Patent ID: 6332301
Filing Date: 2001-12-25
Classification: E04B,E04C

Abstract:
A metal beam, comprising: a top flange; a bottom flange; and an intermediate web joining together said top flange and said bottom flange; said bottom flange including an upper deck and a lower deck joined to said intermediate web and extending in parallel spaced relation to each other; said web extending perpendicularly between, and being joined to, both the upper deck and the lower deck of said bottom flange; said lower deck extending for the length of said web; said metal beam further comprising: a pair of transverse members fixed to said lower deck at its opposite ends; and a plurality of tensioning elements extending between said upper and lower decks and anchored to said transverse members to pre-stress the lower deck of the bottom flange, and thereby, to form a double-deck metal beam structure imparting to the beam a high resistance to deformation under load.