BEAMS-S.xlsx

BEAMS-S+ — AISC Steel Beam Design Workbook (LRFD & ASD)

BEAMS-S+ is a preliminary steel beam and girder design workbook based on the AISC steel construction standards. It checks a selected W-shape against combined bending, axial, shear, and serviceability demands, returning both LRFD and ASD results side-by-side with automatic Pass / Not Safe flags.

What's inside

• AISC SECTIONS — the full AISC Shapes Database (over 2,000 rows) with all geometric and section properties (d, b_f, t_f, t_w, I_x, S_x, Z_x, r_y, J, C_w, etc.) used as the lookup source for every design tab.
• Design tabs (3F-4F-G1, GIRDERS - X, 2GY, 3GY, 4GY, RDGY) — one per member. Each tab is a self-contained calculation for that beam or girder.

What each design tab calculates

• Section properties pulled automatically from AISC SECTIONS via VLOOKUP once you type a shape name (e.g. W14X53) into the Shape cell.
• Major-axis bending — L_p / L_r check, zone classification (Plastic, Inelastic LTB, Elastic LTB), nominal moment M_n, and capacity vs. demand (ØM_n for LRFD, M_n/Ω for ASD).
• Minor-axis bending — M_n capped by 1.6·F_y·S_y.
• Shear check (ØV_n and V_n/Ω).
• Axial capacity — effective length factor k from G_A/G_B, elastic vs. inelastic buckling classification via 4.71√(E/F_y), and ØP_n / P_n/Ω.
• Combined loading — AISC Equations H1-1a and H1-1b applied automatically based on the P_r/P_c ratio.
• Serviceability — live-load deflection vs. L/240 limit.

Inputs you provide

• Shape designation (e.g. W14X53, W5X16)
• F_y (MPa), unbraced length L and L_b (m), C_b
• G_A, G_B for both axes
• Factored and service-level demands: M_u / M_a, P_u / P_a, V_u / V_a, and dead/live deflections

Units

SI throughout — MPa, mm, m, kN, kN·m. Section properties in the AISC SECTIONS tab are in the metric AISC database units (mm, mm², ×10⁶ mm⁴, ×10³ mm³, etc.).

How to use

1. Open a design tab (or copy one as a template for a new member).
2. Type the trial AISC shape into the Shape cell — all section properties populate automatically.
3. Enter material, geometry, bracing, and load inputs.
4. Read the Pass / Not Safe flags for bending, shear, axial, combined loading, and deflection. Iterate the shape until all checks pass.

Intended for preliminary design and member sizing. Final design should be checked against the governing AISC specification edition and project requirements.