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Beam
STRUCTURE & PHYSICSbeginner
Definition
A horizontal structural member that carries loads across a span by bending. The top of a beam is in compression and the bottom is in tension. Beams can be made of timber, steel, reinforced concrete, or engineered wood. They transfer floor and roof loads to columns or walls.
Example
The steel beams of the Centre Pompidou in Paris by Piano and Rogers (1977) are expressed on the exterior — painted white gerberettes visibly transferring loads to the cast-steel columns.