What is a castellated beam?
A castellated beam is a lighter-weight structural steel beam designed to span long distances. The beam is created by cutting the web of a wide-flanged beam in an arc or zig zag and then recombining the beam by welding the two haves back together. The beams are extremely practical for spanning distances larger than 30 feet.
More in depth definition of a Castellated Beam
Castellated beams are well suited for large industrial and commercial construction applications where the beams have to span large distances. The openings in castellated beams also allow for the installation of various building services within the floor and ceiling spaces, which allows contractors to easily route plumbing, electrical, and other services throughout the building. Since castellated beams are long slender elements they have to be braced laterally at frequent intervals by purlins, girts, decking, or diagonal bracing to prevent structural instability.
Example of a Castellated Beam Being Used
The construction of a 3 story office building with large open floors uses a long-span floor system and was framed with castellated beams.
