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Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Four Equal Spans » Wide Flange Steel I Beam » W18 × 106
Wide Flange Steel I Beam | Single Span | Two Equal Spans | Three Equal Spans | Four Equal Spans

For a simply supported beam in four equal spans, we compute the displacement at the middle of the first and fourth spans, and the maximum normal stress stress_max occuring at the second and fourth supports of the beam.
The tabulated data listed in this page are calculated based on the area moment of inertia (Ixx = 1910 in4) for the W18 × 106 Wide Flange Steel I Beam and the typical Young's modulus (E = 3.046 × 107 psi) of steels. Note that the typical yielding stress Yield of steels can range from 1.015 × 104 to 2.970 × 105 psi. The purpose of this page is to give a rough estimation of the load-bearing capacity of this particular beam, rather than a guideline for designing actual building structures. Please check your local building codes for regulatory requirements.
Note: The weight of the beam itself is not included in the calculation.
L = 3 ft
L = 5 ft
L = 10 ft
L = 15 ft
L = 20 ft
L = 25 ft
L = 30 ft
L = 40 ft
L = 50 ft
L = 60 ft
L = 70 ft
L = 80 ft
L = 90 ft
L = 100 ft
L = 125 ft
L = 150 ft
   
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 3.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 1.61 × 10-6 6.01
200 3.03 × 10-6 11.3
300 4.55 × 10-6 17.0
400 6.06 × 10-6 22.7
500 7.58 × 10-6 28.4
600 9.09 × 10-6 34.0
700 1.06 × 10-5 39.7
800 1.21 × 10-5 45.4
900 1.36 × 10-5 51.0
1000 1.52 × 10-5 56.7
2000 3.03 × 10-5 113
3000 4.55 × 10-5 170
4000 6.06 × 10-5 227
5000 7.58 × 10-5 284
6000 9.09 × 10-5 340
7000 1.06 × 10-4 397
8000 1.21 × 10-4 454
9000 1.36 × 10-4 510
1.00 × 104 1.52 × 10-4 567
2.00 × 104 3.03 × 10-4 1130
3.00 × 104 4.55 × 10-4 1700
4.00 × 104 6.06 × 10-4 2270
5.00 × 104 7.58 × 10-4 2840
6.00 × 104 9.09 × 10-4 3400
7.00 × 104 0.00106 3970
8.00 × 104 0.00121 4540
9.00 × 104 0.00136 5100
1.00 × 105 0.00152 5670
2.00 × 105 0.00303 1.13 × 104
3.00 × 105 0.00455 1.70 × 104
4.00 × 105 0.00606 2.27 × 104
5.00 × 105 0.00758 2.84 × 104
6.00 × 105 0.00909 3.40 × 104
7.00 × 105 0.0106 3.97 × 104
8.00 × 105 0.0121 4.54 × 104
9.00 × 105 0.0136 5.10 × 104
1.00 × 106 0.0152 5.67 × 104
2.00 × 106 0.0303 1.13 × 105
3.00 × 106 0.0455 1.70 × 105
4.00 × 106 0.0606 2.27 × 105
5.00 × 106 0.0758 2.84 × 105
5.24 × 106 0.0794 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 5.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 1.24 × 10-5 16.7
200 2.34 × 10-5 31.5
300 3.51 × 10-5 47.3
400 4.68 × 10-5 63.0
500 5.85 × 10-5 78.8
600 7.02 × 10-5 94.5
700 8.19 × 10-5 110
800 9.36 × 10-5 126
900 1.05 × 10-4 142
1000 1.17 × 10-4 158
2000 2.34 × 10-4 315
3000 3.51 × 10-4 473
4000 4.68 × 10-4 630
5000 5.85 × 10-4 788
6000 7.02 × 10-4 945
7000 8.19 × 10-4 1100
8000 9.36 × 10-4 1260
9000 0.00105 1420
1.00 × 104 0.00117 1580
2.00 × 104 0.00234 3150
3.00 × 104 0.00351 4730
4.00 × 104 0.00468 6300
5.00 × 104 0.00585 7880
6.00 × 104 0.00702 9450
7.00 × 104 0.00819 1.10 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.00936 1.26 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.0105 1.42 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.0117 1.58 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.0234 3.15 × 104
3.00 × 105 0.0351 4.73 × 104
4.00 × 105 0.0468 6.30 × 104
5.00 × 105 0.0585 7.88 × 104
6.00 × 105 0.0702 9.45 × 104
7.00 × 105 0.0819 1.10 × 105
8.00 × 105 0.0936 1.26 × 105
9.00 × 105 0.105 1.42 × 105
1.00 × 106 0.117 1.58 × 105
1.89 × 106 0.221 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 10.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 1.98 × 10-4 66.8
200 3.74 × 10-4 126
300 5.61 × 10-4 189
400 7.49 × 10-4 252
500 9.36 × 10-4 315
600 0.00112 378
700 0.00131 441
800 0.00150 504
900 0.00168 567
1000 0.00187 630
2000 0.00374 1260
3000 0.00561 1890
4000 0.00749 2520
5000 0.00936 3150
6000 0.0112 3780
7000 0.0131 4410
8000 0.0150 5040
9000 0.0168 5670
1.00 × 104 0.0187 6300
2.00 × 104 0.0374 1.26 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.0561 1.89 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.0749 2.52 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.0936 3.15 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.112 3.78 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.131 4.41 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.150 5.04 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.168 5.67 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.187 6.30 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.374 1.26 × 105
3.00 × 105 0.561 1.89 × 105
4.00 × 105 0.749 2.52 × 105
4.71 × 105 0.882 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 15.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 0.00100 150
200 0.00189 284
300 0.00284 425
400 0.00379 567
500 0.00474 709
600 0.00568 851
700 0.00663 992
800 0.00758 1130
900 0.00853 1280
1000 0.00947 1420
2000 0.0189 2840
3000 0.0284 4250
4000 0.0379 5670
5000 0.0474 7090
6000 0.0568 8510
7000 0.0663 9920
8000 0.0758 1.13 × 104
9000 0.0853 1.28 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.0947 1.42 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.189 2.84 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.284 4.25 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.379 5.67 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.474 7.09 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.568 8.51 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.663 9.92 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.758 1.13 × 105
9.00 × 104 0.853 1.28 × 105
1.00 × 105 0.947 1.42 × 105
2.00 × 105 1.89 2.84 × 105
2.10 × 105 1.98 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 20.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 0.00317 267
200 0.00599 504
300 0.00898 756
400 0.0120 1010
500 0.0150 1260
600 0.0180 1510
700 0.0210 1760
800 0.0240 2020
900 0.0269 2270
1000 0.0299 2520
2000 0.0599 5040
3000 0.0898 7560
4000 0.120 1.01 × 104
5000 0.150 1.26 × 104
6000 0.180 1.51 × 104
7000 0.210 1.76 × 104
8000 0.240 2.02 × 104
9000 0.269 2.27 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.299 2.52 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.599 5.04 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.898 7.56 × 104
4.00 × 104 1.20 1.01 × 105
5.00 × 104 1.50 1.26 × 105
6.00 × 104 1.80 1.51 × 105
7.00 × 104 2.10 1.76 × 105
8.00 × 104 2.40 2.02 × 105
9.00 × 104 2.69 2.27 × 105
1.00 × 105 2.99 2.52 × 105
1.18 × 105 3.53 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 25.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 0.00775 417
200 0.0146 788
300 0.0219 1180
400 0.0292 1580
500 0.0365 1970
600 0.0439 2360
700 0.0512 2760
800 0.0585 3150
900 0.0658 3540
1000 0.0731 3940
2000 0.146 7880
3000 0.219 1.18 × 104
4000 0.292 1.58 × 104
5000 0.365 1.97 × 104
6000 0.439 2.36 × 104
7000 0.512 2.76 × 104
8000 0.585 3.15 × 104
9000 0.658 3.54 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.731 3.94 × 104
2.00 × 104 1.46 7.88 × 104
3.00 × 104 2.19 1.18 × 105
4.00 × 104 2.92 1.58 × 105
5.00 × 104 3.65 1.97 × 105
6.00 × 104 4.39 2.36 × 105
7.00 × 104 5.12 2.76 × 105
7.54 × 104 5.51 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 30.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 0.0161 601
200 0.0303 1130
300 0.0455 1700
400 0.0606 2270
500 0.0758 2840
600 0.0909 3400
700 0.106 3970
800 0.121 4540
900 0.136 5100
1000 0.152 5670
2000 0.303 1.13 × 104
3000 0.455 1.70 × 104
4000 0.606 2.27 × 104
5000 0.758 2.84 × 104
6000 0.909 3.40 × 104
7000 1.06 3.97 × 104
8000 1.21 4.54 × 104
9000 1.36 5.10 × 104
1.00 × 104 1.52 5.67 × 104
2.00 × 104 3.03 1.13 × 105
3.00 × 104 4.55 1.70 × 105
4.00 × 104 6.06 2.27 × 105
5.00 × 104 7.58 2.84 × 105
5.24 × 104 7.94 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 40.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 0.0508 1070
200 0.0958 2020
300 0.144 3020
400 0.192 4030
500 0.240 5040
600 0.287 6050
700 0.335 7060
800 0.383 8070
900 0.431 9070
1000 0.479 1.01 × 104
2000 0.958 2.02 × 104
3000 1.44 3.02 × 104
4000 1.92 4.03 × 104
5000 2.40 5.04 × 104
6000 2.87 6.05 × 104
7000 3.35 7.06 × 104
8000 3.83 8.07 × 104
9000 4.31 9.07 × 104
1.00 × 104 4.79 1.01 × 105
2.00 × 104 9.58 2.02 × 105
2.95 × 104 14.1 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 50.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 0.124 1670
200 0.234 3150
300 0.351 4730
400 0.468 6300
500 0.585 7880
600 0.702 9450
700 0.819 1.10 × 104
800 0.936 1.26 × 104
900 1.05 1.42 × 104
1000 1.17 1.58 × 104
2000 2.34 3.15 × 104
3000 3.51 4.73 × 104
4000 4.68 6.30 × 104
5000 5.85 7.88 × 104
6000 7.02 9.45 × 104
7000 8.19 1.10 × 105
8000 9.36 1.26 × 105
9000 10.5 1.42 × 105
1.00 × 104 11.7 1.58 × 105
1.89 × 104 22.1 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 60.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 0.257 2400
200 0.485 4540
300 0.728 6810
400 0.970 9070
500 1.21 1.13 × 104
600 1.46 1.36 × 104
700 1.70 1.59 × 104
800 1.94 1.81 × 104
900 2.18 2.04 × 104
1000 2.43 2.27 × 104
2000 4.85 4.54 × 104
3000 7.28 6.81 × 104
4000 9.70 9.07 × 104
5000 12.1 1.13 × 105
6000 14.6 1.36 × 105
7000 17.0 1.59 × 105
7720 18.7 1.75 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 70.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 0.476 3270
200 0.899 6180
300 1.35 9260
400 1.80 1.24 × 104
500 2.25 1.54 × 104
600 2.70 1.85 × 104
700 3.15 2.16 × 104
800 3.59 2.47 × 104
900 4.04 2.78 × 104
1000 4.49 3.09 × 104
2000 8.99 6.18 × 104
3000 13.5 9.26 × 104
4000 18.0 1.24 × 105
4170 18.7 1.29 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 80.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 0.812 4270
200 1.53 8070
300 2.30 1.21 × 104
400 3.07 1.61 × 104
500 3.83 2.02 × 104
600 4.60 2.42 × 104
700 5.37 2.82 × 104
800 6.13 3.23 × 104
900 6.90 3.63 × 104
1000 7.66 4.03 × 104
2000 15.3 8.07 × 104
2440 18.7 9.85 × 104
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 90.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 1.30 5410
200 2.46 1.02 × 104
300 3.68 1.53 × 104
400 4.91 2.04 × 104
500 6.14 2.55 × 104
600 7.37 3.06 × 104
700 8.59 3.57 × 104
800 9.82 4.08 × 104
900 11.1 4.59 × 104
1000 12.3 5.10 × 104
1530 18.7 7.79 × 104
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 100 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 1.98 6680
200 3.74 1.26 × 104
300 5.61 1.89 × 104
400 7.49 2.52 × 104
500 9.36 3.15 × 104
600 11.2 3.78 × 104
700 13.1 4.41 × 104
800 15.0 5.04 × 104
900 16.8 5.67 × 104
1000 18.7 6.30 × 104
1000 18.7 6.31 × 104
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 125 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 4.84 1.04 × 104
200 9.14 1.97 × 104
300 13.7 2.95 × 104
400 18.3 3.94 × 104
410 18.7 4.04 × 104
Steel I Beam: W18 × 106 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 106 lbf/ft)
L = 150 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
106 10.0 1.50 × 104
198 18.7 2.80 × 104
Additional Information
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FREE Publications
Metal 3D Printing Design Guide

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) 3D printing for parts with reduced cost and little waste.

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Guide for those interested in becoming a mechanical engineer. Includes qualifications, pay, and job duties.

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