eFunda: Glossary: Beams: Simply Supported: Uniformly Distributed Load: Single Span: Wide Flange Steel I Beam: W5 × 16

Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Single Span » Wide Flange Steel I Beam » W5 × 16

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 (I_xx = 21.3 in⁴) for the W5 × 16 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.

Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 3.00 ft
(lbf/ft)	(in)	(psi)
16.0	4.49 × 10^-5	25.4
20.0	5.62 × 10^-5	31.8
30.0	8.43 × 10^-5	47.6
40.0	1.12 × 10^-4	63.5
50.0	1.40 × 10^-4	79.4
60.0	1.69 × 10^-4	95.3
70.0	1.97 × 10^-4	111
80.0	2.25 × 10^-4	127
90.0	2.53 × 10^-4	143
100	2.81 × 10^-4	159
200	5.62 × 10^-4	318
300	8.43 × 10^-4	476
400	0.00112	635
500	0.00140	794
600	0.00169	953
700	0.00197	1110
800	0.00225	1270
900	0.00253	1430
1000	0.00281	1590
2000	0.00562	3180
3000	0.00843	4760
4000	0.0112	6350
5000	0.0140	7940
6000	0.0169	9530
7000	0.0197	1.11 × 10⁴
8000	0.0225	1.27 × 10⁴
9000	0.0253	1.43 × 10⁴
1.00 × 10⁴	0.0281	1.59 × 10⁴
2.00 × 10⁴	0.0562	3.18 × 10⁴
3.00 × 10⁴	0.0843	4.76 × 10⁴
4.00 × 10⁴	0.112	6.35 × 10⁴
5.00 × 10⁴	0.140	7.94 × 10⁴
6.00 × 10⁴	0.169	9.53 × 10⁴
7.00 × 10⁴	0.197	1.11 × 10⁵
8.00 × 10⁴	0.225	1.27 × 10⁵
9.00 × 10⁴	0.253	1.43 × 10⁵
1.00 × 10⁵	0.281	1.59 × 10⁵
1.87 × 10⁵	0.526	2.97 × 10⁵

Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 5.00 ft
(lbf/ft)	(in)	(psi)
16.0	3.47 × 10^-4	70.6
20.0	4.34 × 10^-4	88.2
30.0	6.50 × 10^-4	132
40.0	8.67 × 10^-4	176
50.0	0.00108	221
60.0	0.00130	265
70.0	0.00152	309
80.0	0.00173	353
90.0	0.00195	397
100	0.00217	441
200	0.00434	882
300	0.00650	1320
400	0.00867	1760
500	0.0108	2210
600	0.0130	2650
700	0.0152	3090
800	0.0173	3530
900	0.0195	3970
1000	0.0217	4410
2000	0.0434	8820
3000	0.0650	1.32 × 10⁴
4000	0.0867	1.76 × 10⁴
5000	0.108	2.21 × 10⁴
6000	0.130	2.65 × 10⁴
7000	0.152	3.09 × 10⁴
8000	0.173	3.53 × 10⁴
9000	0.195	3.97 × 10⁴
1.00 × 10⁴	0.217	4.41 × 10⁴
2.00 × 10⁴	0.434	8.82 × 10⁴
3.00 × 10⁴	0.650	1.32 × 10⁵
4.00 × 10⁴	0.867	1.76 × 10⁵
5.00 × 10⁴	1.08	2.21 × 10⁵
6.00 × 10⁴	1.30	2.65 × 10⁵
6.74 × 10⁴	1.46	2.97 × 10⁵

Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 10.0 ft
(lbf/ft)	(in)	(psi)
16.0	0.00555	282
20.0	0.00694	353
30.0	0.0104	529
40.0	0.0139	706
50.0	0.0173	882
60.0	0.0208	1060
70.0	0.0243	1230
80.0	0.0277	1410
90.0	0.0312	1590
100	0.0347	1760
200	0.0694	3530
300	0.104	5290
400	0.139	7060
500	0.173	8820
600	0.208	1.06 × 10⁴
700	0.243	1.23 × 10⁴
800	0.277	1.41 × 10⁴
900	0.312	1.59 × 10⁴
1000	0.347	1.76 × 10⁴
2000	0.694	3.53 × 10⁴
3000	1.04	5.29 × 10⁴
4000	1.39	7.06 × 10⁴
5000	1.73	8.82 × 10⁴
6000	2.08	1.06 × 10⁵
7000	2.43	1.23 × 10⁵
8000	2.77	1.41 × 10⁵
9000	3.12	1.59 × 10⁵
1.00 × 10⁴	3.47	1.76 × 10⁵
1.68 × 10⁴	5.84	2.97 × 10⁵

Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 15.0 ft
(lbf/ft)	(in)	(psi)
16.0	0.0281	635
20.0	0.0351	794
30.0	0.0527	1190
40.0	0.0702	1590
50.0	0.0878	1980
60.0	0.105	2380
70.0	0.123	2780
80.0	0.140	3180
90.0	0.158	3570
100	0.176	3970
200	0.351	7940
300	0.527	1.19 × 10⁴
400	0.702	1.59 × 10⁴
500	0.878	1.98 × 10⁴
600	1.05	2.38 × 10⁴
700	1.23	2.78 × 10⁴
800	1.40	3.18 × 10⁴
900	1.58	3.57 × 10⁴
1000	1.76	3.97 × 10⁴
2000	3.51	7.94 × 10⁴
2850	5.01	1.13 × 10⁵

Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 20.0 ft
(lbf/ft)	(in)	(psi)
16.0	0.0888	1130
20.0	0.111	1410
30.0	0.166	2120
40.0	0.222	2820
50.0	0.277	3530
60.0	0.333	4230
70.0	0.388	4940
80.0	0.444	5650
90.0	0.499	6350
100	0.555	7060
200	1.11	1.41 × 10⁴
300	1.66	2.12 × 10⁴
400	2.22	2.82 × 10⁴
500	2.77	3.53 × 10⁴
600	3.33	4.23 × 10⁴
700	3.88	4.94 × 10⁴
800	4.44	5.65 × 10⁴
900	4.99	6.35 × 10⁴
903	5.01	6.37 × 10⁴

Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 25.0 ft
(lbf/ft)	(in)	(psi)
16.0	0.217	1760
20.0	0.271	2210
30.0	0.406	3310
40.0	0.542	4410
50.0	0.677	5510
60.0	0.813	6620
70.0	0.948	7720
80.0	1.08	8820
90.0	1.22	9920
100	1.35	1.10 × 10⁴
200	2.71	2.21 × 10⁴
300	4.06	3.31 × 10⁴
370	5.01	4.08 × 10⁴

Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 30.0 ft
(lbf/ft)	(in)	(psi)
16.0	0.449	2540
20.0	0.562	3180
30.0	0.843	4760
40.0	1.12	6350
50.0	1.40	7940
60.0	1.69	9530
70.0	1.97	1.11 × 10⁴
80.0	2.25	1.27 × 10⁴
90.0	2.53	1.43 × 10⁴
100	2.81	1.59 × 10⁴
178	5.01	2.83 × 10⁴

Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 40.0 ft
(lbf/ft)	(in)	(psi)
16.0	1.42	4520
20.0	1.78	5650
30.0	2.66	8470
40.0	3.55	1.13 × 10⁴
50.0	4.44	1.41 × 10⁴
56.4	5.01	1.59 × 10⁴

Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 50.0 ft
(lbf/ft)	(in)	(psi)
16.0	3.47	7060
20.0	4.34	8820
23.1	5.01	1.02 × 10⁴

Additional Information

Area properties of Wide Flange Steel I-Beams

Properties of Common Steels

Beam Equations and Euler-Bernoulli Beam Theory

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Glossary

Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Three Equal Spans » Wide Flange Steel I Beam » W5 × 16

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