Lateral Torsional Buckling

A catastrophic failure mode for a beam bending under applied vertical loading is lateral torsional buckling which can occur prior to the beam reaching either its yield or plastic moment capacity. Lateral Torsion Buckling occurs when the compression flange of the beam suddenly buckles in the laterally direction. To guard against this mode of failure the Code provides guidelines that specify lateral bracing of the compression flange at prescribed intervals.