeners
Req'd.?
bs
ts(min)
fa
Fa

(in.)

(in.)

(ft.-kips)

(ft.-kips)

(1, 2, or 3)

(kips)

(kips)

(kips)

(kips)

(kips)

(kips)

(Yes / No)

(in.)

(in.)

(ksi)

(ksi)

(in.)

12.000
12.000

6.000
0.500

240.00
2.00

240.00
240.00

1
1

106.20
N.A.

N.A.
N.A.

140.68
161.35

64.23
113.83

11.62
23.25

11.62
23.25

**Yes**
**Yes**

2.500
2.500

0.213
0.213

10.15
7.27

21.56
21.56

0.177
0.065

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344170170.xls

(in.)

3/16
3/16

(in.)

(in.)

0.182
0.182

0.020
0.007

(in.)

3/16
3/16

(in.)

0.182
0.182

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"STIFFNER13.xls" Program
Version 1.3
Beam,
Location,
or Node
I.D.

02/01/2017
09:32:11

Beam
Size

Load
or
Reaction?

Load or
Reaction
P or R

Unbraced
Length
Lb

Distance
to P or R
x

Is Loaded
Flange
Restrained?

Stiffener
Thk.
ts

Bearing
Length,
N

Bearing
Width,
B

Actual
Moment
Ma

Yield
Moment
My

No. of
Stiffener
Pairs

Web Shear
Rv

(P or R)

(kips)

(ft.)

(ft.)

(Yes / No)

(in.)

(in.)

(in.)

(ft.-kips)

(ft.-kips)

(1, 2, or 3)

(kips)

Beam Web Capacity Checks (without stiffeners)

Flg Bending
Web Yielding Web Crippling
Sidesway Web Buckling
Rfb
Rwy
Rwc
Rwb
(kips)

(kips)

(kips)

file:///var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/344170170.xls
344170170.xls

(kips)

Max. P or R
without
Stiffeners

Are
Stiffeners
Req'd.?

Width
bs

Min. Thk.
ts(min)

Actual Stress
fa

Allow. Stress
Fa

(kips)

(Yes / No)

(in.)

(in.)

(ksi)

(ksi)

Stiffener Design
Stiffener Welding to Beam Flange
(req'd)
(min)
(max)
(in.)

(in.)

(in.)

Stiffener Welding to Beam Web

(req'd)
(min)
(max)
(in.)

(in.)

(in.)

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"STIFFNER13.xls" Program
Version 1.3
Beam,
Location,
or Node
I.D.

02/01/2017
09:32:11

Beam
Size

Load
or
Reaction?

Load or
Reaction
P or R

Unbraced
Length
Lb

Distance
to P or R
x

Is Loaded
Flange
Restrained?

Stiffener
Thk.
ts

Bearing
Length,
N

Bearing
Width,
B

Actual
Moment
Ma

Yield
Moment
My

No. of
Stiffener
Pairs

Web Shear
Rv

(P or R)

(kips)

(ft.)

(ft.)

(Yes / No)

(in.)

(in.)

(in.)

(ft.-kips)

(ft.-kips)

(1, 2, or 3)

(kips)

Beam Web Capacity Checks (without stiffeners)

Flg Bending
Web Yielding Web Crippling
Sidesway Web Buckling
Rfb
Rwy
Rwc
Rwb
(kips)

(kips)

(kips)

file:///var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/344170170.xls
344170170.xls

(kips)

Max. P or R
without
Stiffeners

Are
Stiffeners
Req'd.?

Width
bs

Min. Thk.
ts(min)

Actual Stress
fa

Allow. Stress
Fa

(kips)

(Yes / No)

(in.)

(in.)

(ksi)

(ksi)

Stiffener Design
Stiffener Welding to Beam Flange
(req'd)
(min)
(max)
(in.)

(in.)

(in.)

Stiffener Welding to Beam Web

(req'd)
(min)
(max)
(in.)

(in.)

(in.)

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