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Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Single Span » Wide Flange Steel I Beam » W4 × 13
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 = 11.3 in4) for the W4 × 13 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
   
Steel I Beam: W4 × 13 (Wide Flange 4 inch tall × 13 lbf/ft)
L = 3.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
13.0 6.88 × 10-5 32.3
20.0 1.06 × 10-4 49.7
30.0 1.59 × 10-4 74.5
40.0 2.12 × 10-4 99.4
50.0 2.65 × 10-4 124
60.0 3.18 × 10-4 149
70.0 3.71 × 10-4 174
80.0 4.24 × 10-4 199
90.0 4.77 × 10-4 224
100 5.30 × 10-4 248
200 0.00106 497
300 0.00159 745
400 0.00212 994
500 0.00265 1240
600 0.00318 1490
700 0.00371 1740
800 0.00424 1990
900 0.00477 2240
1000 0.00530 2480
2000 0.0106 4970
3000 0.0159 7450
4000 0.0212 9940
5000 0.0265 1.24 × 104
6000 0.0318 1.49 × 104
7000 0.0371 1.74 × 104
8000 0.0424 1.99 × 104
9000 0.0477 2.24 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.0530 2.48 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.106 4.97 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.159 7.45 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.212 9.94 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.265 1.24 × 105
6.00 × 104 0.318 1.49 × 105
7.00 × 104 0.371 1.74 × 105
8.00 × 104 0.424 1.99 × 105
9.00 × 104 0.477 2.24 × 105
1.00 × 105 0.530 2.48 × 105
1.20 × 105 0.633 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W4 × 13 (Wide Flange 4 inch tall × 13 lbf/ft)
L = 5.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
13.0 5.31 × 10-4 89.7
20.0 8.17 × 10-4 138
30.0 0.00123 207
40.0 0.00163 276
50.0 0.00204 345
60.0 0.00245 414
70.0 0.00286 483
80.0 0.00327 552
90.0 0.00368 621
100 0.00409 690
200 0.00817 1380
300 0.0123 2070
400 0.0163 2760
500 0.0204 3450
600 0.0245 4140
700 0.0286 4830
800 0.0327 5520
900 0.0368 6210
1000 0.0409 6900
2000 0.0817 1.38 × 104
3000 0.123 2.07 × 104
4000 0.163 2.76 × 104
5000 0.204 3.45 × 104
6000 0.245 4.14 × 104
7000 0.286 4.83 × 104
8000 0.327 5.52 × 104
9000 0.368 6.21 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.409 6.90 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.817 1.38 × 105
3.00 × 104 1.23 2.07 × 105
4.00 × 104 1.63 2.76 × 105
4.30 × 104 1.76 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W4 × 13 (Wide Flange 4 inch tall × 13 lbf/ft)
L = 10.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
13.0 0.00850 359
20.0 0.0131 552
30.0 0.0196 828
40.0 0.0261 1100
50.0 0.0327 1380
60.0 0.0392 1660
70.0 0.0458 1930
80.0 0.0523 2210
90.0 0.0588 2480
100 0.0654 2760
200 0.131 5520
300 0.196 8280
400 0.261 1.10 × 104
500 0.327 1.38 × 104
600 0.392 1.66 × 104
700 0.458 1.93 × 104
800 0.523 2.21 × 104
900 0.588 2.48 × 104
1000 0.654 2.76 × 104
2000 1.31 5.52 × 104
3000 1.96 8.28 × 104
4000 2.61 1.10 × 105
5000 3.27 1.38 × 105
6000 3.92 1.66 × 105
6360 4.16 1.76 × 105
Steel I Beam: W4 × 13 (Wide Flange 4 inch tall × 13 lbf/ft)
L = 15.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
13.0 0.0430 808
20.0 0.0662 1240
30.0 0.0993 1860
40.0 0.132 2480
50.0 0.165 3110
60.0 0.199 3730
70.0 0.232 4350
80.0 0.265 4970
90.0 0.298 5590
100 0.331 6210
200 0.662 1.24 × 104
300 0.993 1.86 × 104
400 1.32 2.48 × 104
500 1.65 3.11 × 104
600 1.99 3.73 × 104
700 2.32 4.35 × 104
800 2.65 4.97 × 104
900 2.98 5.59 × 104
1000 3.31 6.21 × 104
1260 4.16 7.81 × 104
Steel I Beam: W4 × 13 (Wide Flange 4 inch tall × 13 lbf/ft)
L = 20.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
13.0 0.136 1440
20.0 0.209 2210
30.0 0.314 3310
40.0 0.418 4420
50.0 0.523 5520
60.0 0.628 6630
70.0 0.732 7730
80.0 0.837 8840
90.0 0.941 9940
100 1.05 1.10 × 104
200 2.09 2.21 × 104
300 3.14 3.31 × 104
398 4.16 4.39 × 104
Steel I Beam: W4 × 13 (Wide Flange 4 inch tall × 13 lbf/ft)
L = 25.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
13.0 0.332 2240
20.0 0.511 3450
30.0 0.766 5180
40.0 1.02 6900
50.0 1.28 8630
60.0 1.53 1.04 × 104
70.0 1.79 1.21 × 104
80.0 2.04 1.38 × 104
90.0 2.30 1.55 × 104
100 2.55 1.73 × 104
163 4.16 2.81 × 104
Steel I Beam: W4 × 13 (Wide Flange 4 inch tall × 13 lbf/ft)
L = 30.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
13.0 0.688 3230
20.0 1.06 4970
30.0 1.59 7450
40.0 2.12 9940
50.0 2.65 1.24 × 104
60.0 3.18 1.49 × 104
70.0 3.71 1.74 × 104
78.6 4.16 1.95 × 104
Steel I Beam: W4 × 13 (Wide Flange 4 inch tall × 13 lbf/ft)
L = 40.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
13.0 2.18 5740
20.0 3.35 8840
24.9 4.16 1.10 × 104
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Negotiate Your Salary

Learn the best principles to negotiate the salary you deserve!

STEM Career Outlook

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

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.

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