Structural engineering, as it assists in the designing and building of structures like bridges, houses, and other extensive works falls under the area of construction. One important principle that is practiced by most of the people in this area is referred to as ‘strong columns and weak beams’. This principle means that portions of a structure where columns are situated should have greater strength and stiffness than the beams. The reason for this difference is that columns are predominant under axial compressive force and beams are mainly under bending.
The strong column-weak beam principle is quite useful as it enables one to maintain the stability of the structure. If the columns are unable to bear the compressive forces acting on them, they may buckle or collapse and thus the whole structure is said to fail. Conversely, if the beams are too strong and rigid, they may not flex or deflect sufficiently, thus unable to accommodate the oblique and bending stresses which would cause failure/deformation.
In order to improve the aesthetics of the structure and save material, engineers ought to look for a compromise between rigidity of columns and beams. The columns should be sufficiently robust to carry the load, while the beams should be made so they are not so stiff as to cause excessive stresses in the structure and instead provide enough deflection to relieve stresses. When this concept is accepted and applied, the structures are not only safe, but also dependable and resilient to the actions of various forces.
An important advantage of the concept of strong column weak beam is that it promotes better economy of resources. Increasing the strength of columns and reducing the strength of beams allows engineers to provide less quantity of heavy depth beams and overall strength and stability of the entire structure remains the same. Reduced usage of material and construction costs, lighter structure which is cheap to repair and maintain are some of the benefits a weaker beam can bring.
In short, the strong column weak beam concept can be considered a safety control in structural engineering that should be observed in any structure solidifies the structure. Making the columns more robust and stronger than the beams enables structural designers to develop designs which are efficient and cost effective while being able to take the forces that may be exerted during the use of the structure.
