“STIFFNER” — STEEL BEAM WEB STIFFENER ANALYSIS
Program Description:
“STIFFNER” is a spreadsheet program written in MS-Excel for the purpose of analysis of steel beams subject
to concentrated loads. Specifically, web yielding, web crippling, and web buckling criteria are checked to
determine if web stiffeners are required to resist the concentrated load. If stiffeners are required, the stiffener
size and weld requirements are determined.
This program is a workbook consisting of three (3) worksheets, described as follows:
Worksheet Name Description
Doc This documentation sheet
Beam Stiffeners Steel beam web stiffener analysis for concentrated loads
Beam Stiffeners (Table) Steel beam web stiffener analysis for concentrated loads (table version)
Program Assumptions and Limitations:
- This program follows the procedures and guidelines of the AISC 9th Edition Allowable Stress (ASD) Manual
for wide flange beams subjected to concentrated compressive loads per Chapter K, pages 5-80 to 5-83. - This program uses the database of member dimensions and section properties from the “AISC Shapes
Database”, Version 3.0 (2001) as well as the AISC 9th Edition (ASD) Manual (1989). - For the purpose of determining the total composite section to be considered for resisting the compressive
load, the program assumes a spacing of 3″ center-to-center between the stiffener pairs. Thus the total
effective strips of web to be included in the composite section along with the stiffeners are as follows:
For interior condition (P or R > d/2):
1-pair: 25tw 2-pairs: 25tw+3″
3-pairs: 25tw+6″ For end condition (P or R <= d/2): 1-pair: 12tw
2-pairs: 12tw+3″ 3-pairs: 12tw+6″ - This program contains numerous “comment boxes” which contain a wide variety of information including
explanations of input or output items, equations used, data tables, etc. (Note: presence of a “comment box”
is denoted by a “red triangle” in the upper right-hand corner of a cell. Merely move the mouse pointer to the
desired cell to view the contents of that particular “comment box”.)
