Beams

Beam Deflection – The deviation of a beam from its original position due to applied loading
Bearing Stresses – Forces that exist when forces are transferred from one member to another
Bending – Deformation of a horizontal structural member that is a result of the application of external loads
Bending Stresses – Stresses that are produced in a structural member’s cross - section when subjected to bending. Compressive stresses are generated at concave fibers and tensile stresses are generated at convex fibers.
Cantilever Beams – Beams that are fixed or anchored at one end and free at the other end
Center of Gravity – A point of balance where the tendency of forces to rotate one side of an object are countered by equal and opposite forces located at the other side of the object; the resultant force of the earth’s gravitational forces acting on individual particles composing an object
Centroid – The center of gravity for the area of a two dimensional shape
Centroidal Axis – Also called the neutral axis; a line that passes through the centroid of a beam’s cross- section where beam fibers are neither shortened under compression or elongated under tension
Compression Forces – Forces that tend to crush or buckle an element; forces act inwardly on an object
Concentrated Loads – Loads that act on a single or concentrated point of a structural member
Continuous Beams – Beams that span over more than two supports
Equations of Static Equilibrium – Equations used to determine unknown reactions that assume all forces and moments in all directions sum to zero
External Forces – Forces applied to a structure
Fixed End Beams – A beam that is restrained from any movement or rotation at both of its two end supports
Fixed Support – A support condition that does not permit translation or rotation and thus develops three unknown reactions, including a vertical and horizontal component and a resisting moment
Fixed-Pinned Beams – A beam that is fixed at one end and pinned at the other end
Free Body Diagram - A simplified and conceptual diagram that isolates a structural member under investigation from the rest of the structure
Horizontal Shear Force – Equal and opposite forces that are generated in adjacent horizontal fibers of a structural member in response to applied loads
Horizontal Shear Stress – Stresses produced by the movement of the adjacent fibers of a member in the horizontal direction due to opposing and equal forces
Internal Forces – Forces that occur within a structural member
Internal Resisting Moment – Moment generated from tension and compression forces in a beam cross section that counterbalance the external moment produced by the applied loads
Lateral Buckling – Buckling in the horizontal direction
Neutral Axis (see centroidal axis)
Open Web Joist - A steel truss that is used and spaced like a joist to support floor or roof decking
Overhanging Beams – A simply supported beam that has one or both of its ends extending beyond the supports
Pin/Hinge Support – A support condition that that can resist a single force in any direction on the plane containing and thus develops two unknown force components
Principle of Superposition – Method that consists of finding the effect of several loading conditions acting on a beam simultaneously by determining the effect of each individual load on the beam separately
Resisting Moment – A moment generated by tension and compression forces in the cross section of a structural member that counterbalances the external moment produced by the applied loads
Roller Support – A support condition that develops a reaction force perpendicular to the point of contact, thus restricting movement in that direction
Shear – A force that is the result of opposing forces that cause the sliding of one portion of a structural member along an adjacent portion
Shear and Moment Diagram – Graphical diagrams that determine the intensity of shear force and bending moment at any point along a structural member
Simply Supported Beams – A beam in which one end is connected by a hinge and the other end is connected by a roller
Statically Determinate Beams – Beams that allow the application of the basic equations of static equilibrium to determine up to three unknown reactions
Statically Indeterminate Beams – A beam that contains more than three unknown reactions and thus does not permit the use of the static equations of equilibrium
Tension Forces – Forces that tend to pull an element apart
Torsion – A twisting effect on an object
Tributary Area – The portion of an area load that is carried by each beam in a frame
Uniformly Distributed Loads – An evenly distributed load that is applied over an area
Uniformly Increasing Loads – Loads that are applied over a given area that gradually increase over or at certain portions of the structure
Vertical Shear Force – Equal and opposite forces that are generated in adjacent vertical fibers of a structural member in response to applied loads
Vertical Shear Stress – Stress produced by the movement of the adjacent fibers of a member in the vertical direction due to opposing and equal forces resulted from the external loading
Wide Flange – A rolled steel section in the shape of an I