XLIX

Engineering Design Firm

9201 University City Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28223

Transmittal
Date:
Section:
To:
From:
Subject:

1201 015
Dan Latta
Ana Llanos
Douglas Lawrence
Beam Design Package

We are
submitting:

Date

Memorandum

Design Package

Problem Set

Report - Draft
Report - Final

Test Data Sheet

Other: Enter Other Item

Extra Credit

Description
Beam Project Individual Design Package

These are transmitted as checked below:

Individual Assignment

For grading
For review/comment
Other:

Team Assignment -- Team No.

________-_

Beam Individual Design Package

Prepared For:
XLIX Engineering Design Firm
9201 University City Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28223
ENGR 1201-015

Prepared By:
Douglas Lawrence

Date Submitted:
11/12/2015

I have neither given nor received any unauthorized help on this assignment, nor
witnessed any violation of the UNC Charlotte Code of Academic Integrity.

11/12/201
5

Problem Statement
The XLIX design firm assigned each intern to design three basswood beam
configurations that meet the requirements and restrictions of their given beam ID
number. Only I, H, and Box beams could be designed. The three beams must be
able to withstand a centered single point X-axis load without failing, and maintain
its X-axis deflection point between a minimum and maximum allowable deflection
while under this load. The beams are considered to be under simply supported
conditions with a span length of 21in. The beams must also comply with a given
weight and cost limit. The cross section of the beams must be symmetrical about
the centroidal axes, and must have a composite cross section. The overall cross
section may not exceed 2 x 2. Basswood used for the beams can only be
purchased through the 1201 Lumber Yard, therefore the cost of each beam can only
be calculated based on the prices at the 1201 Lumber Yard. The beams can only be
constructed using tools from the 1201 Discovery Box. The calculations performed
are under the assumption that each piece of basswood is equaled to its exact
defined dimensions. It is also assumed that each piece shares the exact standard
material properties of basswood in modulus of elasticity and in density.

Calculations
The beam dimensions and requirements used in the calculations are outlined in
Table 1. The material properties of basswood can be found in Table 2. Each beam is
24in. long.
Table 1. Beam Requirements and Restrictions
Beam # 150804
Dimension
X-axis Load (lb)

Value
375

Y-axis Load (lb)

150

Weight Restriction (g)

Min. X-axis Deflection (in)

250
0.06

Max. X-axis Deflection (in)

0.23

Span Length (in)

21

Cost Limit

$10.50

Table 2. Basswood Material Standards

Material Standard
Modulus of Elasticity (psi)
Density (lbm/ft3)
The conversion factor for ft3 to in3 is:

Value
1460000
28

1 ft 3
1728 .3

The conversion factor for lb to g is:

1 lb
454 g
The Volume of any beam can be found using the formula:

V = Al
Where A is the cross sectional area, and l is the length of the beam.
The mass of any beam can be found using the formula:

m=V
Where is the density in and V is the volume in inches
The deflection of the X-axis of a beam can be found using the formula:

P x L3
x=
48 E I x
Where Px is the X-axis load, L is the span length, E is the modulus of elasticity, and Ix
is the moment of inertia about the X-axis.
The deflection of the Y-axis of a beam can be found using the formula:

P y L3
y=
48 E I y
Where Py is the Y-axis load, L is the span length, E is the modulus of elasticity, and Iy
is the moment of inertia about the Y-axis.

The moment of inertia about the X-axis for an I beam can be found using the
formula:

I x=

( b h3 ) ( (bt w )(h2t f ) )
12

12

Where b is the base, h is the height, tw is the web thickness, and tf is the flange
thickness.
The moment of inertia about the Y-axis for an I beam can be found using the
formula:

2 t f b3 ( h2 t f ) ( t w )
I y=
+
12
12

Where b is the base, h is the height, tw is the web thickness, and tf is the flange
thickness.
The cross sectional area of an I beam can be found using the formula:

A= ( bh )(( bt w ) ( h2 t f ) )
Where b is the base, h is the height, tw is the web thickness, and tf is the flange
thickness.

The moment of inertia about the X-axis for a Box beam can be found using the
formula:

I x=

3
( b h3 ) ( (b2t x )(h2t y ) )

12

12

Where b is the base, h is the height, tx is the wall thickness parallel to the X-axis,
and ty is the wall thickness perpendicular to the X-axis.
The moment of inertia about the Y-axis for a Box beam can be found using the
formula:

I y=

3
( h b3 ) (( h2 t y )(b2 t x ) )

12

12

Where b is the base, h is the height, tx is the wall thickness parallel to the X-axis,
and ty is the wall thickness perpendicular to the X-axis.
The cross sectional area of an I beam can be found using the formula:

A= ( bh )(( b2t x ) ( h2 t y ) )
Where b is the base, h is the height, tx is the wall thickness parallel to the X-axis,
and ty is the wall thickness perpendicular to the X-axis.
The cross section view of proposed Beam one and its dimensions are shown in
Figure1.

Figure 1 Cross Section View of Proposed Beam One

Calculations for beam Proposal one:
2

A= (1.75. x 1.875. )( ( 1.75.0.25. ) ( 1.875.2 ( 0.1875. ) ) ) =1.03125 .

2

V =1.03125 . x 24.=24.75 .
V =24.75 .3
28 lb
ft 3

1 ft 3
=0.0143 ft 3
12.

1 ft 3 (
3
24.75 . ) =0.401lb
12.

( )( )

m=

m=0.401 lb

I x=

( 4541lbg . )=182.07 g .

( 1.75.(1.875.)3 ) ( ( 1.75.0.25. ) ( 1.875.2 ( 0.1875. ) ) )

12

12
3

=0.5394 .4

2(0.1875.( 1.75.)3 ) ( 1.875.2(0.1875.) ) (0.25.)

4
I y=
+
=0.1699.
12
12

0.5394.
48(1460000 psi)( 4)=0.092.
375 lb(21.)3
x =

150 lb (21.)3
y=
=0.117.
48(1460000 psi)(0.1699.4 )

The cross section view of proposed Beam two and its dimensions are shown in
Figure2.

Figure 2 Cross Section View of Proposed Beam Two

Calculations for beam proposal two:

A= (1.75. x 1.75. )( ( 1.75.0.25. ) ( 1.75.2 ( 0.1875. ) ) ) =1.0 .2

V =1.0 .2 x 24.=24.0 .3
V =24.0 .3
28 lb
m=
ft 3

1 ft
=0.0139 ft 3
12.

1 ft 3 (
24.0 .3 ) =0.389 lb
12.

( )( )

m=0.389 lb

I x=

( 4541 lbg . )=176.56 g .

( 1.75.(1.75.)3 ) ( ( 1.75.0.25. ) ( 1.75.2 ( 0.1875. ) ) )

12

12

=0.4566. 4

2(0.1875.( 1.75.)3 ) ( 1.75.2(0.1875.) ) (0.25.)

I y=
+
=0.1698.4
12
12
0.4566.
48(1460000 psi)( 4)=0.109.
375lb(21.)3
x =

150 lb (21.)3
y=
=0.117 .
48(1460000 psi)(0.1698. 4)

The cross section view of proposed Beam three and its dimensions are shown in
Figure3.

Figure 3 Cross Section View of Proposed Beam Three

Calculations for beam proposal three:

0.25.
1.00.2()

( 1.625.2 ( 0.188. ) )

A=( ( 1.00. )(1.625.) )

V =( 1.0 .2 ) ( 24. )=24 .3
V =24.0 .3

28 lb
ft 3

1 ft 3
=0.0139 ft 3
12.

1 ft 3 (
24.0 .3 ) =0.389 lb
12.

( )( )

m=

m=0.389 lb

( 4541 lbg . )=176.56 g .

3

I x=

( 1.00.(1.625.)3 ) ( ( 1.625.2 ( 0.25. ) ) ( 1.625.2 ( 0.188. ) ) )

12

12

=0.2762 .

I y=

( 1.625.(1.0.)3 ) (( 1.625.2 ( 0.188. ) ) ( 1.0.2 ( 0.25. ) ) )

12

12

=0.1224 .4

0.2762.
48(1460000 psi)( 4)=0.179.
375lb(21.)3
x =

y=

150lb(21.)3
=0.162.
48(1460000 psi)(0.1224 . 4 )

Results
The calculations of the three proposed beams are represented in Table 3 through
Table 5.
Table 3. Proposed Beam 1 Calculations

I Beam
Calculation

Answer

(A) Cross Sectional Area (in2)

(V) Volume (in3)

(m) mass (g)

(Ix) Moment of Inertia about X-axis
(in4)
(Iy) Moment of Inertia about Y-axis (in4)

1.03125

24.75
182.07291
=
67
0.5394287
=
11
0.1699218
=
75

(x) Deflection of X-axis (in)

0.092

(y) Deflection of Y-axis (in)

0.117

Table 4. Proposed Beam 2 Calculations

I Beam
Calculation
(A) Cross Sectional Area (in2)
3

(V) Volume (in )

(m) mass (g)
(Ix) Moment of Inertia about X-axis
(in4)
(Iy) Moment of Inertia about Y-axis (in4)

Answer
=

24
176.55555
=
56
0.4566243
=
49
0.1697591
=
15

(x) Deflection of X-axis (in)

0.109

(y) Deflection of Y-axis (in)

0.117

Table 5. Proposed Beam 3 Calculations

Box Beam
Calculation
(A) Cross Sectional Area (in2)
3

(V) Volume (in )

Answer
=
=

24
176.55555
(m) mass (g)
=
56
0.2762044
(Ix) Moment of Inertia about X-axis (in4) =
27
0.1223958
(Iy) Moment of Inertia about Y-axis (in4) =
33

(x) Deflection of X-axis (in)

0.179

(y) Deflection of Y-axis (in)

0.162

Table 6 shows the calculations and cost estimates for each proposed beam.

Table 6. Calculations and Cost Estimates

Beam
Configura
tion on
Primary
Axis

Proposed
Beam 1:
I Beam
Proposed
Beam 2:
I Beam
Proposed
Beam 3:
Box Beam

Calculated
Mass

Calculated
Volume

Total
Cost
of
Woo
d
and
Glue
Joint
s ($)

X-axis
Calculations

Y-axis
Calculations

Ix(in4
)

x(in
)

Iy(in4
)

y(in
)

lbm

ft3

In3

0.40
1

182.0
7

0.014
3

24.7
5

8.42

0.539

0.092

0.167

0.117

0.38
9

176.5
6

0.013
9

24.0

8.20

0.457

0.109

0.170

0.117

0.38
9

176.5
6

0.013
9

24.0

9.20

0.276

0.179

0.122

0.162

Decision Matrix

The decision matrix for the three proposed beam is represented in Table 8. The
rating scale for each evaluation is represented in Table 7 and is subjective to a scale
of one through five, five being the best and one being the worst.
Table 7. Rating Scale
Evaluation
Criteria
x
Cost
Mass
Stability*
Ease of
Build

Rating 1

Rating 2

Rating 3

Rating 4

Rating 5

0.145in.
0.085 in.
$10.50
210 g
0.1875in.
5+ Glue
Joints

> 0.145in.
0.068 in.
> $10.00
> 200 g
0.25in.
4 Glue
Joints

> 0.145in.
0.051 in.
> $9.50
> 190 g
0.375in.
3 Glue
Joints

> 0.145in.
0.034 in.
> $9.00
> 180 g
0.5in.
2 Glue
Joints

0.145in.
0.034 in.
$9.00
180 g
0.625in.
1 Glue Joint

Table 8. Beam Proposal Decision Matrix

Relativ
e
Weight
s
25%
10%
25%
20%
20%
100%

Evaluat
ion
Criteria
x
Cost
Mass
Stabilit
y*
Ease of
Build
Total

1: I Beam

Beam Proposals
2: I Beam

3: Box Beam

Rating
3
5
4
2

Score
0.75
0.5
1.0
0.4

Rating
4
5
5
2

Score
1.0
0.5
1.25
0.4

Rating
3
4
5
4

Score
0.75
0.4
1.25
0.8

0.8

0.8

0.6

3.45

3.95

3.8

*Stability pertains to the web thickness for I beams, and to two times the wall
thickness, parallel to the X-axis, for Box beams.

Conclusion
According to the decision matrix for the beam proposals, beam proposal two scored
the highest when evaluating important criteria. The cost and mass of beam proposal
two is of an excellent standard. The mass of beam two is projected to be 176.56 g,
giving it an efficiency ratio of 1.416. This ratio is more than enough to score 100
points during testing. The cost of beam proposal two is $8.20, which is well below
the allotted amount of $10.50. Since it is an I beam, it only has two glue bonds
making the build fairly easy. The deflection about the X-axis of beam proposal two is
very good, almost halfway in between the minimum and maximum allowable
deflection. The only questionable criteria is the stability of beam proposal two,
which scored two out of five due to the width of the web being 0.25 in. Overall,

beam two meets the criteria with the highest score, and is the best option out of the
three proposals to meet the requirements of Beam ID number 150804.

Bill of Materials
The bill of materials for the best proposed beam can be found in Table 9.
Table 9. Bill of Materials for Proposed Beam Two
Material
Basswood
3/16 x 1-3/4
Basswood
1/4 x 1-3/8
Glue Joint

Price
$2.36

Amount
2

Total
$4.72

$2.48

$2.48

$0.50

$1.00
$8.20