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9 replies
9k views
9 replies
Dimension of H-beam, I-beam, columns?
Hello!
We are in the process of building a house with an open floor plan between the kitchen and living room. A structural engineer has determined that the load on the exterior wall where the beam over the open floor plan connects is 57kN. Since we have a window under this beam, an additional beam over the window opening is needed. The house's span is 9m.
That is, the beam over the window opening needs to be dimensioned to withstand 57kN and the span is 1m. I would prefer to use a steel beam as it takes up less space than glulam, what kind of beam could handle this load?
The next question concerns the beam that runs over the open floor plan, what dimensions should it have if the span is 4.1m?
The last question concerns the opposite side of the room; I am thinking of placing a column in the slab. The column will be about 2.6m (the load should be about the same as the opposite side, i.e. 57kN!? What is recommended there?
The house is a 1 1/2-story house with a lightweight concrete frame, wooden floors, and roof trusses. I am also attaching a drawing where the cloud shows the beam for the first question.
Very grateful for your response,
home builder in Örebro:blushing:
We are in the process of building a house with an open floor plan between the kitchen and living room. A structural engineer has determined that the load on the exterior wall where the beam over the open floor plan connects is 57kN. Since we have a window under this beam, an additional beam over the window opening is needed. The house's span is 9m.
That is, the beam over the window opening needs to be dimensioned to withstand 57kN and the span is 1m. I would prefer to use a steel beam as it takes up less space than glulam, what kind of beam could handle this load?
The next question concerns the beam that runs over the open floor plan, what dimensions should it have if the span is 4.1m?
The last question concerns the opposite side of the room; I am thinking of placing a column in the slab. The column will be about 2.6m (the load should be about the same as the opposite side, i.e. 57kN!? What is recommended there?
The house is a 1 1/2-story house with a lightweight concrete frame, wooden floors, and roof trusses. I am also attaching a drawing where the cloud shows the beam for the first question.
Very grateful for your response,
home builder in Örebro:blushing:
Maybe not a direct answer to your question, but if instead of mounting the windows on the long side frame to frame, you place a post (stud) between each window, you'll get completely different conditions and maybe won't need a beam above the windows. Which might also be easier if you're building it yourself...
But, it could be that you want as little as possible between the windows... just a thought anyway...
But, it could be that you want as little as possible between the windows... just a thought anyway...
No worries, I'm just glad someone is willing to engage at all 
The initial thought was exactly as you suggest, but instead, we want a window without a load-bearing mullion.
Are there any others who have tips or opinions?
Thanks!
The initial thought was exactly as you suggest, but instead, we want a window without a load-bearing mullion.
Are there any others who have tips or opinions?
Thanks!
For a proper dimensioning of the beam over the window, one needs to know how the load 57 kN is derived (design value or characteristic value, proportion of dead load, live load, etc.). Is the beam subjected to anything more than the load of 57 kN?
The beam's span will likely be well over a meter if the window is 1 m wide, as the supports will be located in the wall outside the window.
Regardless of this, a HEB120, in material S275 or better, with a span of 1.3 meters, can support a point load of 57 kN in the middle of the beam, with sufficient safety against failure.
The beam's span will likely be well over a meter if the window is 1 m wide, as the supports will be located in the wall outside the window.
Regardless of this, a HEB120, in material S275 or better, with a span of 1.3 meters, can support a point load of 57 kN in the middle of the beam, with sufficient safety against failure.
When it comes to the long beam, a few questions arise:
Should the beam carry a total of 2x57 = 114 kN? (Design value or characteristic)
Is the load evenly distributed over the length of the beam?
Deformation requirements?
Regardless of this, a HEA220, in material S275 or better, with a span of 4.2 meters, can support an evenly distributed load of 114 kN, with sufficient safety against failure.
Should the beam carry a total of 2x57 = 114 kN? (Design value or characteristic)
Is the load evenly distributed over the length of the beam?
Deformation requirements?
Regardless of this, a HEA220, in material S275 or better, with a span of 4.2 meters, can support an evenly distributed load of 114 kN, with sufficient safety against failure.
Even for the pillar, there are question marks regarding the load.
Regardless of this, a pillar made of square tubes, VKR 60x60x5 or 70x70x3, in material S355, with a length of 2.6 m, can support a load of 57 kN with sufficient safety against buckling (provided it is fixed at the ends, articulated or better).
Regardless of this, a pillar made of square tubes, VKR 60x60x5 or 70x70x3, in material S355, with a length of 2.6 m, can support a load of 57 kN with sufficient safety against buckling (provided it is fixed at the ends, articulated or better).
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I have an HEB180 that supports the floor structure, essentially the same solution as yours, it's 4.4m including supports of 120mm (KKR 90x90x5) and a 170mm load-bearing frame in the outer wall.Juhap said:
Additionally, it has no load-bearing walls above the floor structure, the roof trusses are supported with a glulam beam at the ridge.
It is calculated with a utilization rate of 33% or maybe 36%, somewhere around there. So it's a long way from giving way in any manner.
But this is to prevent deflection in the floor, according to my engineer.
You'll probably have to place closer than cc60 in the floor structure (if it is 45x220mm) due to the span in that direction when the house is as wide as 9m.
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