What is a steel web stiffener?

What is a steel web stiffener?

Stiffeners are secondary plates or sections which are attached to beam webs or flanges to stiffen them against out of plane deformations. Almost all main bridge beams will have stiffeners. However, most will only have transverse web stiffeners, i.e. vertical stiffeners attached to the web.

What does a web stiffener do?

Web stiffeners are nothing more than wood blocks. They’re either made out of lumber, wood structural panels or APA Rated Rim Board. Their purpose is to reinforce the webs of I-joists at different locations.

What are the different types of stiffeners?

Stiffeners are classified into two types :

  • Vertical Stiffeners.
  • Horizontal Stiffeners.

How do you stiffen steel beams?

Weld stiffener plates to the bottom of the beam. By adding mass to the bottom of the beam, deflection is minimized and carrying capacity is increased. The plates can be any size, but the most efficient reinforcement occurs when the plates are the same width as the beam, and run the entire length of the beam.

What is web crippling?

Web crippling is buckling of web caused by the compressive forces (Concentrated load) delivered through flange to keep the bearing stresses within permissible limits.

Can you reinforce steel?

Most of that reinforcing was done by welding structural shapes (usually plates) to the parent (damaged) element. Structural steel shapes can be reinforced under load or unloaded. There are some considerations that need to be added for loaded structures. I have also bolted on plates to reinforce steel beams.

How do you reinforce steel columns?

Columns may be reinforced by the addition of material in the form of cover plates, or by changing the residual stress distribution to a more favorable one by the laying of a weld, or by a method that combines both of these effects. For columns carrying design loads, their reinforcement is possible and safe.

Do I need web stiffeners?

A web stiffener may be required to provide one or more functions. When properly installed, web stiffeners increase joist reaction capacity by diverting a portion of the reaction load away from the web-flange joint and into the flange.

Do TJI joists need blocking?

Our code report (ICC ESR-1153) specifically states that bridging is not required for floor and roof TJI joist applications. Weyerhaeuser has found that the addition of bridging does little to improve floor performance and may create squeaks.