Cold-Formed Steel Beam Design

Cold-Formed Steel Beam Design is a software application for the analysis and design of cold-formed steel flexural members in accordance with the AISI Specifications (1996/99 and 2001).

The software calculates the load-carrying capacity of simply supported or continuous beams (2 to 4 spans) under uniform or concentrated loads. It also calculates capacity values for any user-specified span length, allowing verification of specific design cases. Users can compare different material grades for a specific section or evaluate two different sections using the same material grade to compare design alternatives.

Supporting both ASD and LRFD methods, the software reports both allowable and ultimate load capacities. Results are presented through interactive graphs: envelope curves show the governing capacity across all spans, while simple curves let you examine each individual limit state—such as bending, shear, and web crippling—separately. This includes dedicated checks for construction load capacity and the nominal flexural moment (Mₙ).

To assist with design optimization, the software calculates efficiency ratios (load capacity per unit weight) in tabular form. This helps users identify efficient cross-sections, material grades, and design constraints.

The software supports 14 standard cross-section types (including C, U, Z, L, H, BR, and T shapes, among others) and includes 16 common ASTM steel grades. Section dimensions from the AISI Manual are preloaded, and the database also includes proprietary profiles from selected manufacturers. Users can also create custom variations of any supported section type by modifying its key dimensions.

For each selected section, the software calculates its geometric and effective properties. This includes the calculation of moments of inertia, section moduli, and critical stability parameters such as the warping constant, torsional constant, and elastic critical moment. In addition, the program verifies dimensional limits, such as width-to-thickness ratios and other specification criteria, to ensure compliance with cold-formed steel design requirements.

All curves and data tables can be printed and include complete information in their headers for documentation purposes.