Beam refers to a construction element in buildings. Primarily constructed of
steel, it serves as a support element for transferring vertical, most often gravitational, forces to
walls or
pillars which in turn transfers the force downwards. Many types of beams exist, and a common way to distinguish between types are by
profile[?], the shape of a cross section of the beam. One of the most common type of beam is the
I-beam[?], commonly used for support in steel frame buildings such as
houses and
bridges.
Beam also refers to a
wave of
light.