Optimum Design of Unstiffened Built‐Up Girders

Abstract

An optimization process for the design of unstiffened built‐up beams is presented. The process is an alternative to the Holt and Heithecker method. The proposed method is simple and straightforward, and can be used without the use of a computer program. A computer program for the method, however, is easily developed. The method is a useful tool for steel‐structure designers as an alternative to the Holt and Heithecker method or as a complement, to check results.