DEFLECTION

DEFLECTION

A structure must be serviceable in addition to being safe. A serviceable structure performs

satisfactorily without causing any discomfort or perceptions of un-safety for the occupants or users of
the structure.

For a beam, being serviceable usually means that the deformation (primarily vertical sag) must be
limited.

According to International Building Code (IBC 2015), some of the typical deflection limits
(ref: TABLE 1604.3 DEFLECTION LIMITS) are:

Dr. Haque’s Lecture Notes

Members Max. Live Max. dead+live Max. Snow or
Load defl. load defl. Wind Load
defl.
Roof Beam:
Supporting plaster ceiling l / 360 l / 240 l / 360
Supporting non-plaster ceiling l / 240 l / 180 l / 240
Not supporting a ceiling l / 180 l / 120 l / 180
Floor Beam l / 360 l / 240 ----------
Farm buildings --------- l / 180 ----------
Greenhouses --------- l / 120 ----------
Note: l = Span Length

The limits shown above for deflection due to dead + live loads do not apply to steel beams, because
the dead load deflection is usually compensated by cambering. Camber is a curvature in the
opposite direction of the dead load deflection curve. When the dead load is applied to a cambered
beam, the curvature is removed and beam becomes level. Therefore, the live load deflection is of
concern in the completed structure.

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 DEFLECTION

EXAMPLE 1: Compute the dead load and live load deflections for the floor beam, W 18X35 as
shown in fig. Check whether the floor beam is satisfactory considering deflection criterion
according to IBC.

Service D = 500 lb/ft.; Service L=550 lb/ft.

W 18 X 35
Dr. Haque’s Lecture Notes

l = 30 ft.
SOLUTION:
5 w l4
=
384 EI

D = (5/384) [(0.5+0.035)/12] (30x12) /(29000x510) = 0.659 in

4

L = (5/384) [0.55/12] (30x12) /(29000x510) = 0.678 in

4

Total deflection = 0.659+0.678 = 1.337 in

The max. permissible live load deflection = l /360 = (30x12)/360 = 1.0 in > 0.678 in. OK

The max. permissible dead + live load deflection = l /240 = (30x12)/240 = 1.5 in > 1.337 in. OK
[ Note: For a cambered steel beam, no need to check the dead +live load deflection criteria]

The beam satisfies the deflection criterion.

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 DEFLECTION

Maximum Deflection for some common loading conditions

5 w l4
w
 max =
384 EI

Dr. Haque’s Lecture Notes

l
5 Mmax l 2
 max =
48 EI

P
1 P l3
 max =
48 EI
0.5 l 0.5 l
1 Mmax l 2
 max =
12 EI

P P P l3
 max = 0.0357
EI
1/3 l 1/3 l 1/3 l
Mmax l 2
 max = 0.107
EI

P P P P l3
 max = 0.0495
EI
l /4 l /4 l /4 l /4
Mmax l 2
 max = 0.099 3|Page
EI
 DEFLECTION

EXAMPLE 2: (a) Check whether the floor beam is satisfactory considering deflection criterion
according to IBC. (Max. Live Load deflection = l /360)

L= 5 kips L= 5 kips
10 ft. 10 ft.

Service L=550 lb/ft.

Dr. Haque’s Lecture Notes

W 18 X 35

l = 30 ft.

L = (5/384) [0.55/12] (30x12)4 /(29000x510) + 0.0357[5x(30x12)3] /(29000x510)

= 0.6777 + 0.5631 = 1.2408 in

The max. permissible live load deflection = l /360 = (30x12)/360 = 1.0 in < 1.2408 in. NG

The beam DOES NOT satisfy the deflection criterion.

(b) Select a W-shape to satisfy the live load deflection criteria.

Find required moment of inertia, I

1.2408 x 510/(I) = 1.0

I = 632.82 in4

Look for I = 632.82 or slightly above in AISC Table,

W 18 X 46 (I=712);

L = (5/384) [0.55/12] (30x12)4 /(29000x712) + 0.0357[5x(30x12)3] /(29000x712)

= 0.485 + 0.403 = 0.888 in
The max. permissible live load deflection = l /360 = (30x12)/360 = 1.0 in > 0.888 in. OK.

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