Design of Stiffened Plate Lifting Beams

Abstract

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers has published a new standard for the design of below-the-hook lifting devices. This standard defines allowable stress structural design requirements for lifting devices used in construction and general industry in conjunction with cranes, derricks, and other hoisting equipment. One type of lifting device that is common in construction and that is not specifically addressed in the standard is the stiffened plate lifting beam. Design issues that are applicable to this type of lifting beam are lateral-torsional buckling, combined tensile, and shear stresses in the regions around pin-loaded holes, connections among the built-up elements of the beam, and strength of the lower pin holes. This paper derives a method for the design of stiffened plate lifting beams that is compatible with the requirements of the standard.