Concept & design
Size a steel beam
Describe your steel beam, establish its boundary conditions and explore a suitable section with a traceable calculation.
Open example in CALCThe task is prefilled in the chat. Review it and send it when you are ready to start.
A practical task
Select an IPE section for a 6 m steel beam. Consider both resistance and deflection when assessing the section.
Inputs & targets
- System
- Simply supported beam
- Span
- 6 m
- Material
- S235
- Uniform load
- 12 kN/m including self-weight
- Targets
- Deflection ≤ L/300; utilization ≤ 0.90
How to proceed
Describe the system
Use the example task or adapt the geometry, material and loads to your project.
Establish the conditions
Clarify load level, combinations, lateral restraint and National Annex in the conversation.
Assess the section
Review the proposed section using the calculation, diagrams and the scope of checks actually performed.
What you can work with next
A proposed section with documented inputs, assumptions and calculated checks. Result diagrams help you understand the structural behavior.
Scope & prerequisites
This is a starter task, not a stored calculation result. Clarify the load level, combinations, restraint and National Annex before calculating. Preliminary sizing does not replace complete structural design.
Read the workflow in the manualYour starter task for CALC
Investigate a simply supported S235 steel beam with a 6 m span and a uniformly distributed load of 12 kN/m including self-weight. Select a suitable IPE section. The targets are deflection at most L/300 and utilization at most 0.90. Before calculating, clarify the load level, load combinations, lateral restraint and applicable National Annex with me. Then show the governing result, system and inputs, assumptions, checks, and moment, shear and deflection diagrams. Identify checks not performed.
Open example in CALCThe task is prefilled in the chat. Review it and send it when you are ready to start.
The next step in your workflow
Options & decisions
Compare design options
Change one parameter deliberately and compare its effect on section size, utilization and deflection.
Explore the example
Documentation & handover
Create a calculation report
Bring results, inputs and assumptions together in an editable report and prepare it for PDF export.
Explore the example
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