i beam joist calculate timber deflection

Let’s look at an example using a simple Gantry Crane top beam, and let’s look at it through the lens of Finite Element Analysis (FEA). It is not the beam shape, though that has a lot to do with it. This is not “Strength” - though they are often related. In essence, these 2 principles combine in a beam, any beam, to define how “Stiff” it is. Follow the above links for more complete descriptions. Oversimplified, it’s the amount of material, it’s distribution in the beam cross section, and the distance from the furthest stressed portions of the beam section. This has to do with the size and cross sectional area of the beam. In discussions of Strength and Stiffness, another related engineering principle is often referred to as the “I”, or “ Area Moment of Inertia“. It is a property of the material - Aluminum, Steel, Titanium, Plastic, Wood - they all have a different “Elastic” property. The engineering term is “ Modulus of Elasticity“, and it relates to how much a beam will deflect under a given load. Interestingly, it becomes ever more important as beams get longer. Now, in this article, we’ll focus on the engineering concept of Elasticity since it is a big factor in choosing one material over the other.

We recommend you read that now if you haven’t already. We discuss a lot about Weight, Corrosion, Strength and other comparisons in Steel vs. And, stiffness is pretty important for structures like Cranes and Trailer Frames. What? It has to do with what we often call stiffness of a material.

An important part of the equation, for sure, is the property of Elasticity. In the debate about Steel or Aluminum for beams of trailer frames and gantry cranes, there is one big piece we hear less about.

I beam joist calculate timber deflection