I can see your point about the forces being less, but the D+L will put a compression force in the top joist chord and the lateral load would either add a tension force, reducing the D+L compression force or add a compression force, depending on which direction the lateral force is applied...
My original description stated:
The concern is that the whole section of the WF in the plane of the web stiffener may tend to rotate, unless the "tension" flange is rigidly restained by another framing member such as a wall girt in the case of a wall column.
Perhaps if I can clarify...
Can a web stiffener in a WF Beam or Column be considered to provide bracing for Lateral Torsional Buckling of the "compression" flange?
The concern is that the whole section of the WF in the plane of the web stiffener may tend to rotate, unless the "tension" flange is rigidly restained by...
