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Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Single Span » Wide Flange Steel I Beam » W12 × 170
Wide Flange 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 = 1650 in4) for the W12 × 170 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
   
Steel I Beam: W12 × 170 (Wide Flange 12 inch tall × 170 lbf/ft)
L = 3.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
170 6.16 × 10-6 9.76
200 7.25 × 10-6 11.5
300 1.09 × 10-5 17.2
400 1.45 × 10-5 23.0
500 1.81 × 10-5 28.7
600 2.18 × 10-5 34.4
700 2.54 × 10-5 40.2
800 2.90 × 10-5 45.9
900 3.26 × 10-5 51.7
1000 3.63 × 10-5 57.4
2000 7.25 × 10-5 115
3000 1.09 × 10-4 172
4000 1.45 × 10-4 230
5000 1.81 × 10-4 287
6000 2.18 × 10-4 344
7000 2.54 × 10-4 402
8000 2.90 × 10-4 459
9000 3.26 × 10-4 517
1.00 × 104 3.63 × 10-4 574
2.00 × 104 7.25 × 10-4 1150
3.00 × 104 0.00109 1720
4.00 × 104 0.00145 2300
5.00 × 104 0.00181 2870
6.00 × 104 0.00218 3440
7.00 × 104 0.00254 4020
8.00 × 104 0.00290 4590
9.00 × 104 0.00326 5170
1.00 × 105 0.00363 5740
2.00 × 105 0.00725 1.15 × 104
3.00 × 105 0.0109 1.72 × 104
4.00 × 105 0.0145 2.30 × 104
5.00 × 105 0.0181 2.87 × 104
6.00 × 105 0.0218 3.44 × 104
7.00 × 105 0.0254 4.02 × 104
8.00 × 105 0.0290 4.59 × 104
9.00 × 105 0.0326 5.17 × 104
1.00 × 106 0.0363 5.74 × 104
2.00 × 106 0.0725 1.15 × 105
3.00 × 106 0.109 1.72 × 105
4.00 × 106 0.145 2.30 × 105
5.00 × 106 0.181 2.87 × 105
5.18 × 106 0.188 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W12 × 170 (Wide Flange 12 inch tall × 170 lbf/ft)
L = 5.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
170 4.76 × 10-5 27.1
200 5.60 × 10-5 31.9
300 8.39 × 10-5 47.8
400 1.12 × 10-4 63.8
500 1.40 × 10-4 79.7
600 1.68 × 10-4 95.7
700 1.96 × 10-4 112
800 2.24 × 10-4 128
900 2.52 × 10-4 143
1000 2.80 × 10-4 159
2000 5.60 × 10-4 319
3000 8.39 × 10-4 478
4000 0.00112 638
5000 0.00140 797
6000 0.00168 957
7000 0.00196 1120
8000 0.00224 1280
9000 0.00252 1430
1.00 × 104 0.00280 1590
2.00 × 104 0.00560 3190
3.00 × 104 0.00839 4780
4.00 × 104 0.0112 6380
5.00 × 104 0.0140 7970
6.00 × 104 0.0168 9570
7.00 × 104 0.0196 1.12 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.0224 1.28 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.0252 1.43 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.0280 1.59 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.0560 3.19 × 104
3.00 × 105 0.0839 4.78 × 104
4.00 × 105 0.112 6.38 × 104
5.00 × 105 0.140 7.97 × 104
6.00 × 105 0.168 9.57 × 104
7.00 × 105 0.196 1.12 × 105
8.00 × 105 0.224 1.28 × 105
9.00 × 105 0.252 1.43 × 105
1.00 × 106 0.280 1.59 × 105
1.86 × 106 0.521 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W12 × 170 (Wide Flange 12 inch tall × 170 lbf/ft)
L = 10.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
170 7.61 × 10-4 108
200 8.95 × 10-4 128
300 0.00134 191
400 0.00179 255
500 0.00224 319
600 0.00269 383
700 0.00313 446
800 0.00358 510
900 0.00403 574
1000 0.00448 638
2000 0.00895 1280
3000 0.0134 1910
4000 0.0179 2550
5000 0.0224 3190
6000 0.0269 3830
7000 0.0313 4460
8000 0.0358 5100
9000 0.0403 5740
1.00 × 104 0.0448 6380
2.00 × 104 0.0895 1.28 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.134 1.91 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.179 2.55 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.224 3.19 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.269 3.83 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.313 4.46 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.358 5.10 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.403 5.74 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.448 6.38 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.895 1.28 × 105
3.00 × 105 1.34 1.91 × 105
4.00 × 105 1.79 2.55 × 105
4.66 × 105 2.09 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W12 × 170 (Wide Flange 12 inch tall × 170 lbf/ft)
L = 15.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
170 0.00385 244
200 0.00453 287
300 0.00680 430
400 0.00907 574
500 0.0113 717
600 0.0136 861
700 0.0159 1000
800 0.0181 1150
900 0.0204 1290
1000 0.0227 1430
2000 0.0453 2870
3000 0.0680 4300
4000 0.0907 5740
5000 0.113 7170
6000 0.136 8610
7000 0.159 1.00 × 104
8000 0.181 1.15 × 104
9000 0.204 1.29 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.227 1.43 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.453 2.87 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.680 4.30 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.907 5.74 × 104
5.00 × 104 1.13 7.17 × 104
6.00 × 104 1.36 8.61 × 104
7.00 × 104 1.59 1.00 × 105
8.00 × 104 1.81 1.15 × 105
9.00 × 104 2.04 1.29 × 105
1.00 × 105 2.27 1.43 × 105
2.00 × 105 4.53 2.87 × 105
2.07 × 105 4.69 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W12 × 170 (Wide Flange 12 inch tall × 170 lbf/ft)
L = 20.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
170 0.0122 434
200 0.0143 510
300 0.0215 765
400 0.0287 1020
500 0.0358 1280
600 0.0430 1530
700 0.0501 1790
800 0.0573 2040
900 0.0645 2300
1000 0.0716 2550
2000 0.143 5100
3000 0.215 7650
4000 0.287 1.02 × 104
5000 0.358 1.28 × 104
6000 0.430 1.53 × 104
7000 0.501 1.79 × 104
8000 0.573 2.04 × 104
9000 0.645 2.30 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.716 2.55 × 104
2.00 × 104 1.43 5.10 × 104
3.00 × 104 2.15 7.65 × 104
4.00 × 104 2.87 1.02 × 105
5.00 × 104 3.58 1.28 × 105
6.00 × 104 4.30 1.53 × 105
7.00 × 104 5.01 1.79 × 105
8.00 × 104 5.73 2.04 × 105
9.00 × 104 6.45 2.30 × 105
1.00 × 105 7.16 2.55 × 105
1.16 × 105 8.34 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W12 × 170 (Wide Flange 12 inch tall × 170 lbf/ft)
L = 25.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
170 0.0297 678
200 0.0350 797
300 0.0525 1200
400 0.0700 1590
500 0.0874 1990
600 0.105 2390
700 0.122 2790
800 0.140 3190
900 0.157 3590
1000 0.175 3990
2000 0.350 7970
3000 0.525 1.20 × 104
4000 0.700 1.59 × 104
5000 0.874 1.99 × 104
6000 1.05 2.39 × 104
7000 1.22 2.79 × 104
8000 1.40 3.19 × 104
9000 1.57 3.59 × 104
1.00 × 104 1.75 3.99 × 104
2.00 × 104 3.50 7.97 × 104
3.00 × 104 5.25 1.20 × 105
4.00 × 104 7.00 1.59 × 105
5.00 × 104 8.74 1.99 × 105
6.00 × 104 10.5 2.39 × 105
7.00 × 104 12.2 2.79 × 105
7.45 × 104 13.0 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W12 × 170 (Wide Flange 12 inch tall × 170 lbf/ft)
L = 30.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
170 0.0616 976
200 0.0725 1150
300 0.109 1720
400 0.145 2300
500 0.181 2870
600 0.218 3440
700 0.254 4020
800 0.290 4590
900 0.326 5170
1000 0.363 5740
2000 0.725 1.15 × 104
3000 1.09 1.72 × 104
4000 1.45 2.30 × 104
5000 1.81 2.87 × 104
6000 2.18 3.44 × 104
7000 2.54 4.02 × 104
8000 2.90 4.59 × 104
9000 3.26 5.17 × 104
1.00 × 104 3.63 5.74 × 104
2.00 × 104 7.25 1.15 × 105
3.00 × 104 10.9 1.72 × 105
3.87 × 104 14.0 2.22 × 105
Steel I Beam: W12 × 170 (Wide Flange 12 inch tall × 170 lbf/ft)
L = 40.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
170 0.195 1730
200 0.229 2040
300 0.344 3060
400 0.458 4080
500 0.573 5100
600 0.688 6120
700 0.802 7140
800 0.917 8160
900 1.03 9180
1000 1.15 1.02 × 104
2000 2.29 2.04 × 104
3000 3.44 3.06 × 104
4000 4.58 4.08 × 104
5000 5.73 5.10 × 104
6000 6.88 6.12 × 104
7000 8.02 7.14 × 104
8000 9.17 8.16 × 104
9000 10.3 9.18 × 104
1.00 × 104 11.5 1.02 × 105
1.22 × 104 14.0 1.25 × 105
Steel I Beam: W12 × 170 (Wide Flange 12 inch tall × 170 lbf/ft)
L = 50.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
170 0.476 2710
200 0.560 3190
300 0.839 4780
400 1.12 6380
500 1.40 7970
600 1.68 9570
700 1.96 1.12 × 104
800 2.24 1.28 × 104
900 2.52 1.43 × 104
1000 2.80 1.59 × 104
2000 5.60 3.19 × 104
3000 8.39 4.78 × 104
4000 11.2 6.38 × 104
5000 14.0 7.97 × 104
5010 14.0 7.99 × 104
Steel I Beam: W12 × 170 (Wide Flange 12 inch tall × 170 lbf/ft)
L = 60.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
170 0.986 3900
200 1.16 4590
300 1.74 6890
400 2.32 9180
500 2.90 1.15 × 104
600 3.48 1.38 × 104
700 4.06 1.61 × 104
800 4.64 1.84 × 104
900 5.22 2.07 × 104
1000 5.80 2.30 × 104
2000 11.6 4.59 × 104
2420 14.0 5.55 × 104
Steel I Beam: W12 × 170 (Wide Flange 12 inch tall × 170 lbf/ft)
L = 70.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
170 1.83 5310
200 2.15 6250
300 3.22 9370
400 4.30 1.25 × 104
500 5.37 1.56 × 104
600 6.45 1.87 × 104
700 7.52 2.19 × 104
800 8.60 2.50 × 104
900 9.67 2.81 × 104
1000 10.7 3.12 × 104
1310 14.0 4.08 × 104
Steel I Beam: W12 × 170 (Wide Flange 12 inch tall × 170 lbf/ft)
L = 80.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
170 3.12 6940
200 3.67 8160
300 5.50 1.22 × 104
400 7.34 1.63 × 104
500 9.17 2.04 × 104
600 11.0 2.45 × 104
700 12.8 2.86 × 104
765 14.0 3.12 × 104
Steel I Beam: W12 × 170 (Wide Flange 12 inch tall × 170 lbf/ft)
L = 90.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
170 4.99 8780
200 5.87 1.03 × 104
300 8.81 1.55 × 104
400 11.7 2.07 × 104
478 14.0 2.47 × 104
Steel I Beam: W12 × 170 (Wide Flange 12 inch tall × 170 lbf/ft)
L = 100 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
170 7.61 1.08 × 104
200 8.95 1.28 × 104
300 13.4 1.91 × 104
313 14.0 2.00 × 104
Additional Information
Related Pages
Glossary
FREE Publications
Selecting the Right 3D Printer

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

3D Scanners

A white paper to assist in the evaluation of 3D scanning hardware solutions.

Injection Molding Design Guide

Guide for high quality and cost-effective plastic injection molding.

Mechanical Engineers Outlook

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

more publications