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Re: What is a Channel Beam?

From: info@builderswebsource.com
Category: Structural
Remote Name: 63.198.181.43
Date: 15 Dec 2002
Time: 01:36 AM

Comments

A channel beam is a steel beam with a 3-sided cross-section that looks like the letter "C", where the top and bottom sides are at right angles to the vertical side. Such a beam could be bolted to a wood member to provide additional strength, which might allow for removal of intermediate supports. Another type of built-up beam is called a flitch plate, which is one or more pieces of plate steel sandwiched between pieces of wood. A structural engineer would need to know the total loads imparted on the beam and the clear span. Depending on the design criteria, which includes desired floor stiffness, one could determine what size and thickness of steel would be required to safely span the distance with no center supports. A shear strength calculation would also be required to determine the number, size and spacing of bolts, including at the ends of the beam where often additional bolts are required.

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