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Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Single Span » S Section Steel I Beam » S6 × 12.5
S Section Steel I Beam | Single Span | Two Equal Spans | Three Equal Spans | Four Equal Spans

For a simply supported beam in a single span, the maximum displacement w_max and the maximum normal stress stress_max occur at the center of the beam.
The tabulated data listed in this page are calculated based on the area moment of inertia (Ixx = 22.1 in4) for the S6 × 12.5 S Section 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
   
Steel I Beam: S6 × 12.5 (S Section 6 inch tall × 12.5 lbf/ft)
L = 3.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
12.5 3.38 × 10-5 22.9
20.0 5.42 × 10-5 36.7
30.0 8.12 × 10-5 55.0
40.0 1.08 × 10-4 73.3
50.0 1.35 × 10-4 91.6
60.0 1.62 × 10-4 110
70.0 1.90 × 10-4 128
80.0 2.17 × 10-4 147
90.0 2.44 × 10-4 165
100 2.71 × 10-4 183
200 5.42 × 10-4 367
300 8.12 × 10-4 550
400 0.00108 733
500 0.00135 916
600 0.00162 1100
700 0.00190 1280
800 0.00217 1470
900 0.00244 1650
1000 0.00271 1830
2000 0.00542 3670
3000 0.00812 5500
4000 0.0108 7330
5000 0.0135 9160
6000 0.0162 1.10 × 104
7000 0.0190 1.28 × 104
8000 0.0217 1.47 × 104
9000 0.0244 1.65 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.0271 1.83 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.0542 3.67 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.0812 5.50 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.108 7.33 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.135 9.16 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.162 1.10 × 105
7.00 × 104 0.190 1.28 × 105
8.00 × 104 0.217 1.47 × 105
9.00 × 104 0.244 1.65 × 105
1.00 × 105 0.271 1.83 × 105
1.62 × 105 0.439 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: S6 × 12.5 (S Section 6 inch tall × 12.5 lbf/ft)
L = 5.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
12.5 2.61 × 10-4 63.6
20.0 4.18 × 10-4 102
30.0 6.27 × 10-4 153
40.0 8.36 × 10-4 204
50.0 0.00104 255
60.0 0.00125 305
70.0 0.00146 356
80.0 0.00167 407
90.0 0.00188 458
100 0.00209 509
200 0.00418 1020
300 0.00627 1530
400 0.00836 2040
500 0.0104 2550
600 0.0125 3050
700 0.0146 3560
800 0.0167 4070
900 0.0188 4580
1000 0.0209 5090
2000 0.0418 1.02 × 104
3000 0.0627 1.53 × 104
4000 0.0836 2.04 × 104
5000 0.104 2.55 × 104
6000 0.125 3.05 × 104
7000 0.146 3.56 × 104
8000 0.167 4.07 × 104
9000 0.188 4.58 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.209 5.09 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.418 1.02 × 105
3.00 × 104 0.627 1.53 × 105
4.00 × 104 0.836 2.04 × 105
5.00 × 104 1.04 2.55 × 105
5.84 × 104 1.22 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: S6 × 12.5 (S Section 6 inch tall × 12.5 lbf/ft)
L = 10.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
12.5 0.00418 255
20.0 0.00669 407
30.0 0.0100 611
40.0 0.0134 814
50.0 0.0167 1020
60.0 0.0201 1220
70.0 0.0234 1430
80.0 0.0267 1630
90.0 0.0301 1830
100 0.0334 2040
200 0.0669 4070
300 0.100 6110
400 0.134 8140
500 0.167 1.02 × 104
600 0.201 1.22 × 104
700 0.234 1.43 × 104
800 0.267 1.63 × 104
900 0.301 1.83 × 104
1000 0.334 2.04 × 104
2000 0.669 4.07 × 104
3000 1.00 6.11 × 104
4000 1.34 8.14 × 104
5000 1.67 1.02 × 105
6000 2.01 1.22 × 105
7000 2.34 1.43 × 105
8000 2.67 1.63 × 105
9000 3.01 1.83 × 105
1.00 × 104 3.34 2.04 × 105
1.46 × 104 4.88 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: S6 × 12.5 (S Section 6 inch tall × 12.5 lbf/ft)
L = 15.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
12.5 0.0212 573
20.0 0.0338 916
30.0 0.0508 1370
40.0 0.0677 1830
50.0 0.0846 2290
60.0 0.102 2750
70.0 0.118 3210
80.0 0.135 3670
90.0 0.152 4120
100 0.169 4580
200 0.338 9160
300 0.508 1.37 × 104
400 0.677 1.83 × 104
500 0.846 2.29 × 104
600 1.02 2.75 × 104
700 1.18 3.21 × 104
800 1.35 3.67 × 104
900 1.52 4.12 × 104
1000 1.69 4.58 × 104
2000 3.38 9.16 × 104
3000 5.08 1.37 × 105
3550 6.00 1.62 × 105
Steel I Beam: S6 × 12.5 (S Section 6 inch tall × 12.5 lbf/ft)
L = 20.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
12.5 0.0669 1020
20.0 0.107 1630
30.0 0.160 2440
40.0 0.214 3260
50.0 0.267 4070
60.0 0.321 4890
70.0 0.374 5700
80.0 0.428 6520
90.0 0.481 7330
100 0.535 8140
200 1.07 1.63 × 104
300 1.60 2.44 × 104
400 2.14 3.26 × 104
500 2.67 4.07 × 104
600 3.21 4.89 × 104
700 3.74 5.70 × 104
800 4.28 6.52 × 104
900 4.81 7.33 × 104
1000 5.35 8.14 × 104
1120 6.00 9.14 × 104
Steel I Beam: S6 × 12.5 (S Section 6 inch tall × 12.5 lbf/ft)
L = 25.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
12.5 0.163 1590
20.0 0.261 2550
30.0 0.392 3820
40.0 0.522 5090
50.0 0.653 6360
60.0 0.783 7640
70.0 0.914 8910
80.0 1.04 1.02 × 104
90.0 1.18 1.15 × 104
100 1.31 1.27 × 104
200 2.61 2.55 × 104
300 3.92 3.82 × 104
400 5.22 5.09 × 104
460 6.00 5.85 × 104
Steel I Beam: S6 × 12.5 (S Section 6 inch tall × 12.5 lbf/ft)
L = 30.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
12.5 0.338 2290
20.0 0.542 3670
30.0 0.812 5500
40.0 1.08 7330
50.0 1.35 9160
60.0 1.62 1.10 × 104
70.0 1.90 1.28 × 104
80.0 2.17 1.47 × 104
90.0 2.44 1.65 × 104
100 2.71 1.83 × 104
200 5.42 3.67 × 104
222 6.00 4.06 × 104
Steel I Beam: S6 × 12.5 (S Section 6 inch tall × 12.5 lbf/ft)
L = 40.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
12.5 1.07 4070
20.0 1.71 6520
30.0 2.57 9770
40.0 3.42 1.30 × 104
50.0 4.28 1.63 × 104
60.0 5.13 1.95 × 104
70.0 5.99 2.28 × 104
70.1 6.00 2.28 × 104
Steel I Beam: S6 × 12.5 (S Section 6 inch tall × 12.5 lbf/ft)
L = 50.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
12.5 2.61 6360
20.0 4.18 1.02 × 104
28.7 6.00 1.46 × 104
Steel I Beam: S6 × 12.5 (S Section 6 inch tall × 12.5 lbf/ft)
L = 60.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
12.5 5.42 9160
13.9 6.00 1.02 × 104
Additional Information
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Negotiate Your Salary

Learn the best principles to negotiate the salary you deserve!

Metal 3D Printing Design Guide

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

Selecting the Right 3D Printer

Discover how to choose the right 3D printer for your needs and the key performance attributes to consider.

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

more publications