CFS-BeamDesign 2.1

Cold-Formed Steel BeamDesign is a friendly and powerful software for the design of flexural members of Cold-Formed Steel, following AISI 2001 and 1996/99 Specifications.

The principal aim is to analyze a simple or continuous beam (2 to 4 equal spans) and to determine the permitted load (Uniform or Concentrated Load allowed) carrying capacity, while varying the span length (L). Also you can compare one section and two different steels, or two sections with the same steel.

In this new version user is able to know the load-carrying capacity value for a specific span length, being displayed these values in the “References” window.

ASD or LRFD approaches, determine Wall (W-allowable) or Wu (W-ultimate), showed by Envelope Curves and Tables, or optionally their respectively seven Wi simple components and Weq (Equivalent to Construction Load).

As efficient coefficients (W/Weight), for ratio between Load-Carrying Capacity and Full Sectional Weight are giving by Envelope Tables, users can optimize designs, by choosing their proper Section, Steel and restrictions.

Fourteen different sections are allowed (C, U, Z, ZU, L, LU, H, RB, SB, IC, CC, IU, T, and TU), with selected Steels (16 ASTM Referenced Standards Steels are provided as a guide). BeamDesign comes with the section dimensions from the AISI Manual for each shape, and also user can create new section dimensions. In this new version we add tables for the following manufacturers: Dietrich, Marino-Ware and SSMA.

Another feature from BeamDesign is you can calculate Geometric and Effective Properties for provided sections and also for sections created by user.

All Curves and Tables are available for printing with the complete information on headers.

Besides engineers and other professionals, teachers and students also may be able to profit the versatility of our sofware, changing optional parameters to obtain different curves and tables or studying the Nominal Flexural Strength for Lateral Buckling Moment (Mnb) versus L (Span Length) for different Shapes and Steels, or comparing “C” and “Z” curves with AISI Design Manual Charts.