][ STEEL
STRUCTURES ][

Beam Bearing Plates
===============
Application:
beams on top of masonry or concrete walls & piers
Purpose:
ample bearing area
seat at proper elevation
level surface
uniform distribution of load
Area of Plate:
Based on allowable bearing pressure
A = R / Fp
A = area of plate = B x N
N = thickness of the wall
B = length
for excessive lenght use shallow
I-beam instead of flat plate
R = reaction of the beam
Fp = allowable bearing pressure of the
supporting material
Thickness of Plate
Formula P&A 295
due to the limitations of the word processor
the following symbol
----------
V
stands for the square root
which includes the nominator and denominator
-------------------
t = V 3 fp x n x n
---------------
Fb

Allowable bearing pressure Fp on masonry and concrete P&A 295
Solid brick
unreinforced, type S mortar 170 psi
Hollow unit masonry
unreinforced, type S mortar 225 psi
Concrete bearing
on full area of support
fc = 2,000 psi 500 psi
fc = 3,000 psi 750 psi
Concrete bearing
on 1/3 or less of support
fc = 2,000 psi 750 psi
fc = 3,000 psi 1125 psi

Calculation Steps Example 1 P&A 297 does not require computation of bending moment section modulus

PROBLEM: ========= A W 21 x 57 member of A36 Steel transfers an end reaction of 44 kips (196 KN) to a wall built of solid brick by means of a bearing plate of A36 steel. Assume S mortar and a brick with f'm=1500 psi The N dimension of the plate is 10 in (254 mm) Design the bearing plate
A. Given: A W 21 x 57 member of A36 Steel transfers an end reaction of 44 kips (196 KN) to a wall built of solid brick by means of a bearing plate of A36 steel. Assume S mortar and a brick with f'm=1500 psi The N dimension of the plate is 10 in (254 mm)
B. Asked: Design the bearing plate N B t
C. Diagram:
=========
| 44 kips
|
v
I W 21 x 57 A36
============= Solid Brick
Type S Mortar
f'm = 1500 psi

D. SOLUTION: ============ 1. End Reaction to be supported R = 44 kips = 44,000 p 2. Allowable bearing Pressure see Table 9.3 page 295 given: Solid brick unreinforced type S mortar f'm = 1500 psi Fp = 170 psi from table 9.3 P&A 295

3. Preselected Area of Plate
A = R / Fp
A = 44,000 p / 170 p/sqin
A = 259 sq inch
4. Depth N of Plate:
N = 10 inch given
(usually limited by the thickness of the wall)
5. Length B of Plate:
B = A / L
B = 259 sq in / 10 in
Step 3 Step 4
B = 25.9 inch
which is rounded off to 26 inch (650 mm)
6. With the true dimensions of the plate
(10 in x 26 in) we now compute the thickness
of the plate.
7. Actual Area of the Plate
A = N x B
A = 10 in x 26 in
A = 260 in
8. Actual Bearing Pressure:
fp = R / A
fp = 44,000 p / 260 in
fp = 169 psi (1.19 Mpa)
9. Compare to allowable unit stress Bearing Fp
Fp = 170 psi Table 9.3 P&A 295

10. Actual Stress to be smaller than allowable 169 psi < 170 psi fp < Fp 11. Distance k1 for Wide Flange (W) Shape Note: Table 4.1 P&A 170 does not show k1 ASD Manual of Steel Construction 1-20 for W 21 x 57 k1 = 7/8 k1 = 0.875

12. Determine n:
--------------------
n = B/2 - k1
n = 26 / 2 - 0.875
step 7 step 10
n = 13 - 0.875
n = 12.125 inch

13. Fb = Allowable Bending Stress in the plate -------------------------------------------------------- Table 8.1 P&A 266-267 Fb = 0.75 x Fy Fb = 0.75 x 36 Fb = 27 ksi


14. Thickness t of Plate:
-----------------------------
Formula P&A 295
due to the limitations of the word processor
the following symbol
----------
v
stands for the square root
which includes the nominator and denominator
-------------------
t = V 3 fp x n x n
---------------
Fb
-------------------
t = V 3 fp x n x n
---------------
Fb
------------------------------------------------
t = V 3 x 169 psi x 12.125 in x 12.125 in
----------------------------------------------
27,000 psi
-----------------------------------
t = V 507 psi x 470.01562 sqin
-----------------------------------
27,000 psi
-----------------------
t = V 74536.919
------------------------
27,000
------------
t = V 2.7606
t = 1.66 in
========
E. Answer: 15. The bearing plate design is: ------------------------------------- N = 10 inches B = 26 inches t = 1.66 inches = 1 2/3 inch
