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Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Single Span » Wide Flange Steel I Beam » W18 × 35
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 = 510 in4) for the W18 × 35 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: W18 × 35 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 35 lbf/ft)
L = 3.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
35.0 4.11 × 10-6 8.20
40.0 4.69 × 10-6 9.37
50.0 5.87 × 10-6 11.7
60.0 7.04 × 10-6 14.1
70.0 8.21 × 10-6 16.4
80.0 9.39 × 10-6 18.7
90.0 1.06 × 10-5 21.1
100 1.17 × 10-5 23.4
200 2.35 × 10-5 46.9
300 3.52 × 10-5 70.3
400 4.69 × 10-5 93.7
500 5.87 × 10-5 117
600 7.04 × 10-5 141
700 8.21 × 10-5 164
800 9.39 × 10-5 187
900 1.06 × 10-4 211
1000 1.17 × 10-4 234
2000 2.35 × 10-4 469
3000 3.52 × 10-4 703
4000 4.69 × 10-4 937
5000 5.87 × 10-4 1170
6000 7.04 × 10-4 1410
7000 8.21 × 10-4 1640
8000 9.39 × 10-4 1870
9000 0.00106 2110
1.00 × 104 0.00117 2340
2.00 × 104 0.00235 4690
3.00 × 104 0.00352 7030
4.00 × 104 0.00469 9370
5.00 × 104 0.00587 1.17 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.00704 1.41 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.00821 1.64 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.00939 1.87 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.0106 2.11 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.0117 2.34 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.0235 4.69 × 104
3.00 × 105 0.0352 7.03 × 104
4.00 × 105 0.0469 9.37 × 104
5.00 × 105 0.0587 1.17 × 105
6.00 × 105 0.0704 1.41 × 105
7.00 × 105 0.0821 1.64 × 105
8.00 × 105 0.0939 1.87 × 105
9.00 × 105 0.106 2.11 × 105
1.00 × 106 0.117 2.34 × 105
1.27 × 106 0.149 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 35 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 35 lbf/ft)
L = 5.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
35.0 3.17 × 10-5 22.8
40.0 3.62 × 10-5 26.0
50.0 4.53 × 10-5 32.5
60.0 5.43 × 10-5 39.0
70.0 6.34 × 10-5 45.6
80.0 7.24 × 10-5 52.1
90.0 8.15 × 10-5 58.6
100 9.05 × 10-5 65.1
200 1.81 × 10-4 130
300 2.72 × 10-4 195
400 3.62 × 10-4 260
500 4.53 × 10-4 325
600 5.43 × 10-4 390
700 6.34 × 10-4 456
800 7.24 × 10-4 521
900 8.15 × 10-4 586
1000 9.05 × 10-4 651
2000 0.00181 1300
3000 0.00272 1950
4000 0.00362 2600
5000 0.00453 3250
6000 0.00543 3900
7000 0.00634 4560
8000 0.00724 5210
9000 0.00815 5860
1.00 × 104 0.00905 6510
2.00 × 104 0.0181 1.30 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.0272 1.95 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.0362 2.60 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.0453 3.25 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.0543 3.90 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.0634 4.56 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.0724 5.21 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.0815 5.86 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.0905 6.51 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.181 1.30 × 105
3.00 × 105 0.272 1.95 × 105
4.00 × 105 0.362 2.60 × 105
4.56 × 105 0.413 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 35 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 35 lbf/ft)
L = 10.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
35.0 5.07 × 10-4 91.1
40.0 5.79 × 10-4 104
50.0 7.24 × 10-4 130
60.0 8.69 × 10-4 156
70.0 0.00101 182
80.0 0.00116 208
90.0 0.00130 234
100 0.00145 260
200 0.00290 521
300 0.00435 781
400 0.00579 1040
500 0.00724 1300
600 0.00869 1560
700 0.0101 1820
800 0.0116 2080
900 0.0130 2340
1000 0.0145 2600
2000 0.0290 5210
3000 0.0435 7810
4000 0.0579 1.04 × 104
5000 0.0724 1.30 × 104
6000 0.0869 1.56 × 104
7000 0.101 1.82 × 104
8000 0.116 2.08 × 104
9000 0.130 2.34 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.145 2.60 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.290 5.21 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.435 7.81 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.579 1.04 × 105
5.00 × 104 0.724 1.30 × 105
6.00 × 104 0.869 1.56 × 105
7.00 × 104 1.01 1.82 × 105
8.00 × 104 1.16 2.08 × 105
9.00 × 104 1.30 2.34 × 105
1.00 × 105 1.45 2.60 × 105
1.14 × 105 1.65 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 35 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 35 lbf/ft)
L = 15.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
35.0 0.00257 205
40.0 0.00293 234
50.0 0.00367 293
60.0 0.00440 351
70.0 0.00513 410
80.0 0.00587 469
90.0 0.00660 527
100 0.00733 586
200 0.0147 1170
300 0.0220 1760
400 0.0293 2340
500 0.0367 2930
600 0.0440 3510
700 0.0513 4100
800 0.0587 4690
900 0.0660 5270
1000 0.0733 5860
2000 0.147 1.17 × 104
3000 0.220 1.76 × 104
4000 0.293 2.34 × 104
5000 0.367 2.93 × 104
6000 0.440 3.51 × 104
7000 0.513 4.10 × 104
8000 0.587 4.69 × 104
9000 0.660 5.27 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.733 5.86 × 104
2.00 × 104 1.47 1.17 × 105
3.00 × 104 2.20 1.76 × 105
4.00 × 104 2.93 2.34 × 105
5.00 × 104 3.67 2.93 × 105
5.07 × 104 3.72 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 35 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 35 lbf/ft)
L = 20.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
35.0 0.00811 364
40.0 0.00927 416
50.0 0.0116 521
60.0 0.0139 625
70.0 0.0162 729
80.0 0.0185 833
90.0 0.0209 937
100 0.0232 1040
200 0.0464 2080
300 0.0695 3120
400 0.0927 4160
500 0.116 5210
600 0.139 6250
700 0.162 7290
800 0.185 8330
900 0.209 9370
1000 0.232 1.04 × 104
2000 0.464 2.08 × 104
3000 0.695 3.12 × 104
4000 0.927 4.16 × 104
5000 1.16 5.21 × 104
6000 1.39 6.25 × 104
7000 1.62 7.29 × 104
8000 1.85 8.33 × 104
9000 2.09 9.37 × 104
1.00 × 104 2.32 1.04 × 105
2.00 × 104 4.64 2.08 × 105
2.85 × 104 6.61 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 35 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 35 lbf/ft)
L = 25.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
35.0 0.0198 569
40.0 0.0226 651
50.0 0.0283 813
60.0 0.0339 976
70.0 0.0396 1140
80.0 0.0453 1300
90.0 0.0509 1460
100 0.0566 1630
200 0.113 3250
300 0.170 4880
400 0.226 6510
500 0.283 8130
600 0.339 9760
700 0.396 1.14 × 104
800 0.453 1.30 × 104
900 0.509 1.46 × 104
1000 0.566 1.63 × 104
2000 1.13 3.25 × 104
3000 1.70 4.88 × 104
4000 2.26 6.51 × 104
5000 2.83 8.13 × 104
6000 3.39 9.76 × 104
7000 3.96 1.14 × 105
8000 4.53 1.30 × 105
9000 5.09 1.46 × 105
1.00 × 104 5.66 1.63 × 105
1.83 × 104 10.3 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 35 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 35 lbf/ft)
L = 30.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
35.0 0.0411 820
40.0 0.0469 937
50.0 0.0587 1170
60.0 0.0704 1410
70.0 0.0821 1640
80.0 0.0939 1870
90.0 0.106 2110
100 0.117 2340
200 0.235 4690
300 0.352 7030
400 0.469 9370
500 0.587 1.17 × 104
600 0.704 1.41 × 104
700 0.821 1.64 × 104
800 0.939 1.87 × 104
900 1.06 2.11 × 104
1000 1.17 2.34 × 104
2000 2.35 4.69 × 104
3000 3.52 7.03 × 104
4000 4.69 9.37 × 104
5000 5.87 1.17 × 105
6000 7.04 1.41 × 105
7000 8.21 1.64 × 105
8000 9.39 1.87 × 105
9000 10.6 2.11 × 105
1.00 × 104 11.7 2.34 × 105
1.27 × 104 14.9 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 35 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 35 lbf/ft)
L = 40.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
35.0 0.130 1460
40.0 0.148 1670
50.0 0.185 2080
60.0 0.222 2500
70.0 0.260 2920
80.0 0.297 3330
90.0 0.334 3750
100 0.371 4160
200 0.742 8330
300 1.11 1.25 × 104
400 1.48 1.67 × 104
500 1.85 2.08 × 104
600 2.22 2.50 × 104
700 2.60 2.92 × 104
800 2.97 3.33 × 104
900 3.34 3.75 × 104
1000 3.71 4.16 × 104
2000 7.42 8.33 × 104
3000 11.1 1.25 × 105
4000 14.8 1.67 × 105
4770 17.7 1.99 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 35 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 35 lbf/ft)
L = 50.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
35.0 0.317 2280
40.0 0.362 2600
50.0 0.453 3250
60.0 0.543 3900
70.0 0.634 4560
80.0 0.724 5210
90.0 0.815 5860
100 0.905 6510
200 1.81 1.30 × 104
300 2.72 1.95 × 104
400 3.62 2.60 × 104
500 4.53 3.25 × 104
600 5.43 3.90 × 104
700 6.34 4.56 × 104
800 7.24 5.21 × 104
900 8.15 5.86 × 104
1000 9.05 6.51 × 104
1960 17.7 1.27 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 35 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 35 lbf/ft)
L = 60.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
35.0 0.657 3280
40.0 0.751 3750
50.0 0.939 4690
60.0 1.13 5620
70.0 1.31 6560
80.0 1.50 7500
90.0 1.69 8430
100 1.88 9370
200 3.75 1.87 × 104
300 5.63 2.81 × 104
400 7.51 3.75 × 104
500 9.39 4.69 × 104
600 11.3 5.62 × 104
700 13.1 6.56 × 104
800 15.0 7.50 × 104
900 16.9 8.43 × 104
943 17.7 8.84 × 104
Steel I Beam: W18 × 35 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 35 lbf/ft)
L = 70.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
35.0 1.22 4460
40.0 1.39 5100
50.0 1.74 6380
60.0 2.09 7650
70.0 2.43 8930
80.0 2.78 1.02 × 104
90.0 3.13 1.15 × 104
100 3.48 1.28 × 104
200 6.96 2.55 × 104
300 10.4 3.83 × 104
400 13.9 5.10 × 104
500 17.4 6.38 × 104
509 17.7 6.49 × 104
Steel I Beam: W18 × 35 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 35 lbf/ft)
L = 80.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
35.0 2.08 5830
40.0 2.37 6660
50.0 2.97 8330
60.0 3.56 10000
70.0 4.15 1.17 × 104
80.0 4.75 1.33 × 104
90.0 5.34 1.50 × 104
100 5.93 1.67 × 104
200 11.9 3.33 × 104
298 17.7 4.97 × 104
Steel I Beam: W18 × 35 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 35 lbf/ft)
L = 90.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
35.0 3.33 7380
40.0 3.80 8430
50.0 4.75 1.05 × 104
60.0 5.70 1.27 × 104
70.0 6.65 1.48 × 104
80.0 7.60 1.69 × 104
90.0 8.55 1.90 × 104
100 9.50 2.11 × 104
186 17.7 3.93 × 104
Steel I Beam: W18 × 35 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 35 lbf/ft)
L = 100 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
35.0 5.07 9110
40.0 5.79 1.04 × 104
50.0 7.24 1.30 × 104
60.0 8.69 1.56 × 104
70.0 10.1 1.82 × 104
80.0 11.6 2.08 × 104
90.0 13.0 2.34 × 104
100 14.5 2.60 × 104
122 17.7 3.18 × 104
Steel I Beam: W18 × 35 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 35 lbf/ft)
L = 125 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
35.0 12.4 1.42 × 104
40.0 14.1 1.63 × 104
50.0 17.7 2.03 × 104
50.1 17.7 2.04 × 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.

Essentials of Manufacturing

Information, coverage of important developments and expert commentary in manufacturing.

Mechanical Engineers Outlook

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

3D Scanners

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

more publications