Gable Beams with Multiple Openings Subjected to Static Load: As a Review

Authors

  • Waleed Hassan Neama

    Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Babylon University, Al-Hillah 51002, Iraq
  • Hussein Talab Nhabih

    Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Babylon University, Al-Hillah 51002, Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jbms.v8i1.13037
Received: 16 January 2026 | Revised: 16 February 2026 | Accepted: 5 March 2026 | Published Online: 17 March 2026

Abstract

To reinforce and support long-span roofs, gable beams can be used. In order to reduce weight and to meet the requirements of modern construction in terms of passing electrical, sanitary and mechanical services, multiple openings must be created inside the gable beams. With those multiple openings in the gable beams, the structural performance of those beams and their architectural appearance will certainly improve. This research reviews the historical development, modeling methods, experimental research and design considerations of multiple-opening gable beams under the influence of static loads. This research is of particular interest to the cracking pattern, failure pattern, load-deflection curves, and reinforcement details related to gable beams with multiple openings. It also explains and reviews the modern and old techniques and strategies used to strengthen reinforced concrete gable beams with multiple openings and their importance in restoring the load-bearing capacity of gable beams and eliminating the negative impact of the presence of those openings. This review study recommends key design principles for reinforced concrete gable beams without openings, using the same design equations as for conventional reinforced concrete beams. However, if the reinforced concrete gable beams contain openings, they must be analyzed using appropriate software and treated like trusses to determine the internal forces within the beam. The beam is then designed based on the critical section between the support and the beginning of the first opening. This review study also identified the most significant parameters affecting the behavior of reinforced concrete gable beams: the presence of openings. Openings reduce the beam's load-bearing capacity by 3% to 18% and increase deflection by 6% to 70%.

Keywords:

Non-Prismatic Beams; Gable Beams; Static Load; Multiple Openings; Reinforced Concrete; Review

References

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How to Cite

Neama, W. H., & Nhabih, H. T. (2026). Gable Beams with Multiple Openings Subjected to Static Load: As a Review. Journal of Building Material Science, 8(1), 130–147. https://doi.org/10.30564/jbms.v8i1.13037

Issue

Vol. 8, Iss. 1 (March 2026)

Article Type

Review

License

Copyright © 2026 Waleed Hassan Neama, Hussein Talab Nhabih

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

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