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Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Three Equal Spans » S Section Steel I Beam » S15 × 50
S Section Steel I Beam | Single Span | Two Equal Spans | Three Equal Spans | Four Equal Spans

For a simply supported beam in three equal spans, we compute the displacement at the middle of the first and the third spans, and the maximum normal stress stress_max occuring at the second and third supports of the beam.
The tabulated data listed in this page are calculated based on the area moment of inertia (Ixx = 486 in4) for the S15 × 50 S Section 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: S15 × 50 (S15 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 3.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 3.21 × 10-6 8.33
60.0 3.86 × 10-6 10.0
70.0 4.50 × 10-6 11.7
80.0 5.14 × 10-6 13.3
90.0 5.79 × 10-6 15.0
100 6.43 × 10-6 16.7
200 1.29 × 10-5 33.3
300 1.93 × 10-5 50.0
400 2.57 × 10-5 66.7
500 3.21 × 10-5 83.3
600 3.86 × 10-5 100
700 4.50 × 10-5 117
800 5.14 × 10-5 133
900 5.79 × 10-5 150
1000 6.43 × 10-5 167
2000 1.29 × 10-4 333
3000 1.93 × 10-4 500
4000 2.57 × 10-4 667
5000 3.21 × 10-4 833
6000 3.86 × 10-4 1000
7000 4.50 × 10-4 1170
8000 5.14 × 10-4 1330
9000 5.79 × 10-4 1500
1.00 × 104 6.43 × 10-4 1670
2.00 × 104 0.00129 3330
3.00 × 104 0.00193 5000
4.00 × 104 0.00257 6670
5.00 × 104 0.00321 8330
6.00 × 104 0.00386 1.00 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.00450 1.17 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.00514 1.33 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.00579 1.50 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.00643 1.67 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.0129 3.33 × 104
3.00 × 105 0.0193 5.00 × 104
4.00 × 105 0.0257 6.67 × 104
5.00 × 105 0.0321 8.33 × 104
6.00 × 105 0.0386 1.00 × 105
7.00 × 105 0.0450 1.17 × 105
8.00 × 105 0.0514 1.33 × 105
9.00 × 105 0.0579 1.50 × 105
1.00 × 106 0.0643 1.67 × 105
1.78 × 106 0.115 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: S15 × 50 (S15 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 5.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 2.48 × 10-5 23.1
60.0 2.98 × 10-5 27.8
70.0 3.47 × 10-5 32.4
80.0 3.97 × 10-5 37.0
90.0 4.47 × 10-5 41.7
100 4.96 × 10-5 46.3
200 9.92 × 10-5 92.6
300 1.49 × 10-4 139
400 1.98 × 10-4 185
500 2.48 × 10-4 231
600 2.98 × 10-4 278
700 3.47 × 10-4 324
800 3.97 × 10-4 370
900 4.47 × 10-4 417
1000 4.96 × 10-4 463
2000 9.92 × 10-4 926
3000 0.00149 1390
4000 0.00198 1850
5000 0.00248 2310
6000 0.00298 2780
7000 0.00347 3240
8000 0.00397 3700
9000 0.00447 4170
1.00 × 104 0.00496 4630
2.00 × 104 0.00992 9260
3.00 × 104 0.0149 1.39 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.0198 1.85 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.0248 2.31 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.0298 2.78 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.0347 3.24 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.0397 3.70 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.0447 4.17 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.0496 4.63 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.0992 9.26 × 104
3.00 × 105 0.149 1.39 × 105
4.00 × 105 0.198 1.85 × 105
5.00 × 105 0.248 2.31 × 105
6.00 × 105 0.298 2.78 × 105
6.42 × 105 0.318 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: S15 × 50 (S15 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 10.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 3.97 × 10-4 92.6
60.0 4.76 × 10-4 111
70.0 5.56 × 10-4 130
80.0 6.35 × 10-4 148
90.0 7.14 × 10-4 167
100 7.94 × 10-4 185
200 0.00159 370
300 0.00238 556
400 0.00318 741
500 0.00397 926
600 0.00476 1110
700 0.00556 1300
800 0.00635 1480
900 0.00714 1670
1000 0.00794 1850
2000 0.0159 3700
3000 0.0238 5560
4000 0.0318 7410
5000 0.0397 9260
6000 0.0476 1.11 × 104
7000 0.0556 1.30 × 104
8000 0.0635 1.48 × 104
9000 0.0714 1.67 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.0794 1.85 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.159 3.70 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.238 5.56 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.318 7.41 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.397 9.26 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.476 1.11 × 105
7.00 × 104 0.556 1.30 × 105
8.00 × 104 0.635 1.48 × 105
9.00 × 104 0.714 1.67 × 105
1.00 × 105 0.794 1.85 × 105
1.60 × 105 1.27 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: S15 × 50 (S15 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 15.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.00201 208
60.0 0.00241 250
70.0 0.00281 292
80.0 0.00321 333
90.0 0.00362 375
100 0.00402 417
200 0.00804 833
300 0.0121 1250
400 0.0161 1670
500 0.0201 2080
600 0.0241 2500
700 0.0281 2920
800 0.0321 3330
900 0.0362 3750
1000 0.0402 4170
2000 0.0804 8330
3000 0.121 1.25 × 104
4000 0.161 1.67 × 104
5000 0.201 2.08 × 104
6000 0.241 2.50 × 104
7000 0.281 2.92 × 104
8000 0.321 3.33 × 104
9000 0.362 3.75 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.402 4.17 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.804 8.33 × 104
3.00 × 104 1.21 1.25 × 105
4.00 × 104 1.61 1.67 × 105
5.00 × 104 2.01 2.08 × 105
6.00 × 104 2.41 2.50 × 105
7.00 × 104 2.81 2.92 × 105
7.13 × 104 2.86 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: S15 × 50 (S15 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 20.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.00635 370
60.0 0.00762 444
70.0 0.00889 519
80.0 0.0102 593
90.0 0.0114 667
100 0.0127 741
200 0.0254 1480
300 0.0381 2220
400 0.0508 2960
500 0.0635 3700
600 0.0762 4440
700 0.0889 5190
800 0.102 5930
900 0.114 6670
1000 0.127 7410
2000 0.254 1.48 × 104
3000 0.381 2.22 × 104
4000 0.508 2.96 × 104
5000 0.635 3.70 × 104
6000 0.762 4.44 × 104
7000 0.889 5.19 × 104
8000 1.02 5.93 × 104
9000 1.14 6.67 × 104
1.00 × 104 1.27 7.41 × 104
2.00 × 104 2.54 1.48 × 105
3.00 × 104 3.81 2.22 × 105
4.00 × 104 5.08 2.96 × 105
4.01 × 104 5.09 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: S15 × 50 (S15 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 25.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.0155 579
60.0 0.0186 694
70.0 0.0217 810
80.0 0.0248 926
90.0 0.0279 1040
100 0.0310 1160
200 0.0620 2310
300 0.0930 3470
400 0.124 4630
500 0.155 5790
600 0.186 6940
700 0.217 8100
800 0.248 9260
900 0.279 1.04 × 104
1000 0.310 1.16 × 104
2000 0.620 2.31 × 104
3000 0.930 3.47 × 104
4000 1.24 4.63 × 104
5000 1.55 5.79 × 104
6000 1.86 6.94 × 104
7000 2.17 8.10 × 104
8000 2.48 9.26 × 104
9000 2.79 1.04 × 105
1.00 × 104 3.10 1.16 × 105
2.00 × 104 6.20 2.31 × 105
2.57 × 104 7.96 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: S15 × 50 (S15 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 30.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.0321 833
60.0 0.0386 1000
70.0 0.0450 1170
80.0 0.0514 1330
90.0 0.0579 1500
100 0.0643 1670
200 0.129 3330
300 0.193 5000
400 0.257 6670
500 0.321 8330
600 0.386 1.00 × 104
700 0.450 1.17 × 104
800 0.514 1.33 × 104
900 0.579 1.50 × 104
1000 0.643 1.67 × 104
2000 1.29 3.33 × 104
3000 1.93 5.00 × 104
4000 2.57 6.67 × 104
5000 3.21 8.33 × 104
6000 3.86 1.00 × 105
7000 4.50 1.17 × 105
8000 5.14 1.33 × 105
9000 5.79 1.50 × 105
1.00 × 104 6.43 1.67 × 105
1.78 × 104 11.5 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: S15 × 50 (S15 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 40.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.102 1480
60.0 0.122 1780
70.0 0.142 2070
80.0 0.163 2370
90.0 0.183 2670
100 0.203 2960
200 0.406 5930
300 0.610 8890
400 0.813 1.19 × 104
500 1.02 1.48 × 104
600 1.22 1.78 × 104
700 1.42 2.07 × 104
800 1.63 2.37 × 104
900 1.83 2.67 × 104
1000 2.03 2.96 × 104
2000 4.06 5.93 × 104
3000 6.10 8.89 × 104
4000 8.13 1.19 × 105
5000 10.2 1.48 × 105
6000 12.2 1.78 × 105
7000 14.2 2.07 × 105
7380 15.0 2.19 × 105
Steel I Beam: S15 × 50 (S15 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 50.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.248 2310
60.0 0.298 2780
70.0 0.347 3240
80.0 0.397 3700
90.0 0.447 4170
100 0.496 4630
200 0.992 9260
300 1.49 1.39 × 104
400 1.98 1.85 × 104
500 2.48 2.31 × 104
600 2.98 2.78 × 104
700 3.47 3.24 × 104
800 3.97 3.70 × 104
900 4.47 4.17 × 104
1000 4.96 4.63 × 104
2000 9.92 9.26 × 104
3000 14.9 1.39 × 105
3020 15.0 1.40 × 105
Steel I Beam: S15 × 50 (S15 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 60.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.514 3330
60.0 0.617 4000
70.0 0.720 4670
80.0 0.823 5330
90.0 0.926 6000
100 1.03 6670
200 2.06 1.33 × 104
300 3.09 2.00 × 104
400 4.12 2.67 × 104
500 5.14 3.33 × 104
600 6.17 4.00 × 104
700 7.20 4.67 × 104
800 8.23 5.33 × 104
900 9.26 6.00 × 104
1000 10.3 6.67 × 104
1460 15.0 9.72 × 104
Steel I Beam: S15 × 50 (S15 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 70.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.953 4540
60.0 1.14 5440
70.0 1.33 6350
80.0 1.52 7260
90.0 1.72 8170
100 1.91 9070
200 3.81 1.81 × 104
300 5.72 2.72 × 104
400 7.62 3.63 × 104
500 9.53 4.54 × 104
600 11.4 5.44 × 104
700 13.3 6.35 × 104
787 15.0 7.14 × 104
Steel I Beam: S15 × 50 (S15 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 80.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 1.63 5930
60.0 1.95 7110
70.0 2.28 8300
80.0 2.60 9480
90.0 2.93 1.07 × 104
100 3.25 1.19 × 104
200 6.50 2.37 × 104
300 9.75 3.56 × 104
400 13.0 4.74 × 104
461 15.0 5.47 × 104
Steel I Beam: S15 × 50 (S15 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 90.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 2.60 7500
60.0 3.12 9000
70.0 3.65 1.05 × 104
80.0 4.17 1.20 × 104
90.0 4.69 1.35 × 104
100 5.21 1.50 × 104
200 10.4 3.00 × 104
288 15.0 4.32 × 104
Steel I Beam: S15 × 50 (S15 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 100 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 3.97 9260
60.0 4.76 1.11 × 104
70.0 5.56 1.30 × 104
80.0 6.35 1.48 × 104
90.0 7.14 1.67 × 104
100 7.94 1.85 × 104
189 15.0 3.50 × 104
Steel I Beam: S15 × 50 (S15 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 125 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 9.69 1.45 × 104
60.0 11.6 1.74 × 104
70.0 13.6 2.03 × 104
77.4 15.0 2.24 × 104
Additional Information
Related Pages
FREE Publications
Metal 3D Printing Design Guide

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

3D Scanners

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

Mechanical Engineers Outlook

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

STEM Career Outlook

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

more publications