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Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Single Span » Wide Flange Steel I Beam » W16 × 45
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 = 586 in4) for the W16 × 45 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
   
Steel I Beam: W16 × 45 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 45 lbf/ft)
L = 3.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
45.0 4.59 × 10-6 8.36
50.0 5.11 × 10-6 9.29
60.0 6.13 × 10-6 11.1
70.0 7.15 × 10-6 13.0
80.0 8.17 × 10-6 14.9
90.0 9.19 × 10-6 16.7
100 1.02 × 10-5 18.6
200 2.04 × 10-5 37.2
300 3.06 × 10-5 55.7
400 4.08 × 10-5 74.3
500 5.11 × 10-5 92.9
600 6.13 × 10-5 111
700 7.15 × 10-5 130
800 8.17 × 10-5 149
900 9.19 × 10-5 167
1000 1.02 × 10-4 186
2000 2.04 × 10-4 372
3000 3.06 × 10-4 557
4000 4.08 × 10-4 743
5000 5.11 × 10-4 929
6000 6.13 × 10-4 1110
7000 7.15 × 10-4 1300
8000 8.17 × 10-4 1490
9000 9.19 × 10-4 1670
1.00 × 104 0.00102 1860
2.00 × 104 0.00204 3720
3.00 × 104 0.00306 5570
4.00 × 104 0.00408 7430
5.00 × 104 0.00511 9290
6.00 × 104 0.00613 1.11 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.00715 1.30 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.00817 1.49 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.00919 1.67 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.0102 1.86 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.0204 3.72 × 104
3.00 × 105 0.0306 5.57 × 104
4.00 × 105 0.0408 7.43 × 104
5.00 × 105 0.0511 9.29 × 104
6.00 × 105 0.0613 1.11 × 105
7.00 × 105 0.0715 1.30 × 105
8.00 × 105 0.0817 1.49 × 105
9.00 × 105 0.0919 1.67 × 105
1.00 × 106 0.102 1.86 × 105
1.60 × 106 0.163 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 45 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 45 lbf/ft)
L = 5.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
45.0 3.55 × 10-5 23.2
50.0 3.94 × 10-5 25.8
60.0 4.73 × 10-5 31.0
70.0 5.52 × 10-5 36.1
80.0 6.30 × 10-5 41.3
90.0 7.09 × 10-5 46.4
100 7.88 × 10-5 51.6
200 1.58 × 10-4 103
300 2.36 × 10-4 155
400 3.15 × 10-4 206
500 3.94 × 10-4 258
600 4.73 × 10-4 310
700 5.52 × 10-4 361
800 6.30 × 10-4 413
900 7.09 × 10-4 464
1000 7.88 × 10-4 516
2000 0.00158 1030
3000 0.00236 1550
4000 0.00315 2060
5000 0.00394 2580
6000 0.00473 3100
7000 0.00552 3610
8000 0.00630 4130
9000 0.00709 4640
1.00 × 104 0.00788 5160
2.00 × 104 0.0158 1.03 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.0236 1.55 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.0315 2.06 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.0394 2.58 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.0473 3.10 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.0552 3.61 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.0630 4.13 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.0709 4.64 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.0788 5.16 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.158 1.03 × 105
3.00 × 105 0.236 1.55 × 105
4.00 × 105 0.315 2.06 × 105
5.00 × 105 0.394 2.58 × 105
5.76 × 105 0.453 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 45 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 45 lbf/ft)
L = 10.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
45.0 5.67 × 10-4 92.9
50.0 6.30 × 10-4 103
60.0 7.56 × 10-4 124
70.0 8.82 × 10-4 145
80.0 0.00101 165
90.0 0.00113 186
100 0.00126 206
200 0.00252 413
300 0.00378 619
400 0.00504 826
500 0.00630 1030
600 0.00756 1240
700 0.00882 1450
800 0.0101 1650
900 0.0113 1860
1000 0.0126 2060
2000 0.0252 4130
3000 0.0378 6190
4000 0.0504 8260
5000 0.0630 1.03 × 104
6000 0.0756 1.24 × 104
7000 0.0882 1.45 × 104
8000 0.101 1.65 × 104
9000 0.113 1.86 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.126 2.06 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.252 4.13 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.378 6.19 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.504 8.26 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.630 1.03 × 105
6.00 × 104 0.756 1.24 × 105
7.00 × 104 0.882 1.45 × 105
8.00 × 104 1.01 1.65 × 105
9.00 × 104 1.13 1.86 × 105
1.00 × 105 1.26 2.06 × 105
1.44 × 105 1.81 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 45 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 45 lbf/ft)
L = 15.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
45.0 0.00287 209
50.0 0.00319 232
60.0 0.00383 279
70.0 0.00447 325
80.0 0.00511 372
90.0 0.00574 418
100 0.00638 464
200 0.0128 929
300 0.0191 1390
400 0.0255 1860
500 0.0319 2320
600 0.0383 2790
700 0.0447 3250
800 0.0511 3720
900 0.0574 4180
1000 0.0638 4640
2000 0.128 9290
3000 0.191 1.39 × 104
4000 0.255 1.86 × 104
5000 0.319 2.32 × 104
6000 0.383 2.79 × 104
7000 0.447 3.25 × 104
8000 0.511 3.72 × 104
9000 0.574 4.18 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.638 4.64 × 104
2.00 × 104 1.28 9.29 × 104
3.00 × 104 1.91 1.39 × 105
4.00 × 104 2.55 1.86 × 105
5.00 × 104 3.19 2.32 × 105
6.00 × 104 3.83 2.79 × 105
6.39 × 104 4.08 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 45 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 45 lbf/ft)
L = 20.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
45.0 0.00908 372
50.0 0.0101 413
60.0 0.0121 495
70.0 0.0141 578
80.0 0.0161 661
90.0 0.0182 743
100 0.0202 826
200 0.0403 1650
300 0.0605 2480
400 0.0807 3300
500 0.101 4130
600 0.121 4950
700 0.141 5780
800 0.161 6610
900 0.182 7430
1000 0.202 8260
2000 0.403 1.65 × 104
3000 0.605 2.48 × 104
4000 0.807 3.30 × 104
5000 1.01 4.13 × 104
6000 1.21 4.95 × 104
7000 1.41 5.78 × 104
8000 1.61 6.61 × 104
9000 1.82 7.43 × 104
1.00 × 104 2.02 8.26 × 104
2.00 × 104 4.03 1.65 × 105
3.00 × 104 6.05 2.48 × 105
3.60 × 104 7.26 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 45 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 45 lbf/ft)
L = 25.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
45.0 0.0222 581
50.0 0.0246 645
60.0 0.0295 774
70.0 0.0345 903
80.0 0.0394 1030
90.0 0.0443 1160
100 0.0492 1290
200 0.0985 2580
300 0.148 3870
400 0.197 5160
500 0.246 6450
600 0.295 7740
700 0.345 9030
800 0.394 1.03 × 104
900 0.443 1.16 × 104
1000 0.492 1.29 × 104
2000 0.985 2.58 × 104
3000 1.48 3.87 × 104
4000 1.97 5.16 × 104
5000 2.46 6.45 × 104
6000 2.95 7.74 × 104
7000 3.45 9.03 × 104
8000 3.94 1.03 × 105
9000 4.43 1.16 × 105
1.00 × 104 4.92 1.29 × 105
2.00 × 104 9.85 2.58 × 105
2.30 × 104 11.3 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 45 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 45 lbf/ft)
L = 30.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
45.0 0.0459 836
50.0 0.0511 929
60.0 0.0613 1110
70.0 0.0715 1300
80.0 0.0817 1490
90.0 0.0919 1670
100 0.102 1860
200 0.204 3720
300 0.306 5570
400 0.408 7430
500 0.511 9290
600 0.613 1.11 × 104
700 0.715 1.30 × 104
800 0.817 1.49 × 104
900 0.919 1.67 × 104
1000 1.02 1.86 × 104
2000 2.04 3.72 × 104
3000 3.06 5.57 × 104
4000 4.08 7.43 × 104
5000 5.11 9.29 × 104
6000 6.13 1.11 × 105
7000 7.15 1.30 × 105
8000 8.17 1.49 × 105
9000 9.19 1.67 × 105
1.00 × 104 10.2 1.86 × 105
1.60 × 104 16.3 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 45 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 45 lbf/ft)
L = 40.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
45.0 0.145 1490
50.0 0.161 1650
60.0 0.194 1980
70.0 0.226 2310
80.0 0.258 2640
90.0 0.290 2970
100 0.323 3300
200 0.645 6610
300 0.968 9910
400 1.29 1.32 × 104
500 1.61 1.65 × 104
600 1.94 1.98 × 104
700 2.26 2.31 × 104
800 2.58 2.64 × 104
900 2.90 2.97 × 104
1000 3.23 3.30 × 104
2000 6.45 6.61 × 104
3000 9.68 9.91 × 104
4000 12.9 1.32 × 105
5000 16.1 1.65 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 45 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 45 lbf/ft)
L = 50.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
45.0 0.355 2320
50.0 0.394 2580
60.0 0.473 3100
70.0 0.552 3610
80.0 0.630 4130
90.0 0.709 4640
100 0.788 5160
200 1.58 1.03 × 104
300 2.36 1.55 × 104
400 3.15 2.06 × 104
500 3.94 2.58 × 104
600 4.73 3.10 × 104
700 5.52 3.61 × 104
800 6.30 4.13 × 104
900 7.09 4.64 × 104
1000 7.88 5.16 × 104
2000 15.8 1.03 × 105
2050 16.1 1.06 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 45 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 45 lbf/ft)
L = 60.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
45.0 0.735 3340
50.0 0.817 3720
60.0 0.980 4460
70.0 1.14 5200
80.0 1.31 5950
90.0 1.47 6690
100 1.63 7430
200 3.27 1.49 × 104
300 4.90 2.23 × 104
400 6.54 2.97 × 104
500 8.17 3.72 × 104
600 9.80 4.46 × 104
700 11.4 5.20 × 104
800 13.1 5.95 × 104
900 14.7 6.69 × 104
987 16.1 7.34 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 45 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 45 lbf/ft)
L = 70.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
45.0 1.36 4550
50.0 1.51 5060
60.0 1.82 6070
70.0 2.12 7080
80.0 2.42 8090
90.0 2.72 9100
100 3.03 1.01 × 104
200 6.05 2.02 × 104
300 9.08 3.03 × 104
400 12.1 4.05 × 104
500 15.1 5.06 × 104
533 16.1 5.39 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 45 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 45 lbf/ft)
L = 80.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
45.0 2.32 5950
50.0 2.58 6610
60.0 3.10 7930
70.0 3.61 9250
80.0 4.13 1.06 × 104
90.0 4.65 1.19 × 104
100 5.16 1.32 × 104
200 10.3 2.64 × 104
300 15.5 3.96 × 104
312 16.1 4.13 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 45 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 45 lbf/ft)
L = 90.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
45.0 3.72 7520
50.0 4.14 8360
60.0 4.96 1.00 × 104
70.0 5.79 1.17 × 104
80.0 6.62 1.34 × 104
90.0 7.44 1.50 × 104
100 8.27 1.67 × 104
195 16.1 3.26 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 45 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 45 lbf/ft)
L = 100 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
45.0 5.67 9290
50.0 6.30 1.03 × 104
60.0 7.56 1.24 × 104
70.0 8.82 1.45 × 104
80.0 10.1 1.65 × 104
90.0 11.3 1.86 × 104
100 12.6 2.06 × 104
128 16.1 2.64 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 45 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 45 lbf/ft)
L = 125 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
45.0 13.8 1.45 × 104
50.0 15.4 1.61 × 104
52.4 16.1 1.69 × 104
Additional Information
Related Pages
Glossary
FREE Publications
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.

Metal 3D Printing Design Guide

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

STEM Career Outlook

Wages, employment opportunities, and growth projections for STEM jobs.

more publications