The required beam camber is calculated using the criteria specified by the user with the Criteria > Camber command. Camber is calculated based on the deflection resulting from the beam design. If you want to limit or eliminate camber by limiting the deflection, more stringent deflection criteria can be specified. The camber is based on the Total Dead Load deflection for noncomposite and shored composite construction and on the Construction Dead Load deflection for unshored composite beam design.

The program calculates the dead- or construction dead load deflection, takes a percentage of that you specify, and rounds down to the nearest Camber Increment. That result is compared against the Minimum Camber value also specified; if that value is less than the Minimum Camber, no camber is indicated on the output. It is also compared against the Maximum Camber value specified; if that value is greater than the Maximum Camber it is limited to the Maximum Camber value. This result is the value of camber shown on the output.

Camber can be suppressed by selecting the Do not Camber option. It can also be suppressed on very large or very small beams or on beams whose span is very short.

There are separate criteria that can be specified for composite vs noncomposite beams.

The Camber Criteria may affect the beam design if the design is controlled by Net Total Deflection.

For CAN/CSA-S16-01 / S16-09 / S16-14, camber is based on the elastic deflection; the camber value has not been increased by 1.15 to account for creep, nor has it been increased to account for the additional deflection due to shrinkage. If you want to have camber increased to account for these, the percent of Dead Load to be used for camber can be specified as 115% or whatever value desired, using the Criteria > Camber command..