Lateral torsional buckling is a type of instability that occurs in beams subjected to bending, causing the compressive flange to bend and twist in a lateral direction. This affects the whole length of the structure, and sudden failure can occur when critical loads are exceeded.
To prevent lateral torsional buckling, several measures can be taken during the design and construction process. One approach is to add construction elements to restrain the compression zone of the beam. Other prevention measures include applying the load to the tension part, increasing the width or thickness of the compressive flange of the beam, or using closed cross-section geometries. Fully fixed end connections can also improve beam performance regarding lateral torsional buckling.