Before going to the types of the beam, first, you should know What a beam is??

So here is the answer, A beam is a structural element or a member that primarily transfers loads imposed along its axis to its supports such as walls, columns, foundation, etc. and the mode of its deflection is primarily by bending.

Now let us come to our main topic i.e. Types of Beam. There are various types of beams that are classified according to the types of support provided, the loading conditions, the shape of the cross-section, types of material used for its construction, etc.

In this article, we are going to discuss each of the topics mentioned above in detail.

Table of Contents

Types of Beam

1. According to end supports condition

Simply supported beam
Cantilever beam
Continuous beam
Fixed end beam
Overhanging beam
Double overhanging beam

2. According to the shape of the cross-section

I- beam
T- beam
C- Beam

3. According to the equilibrium condition

Statically determinate beam
Statically indeterminate beam

4. According to the type of material

Concrete beam
Steel beam
Timber beam

5. According to the geometry

Straight beam
Curved beam
Tapered beam

6. According to the casting condition

In-situ casting
Precast concrete beam
Prestressed concrete beam

SIMPLY SUPPORTED BEAM

This type of beam is supported at both ends consisting of pin support at one of the end and a roller support at the other end.

CANTILEVER BEAM

A Cantilever Beam is a type of beam constrained at one end with the other end extending freely outwards. In other words, this beam is supported at one end and the other end is free i.e. it has no support.

Normally, the cantilever is a beam in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped having a length (l), thickness (t), and width (w) or in the form of two beams connected at some angle.

When a load is applied to the beam it transfers that load to the fixed end by bending.

Some of the examples of cantilever we see in our daily life are the balconies in a building which are fixed at one end and unsupported at the other end. Some other examples of cantilevers are road directional signs, swimming pool diving boards, and basketball backboard.

CONTINUOUS BEAM

A continuous beam is a type of beam extending over more than two supports distributed throughout its length.

FIXED END BEAM

As the name indicates in this beam both the ends are fixed which restrains it from rotating or moving horizontally or vertically at that end.

OVERHANGING BEAM

The overhanging beam is a type of beam having its end portion extending beyond its supports. This beam has the properties of both cantilever beam and simply supported beam. The overhanging portion can be at one end or at both the ends of the beam which is called a double overhanging beam.

Different types of Beam and its classification