TECHNICAL NOTES
Mar 1, 1995
Reducing Section Modulus of Beams by Adding Cross-Sectional Area
Publication: Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume 121, Issue 3
Abstract
This technical note shows that the injudicious addition of area to the cross secion of a beam in bending may reduce the minimum elastic section modulus. Simple expressions are derived, which give the locations within a section where this occurs. For initially symmetrical standard beam sections these locations extend from the neutral axis for distances of between 12% of the section depth for round bars, to 35% for I-beams. An expression is derived for the location at which any added area will give the maximum reduction in minimum section modulus and another expression from which the magnitude of this maximum reduction may be calculated. The theoretical worst case is an idealized I-beam with a negligible web area for which any added area except at the neutral axis or flanges will reduce the section modulus; and the theoretically possible maximum reduction is 16.7%, corresponding with a 20% increase in stress. The results obtained in this paper should be particularly useful in the design of built-up sections such as box-girder bridges, aircrafts, and ship hulls in which fatigue and/or fracture may be a limiting constraint.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Mar 1, 1995
Published in print: Mar 1995
Permissions
Request permissions for this article.
Authors
Affiliations
Julian Wolfram
Total Oil Marine Chair of Offshore Res. & Development, Dept. of Civ. and Offshore Engrg., Heriot-Watt Univ., Edinburgh EH14 4AS, Scotland.
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.
View Options
Get Access
Access content
Please select your options to get access
Log in/Register
Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members:
Please log in to see member pricing
Purchase
Save for later Item saved, go to cart Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.
Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
Get Access
Access content
Please select your options to get access
Log in/Register
Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members:
Please log in to see member pricing
Purchase
Save for later Item saved, go to cart Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.
Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.