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Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Three Equal Spans » Wide Flange Steel I Beam » W16 × 36
Wide Flange 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 = 448 in4) for the W16 × 36 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
L = 150 ft
   
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 3.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 2.51 × 10-6 6.88
40.0 2.79 × 10-6 7.65
50.0 3.49 × 10-6 9.56
60.0 4.19 × 10-6 11.5
70.0 4.88 × 10-6 13.4
80.0 5.58 × 10-6 15.3
90.0 6.28 × 10-6 17.2
100 6.98 × 10-6 19.1
200 1.40 × 10-5 38.2
300 2.09 × 10-5 57.4
400 2.79 × 10-5 76.5
500 3.49 × 10-5 95.6
600 4.19 × 10-5 115
700 4.88 × 10-5 134
800 5.58 × 10-5 153
900 6.28 × 10-5 172
1000 6.98 × 10-5 191
2000 1.40 × 10-4 382
3000 2.09 × 10-4 574
4000 2.79 × 10-4 765
5000 3.49 × 10-4 956
6000 4.19 × 10-4 1150
7000 4.88 × 10-4 1340
8000 5.58 × 10-4 1530
9000 6.28 × 10-4 1720
1.00 × 104 6.98 × 10-4 1910
2.00 × 104 0.00140 3820
3.00 × 104 0.00209 5740
4.00 × 104 0.00279 7650
5.00 × 104 0.00349 9560
6.00 × 104 0.00419 1.15 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.00488 1.34 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.00558 1.53 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.00628 1.72 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.00698 1.91 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.0140 3.82 × 104
3.00 × 105 0.0209 5.74 × 104
4.00 × 105 0.0279 7.65 × 104
5.00 × 105 0.0349 9.56 × 104
6.00 × 105 0.0419 1.15 × 105
7.00 × 105 0.0488 1.34 × 105
8.00 × 105 0.0558 1.53 × 105
9.00 × 105 0.0628 1.72 × 105
1.00 × 106 0.0698 1.91 × 105
1.55 × 106 0.108 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 5.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 1.94 × 10-5 19.1
40.0 2.15 × 10-5 21.2
50.0 2.69 × 10-5 26.6
60.0 3.23 × 10-5 31.9
70.0 3.77 × 10-5 37.2
80.0 4.31 × 10-5 42.5
90.0 4.84 × 10-5 47.8
100 5.38 × 10-5 53.1
200 1.08 × 10-4 106
300 1.61 × 10-4 159
400 2.15 × 10-4 212
500 2.69 × 10-4 266
600 3.23 × 10-4 319
700 3.77 × 10-4 372
800 4.31 × 10-4 425
900 4.84 × 10-4 478
1000 5.38 × 10-4 531
2000 0.00108 1060
3000 0.00161 1590
4000 0.00215 2120
5000 0.00269 2660
6000 0.00323 3190
7000 0.00377 3720
8000 0.00431 4250
9000 0.00484 4780
1.00 × 104 0.00538 5310
2.00 × 104 0.0108 1.06 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.0161 1.59 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.0215 2.12 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.0269 2.66 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.0323 3.19 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.0377 3.72 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.0431 4.25 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.0484 4.78 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.0538 5.31 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.108 1.06 × 105
3.00 × 105 0.161 1.59 × 105
4.00 × 105 0.215 2.12 × 105
5.00 × 105 0.269 2.66 × 105
5.59 × 105 0.301 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 10.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 3.10 × 10-4 76.5
40.0 3.44 × 10-4 85.0
50.0 4.31 × 10-4 106
60.0 5.17 × 10-4 127
70.0 6.03 × 10-4 149
80.0 6.89 × 10-4 170
90.0 7.75 × 10-4 191
100 8.61 × 10-4 212
200 0.00172 425
300 0.00258 637
400 0.00344 850
500 0.00431 1060
600 0.00517 1270
700 0.00603 1490
800 0.00689 1700
900 0.00775 1910
1000 0.00861 2120
2000 0.0172 4250
3000 0.0258 6370
4000 0.0344 8500
5000 0.0431 1.06 × 104
6000 0.0517 1.27 × 104
7000 0.0603 1.49 × 104
8000 0.0689 1.70 × 104
9000 0.0775 1.91 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.0861 2.12 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.172 4.25 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.258 6.37 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.344 8.50 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.431 1.06 × 105
6.00 × 104 0.517 1.27 × 105
7.00 × 104 0.603 1.49 × 105
8.00 × 104 0.689 1.70 × 105
9.00 × 104 0.775 1.91 × 105
1.00 × 105 0.861 2.12 × 105
1.40 × 105 1.20 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 15.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 0.00157 172
40.0 0.00174 191
50.0 0.00218 239
60.0 0.00262 287
70.0 0.00305 335
80.0 0.00349 382
90.0 0.00392 430
100 0.00436 478
200 0.00872 956
300 0.0131 1430
400 0.0174 1910
500 0.0218 2390
600 0.0262 2870
700 0.0305 3350
800 0.0349 3820
900 0.0392 4300
1000 0.0436 4780
2000 0.0872 9560
3000 0.131 1.43 × 104
4000 0.174 1.91 × 104
5000 0.218 2.39 × 104
6000 0.262 2.87 × 104
7000 0.305 3.35 × 104
8000 0.349 3.82 × 104
9000 0.392 4.30 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.436 4.78 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.872 9.56 × 104
3.00 × 104 1.31 1.43 × 105
4.00 × 104 1.74 1.91 × 105
5.00 × 104 2.18 2.39 × 105
6.00 × 104 2.62 2.87 × 105
6.22 × 104 2.71 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 20.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 0.00496 306
40.0 0.00551 340
50.0 0.00689 425
60.0 0.00827 510
70.0 0.00964 595
80.0 0.0110 680
90.0 0.0124 765
100 0.0138 850
200 0.0276 1700
300 0.0413 2550
400 0.0551 3400
500 0.0689 4250
600 0.0827 5100
700 0.0964 5950
800 0.110 6800
900 0.124 7650
1000 0.138 8500
2000 0.276 1.70 × 104
3000 0.413 2.55 × 104
4000 0.551 3.40 × 104
5000 0.689 4.25 × 104
6000 0.827 5.10 × 104
7000 0.964 5.95 × 104
8000 1.10 6.80 × 104
9000 1.24 7.65 × 104
1.00 × 104 1.38 8.50 × 104
2.00 × 104 2.76 1.70 × 105
3.00 × 104 4.13 2.55 × 105
3.50 × 104 4.82 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 25.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 0.0121 478
40.0 0.0135 531
50.0 0.0168 664
60.0 0.0202 797
70.0 0.0235 929
80.0 0.0269 1060
90.0 0.0303 1190
100 0.0336 1330
200 0.0673 2660
300 0.101 3980
400 0.135 5310
500 0.168 6640
600 0.202 7970
700 0.235 9290
800 0.269 1.06 × 104
900 0.303 1.19 × 104
1000 0.336 1.33 × 104
2000 0.673 2.66 × 104
3000 1.01 3.98 × 104
4000 1.35 5.31 × 104
5000 1.68 6.64 × 104
6000 2.02 7.97 × 104
7000 2.35 9.29 × 104
8000 2.69 1.06 × 105
9000 3.03 1.19 × 105
1.00 × 104 3.36 1.33 × 105
2.00 × 104 6.73 2.66 × 105
2.24 × 104 7.53 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 30.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 0.0251 688
40.0 0.0279 765
50.0 0.0349 956
60.0 0.0419 1150
70.0 0.0488 1340
80.0 0.0558 1530
90.0 0.0628 1720
100 0.0698 1910
200 0.140 3820
300 0.209 5740
400 0.279 7650
500 0.349 9560
600 0.419 1.15 × 104
700 0.488 1.34 × 104
800 0.558 1.53 × 104
900 0.628 1.72 × 104
1000 0.698 1.91 × 104
2000 1.40 3.82 × 104
3000 2.09 5.74 × 104
4000 2.79 7.65 × 104
5000 3.49 9.56 × 104
6000 4.19 1.15 × 105
7000 4.88 1.34 × 105
8000 5.58 1.53 × 105
9000 6.28 1.72 × 105
1.00 × 104 6.98 1.91 × 105
1.55 × 104 10.8 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 40.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 0.0794 1220
40.0 0.0882 1360
50.0 0.110 1700
60.0 0.132 2040
70.0 0.154 2380
80.0 0.176 2720
90.0 0.198 3060
100 0.220 3400
200 0.441 6800
300 0.661 1.02 × 104
400 0.882 1.36 × 104
500 1.10 1.70 × 104
600 1.32 2.04 × 104
700 1.54 2.38 × 104
800 1.76 2.72 × 104
900 1.98 3.06 × 104
1000 2.20 3.40 × 104
2000 4.41 6.80 × 104
3000 6.61 1.02 × 105
4000 8.82 1.36 × 105
5000 11.0 1.70 × 105
6000 13.2 2.04 × 105
7000 15.4 2.38 × 105
7190 15.9 2.45 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 50.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 0.194 1910
40.0 0.215 2120
50.0 0.269 2660
60.0 0.323 3190
70.0 0.377 3720
80.0 0.431 4250
90.0 0.484 4780
100 0.538 5310
200 1.08 1.06 × 104
300 1.61 1.59 × 104
400 2.15 2.12 × 104
500 2.69 2.66 × 104
600 3.23 3.19 × 104
700 3.77 3.72 × 104
800 4.31 4.25 × 104
900 4.84 4.78 × 104
1000 5.38 5.31 × 104
2000 10.8 1.06 × 105
2950 15.9 1.56 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 60.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 0.402 2750
40.0 0.446 3060
50.0 0.558 3820
60.0 0.670 4590
70.0 0.781 5350
80.0 0.893 6120
90.0 1.00 6880
100 1.12 7650
200 2.23 1.53 × 104
300 3.35 2.29 × 104
400 4.46 3.06 × 104
500 5.58 3.82 × 104
600 6.70 4.59 × 104
700 7.81 5.35 × 104
800 8.93 6.12 × 104
900 10.0 6.88 × 104
1000 11.2 7.65 × 104
1420 15.9 1.09 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 70.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 0.744 3750
40.0 0.827 4160
50.0 1.03 5200
60.0 1.24 6240
70.0 1.45 7290
80.0 1.65 8330
90.0 1.86 9370
100 2.07 1.04 × 104
200 4.14 2.08 × 104
300 6.20 3.12 × 104
400 8.27 4.16 × 104
500 10.3 5.20 × 104
600 12.4 6.24 × 104
700 14.5 7.29 × 104
767 15.9 7.98 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 80.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 1.27 4890
40.0 1.41 5440
50.0 1.76 6800
60.0 2.12 8160
70.0 2.47 9520
80.0 2.82 1.09 × 104
90.0 3.17 1.22 × 104
100 3.53 1.36 × 104
200 7.05 2.72 × 104
300 10.6 4.08 × 104
400 14.1 5.44 × 104
450 15.9 6.11 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 90.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 2.03 6190
40.0 2.26 6880
50.0 2.82 8600
60.0 3.39 1.03 × 104
70.0 3.95 1.20 × 104
80.0 4.52 1.38 × 104
90.0 5.08 1.55 × 104
100 5.65 1.72 × 104
200 11.3 3.44 × 104
281 15.9 4.83 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 100 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 3.10 7650
40.0 3.44 8500
50.0 4.31 1.06 × 104
60.0 5.17 1.27 × 104
70.0 6.03 1.49 × 104
80.0 6.89 1.70 × 104
90.0 7.75 1.91 × 104
100 8.61 2.12 × 104
184 15.9 3.91 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 125 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 7.57 1.19 × 104
40.0 8.41 1.33 × 104
50.0 10.5 1.66 × 104
60.0 12.6 1.99 × 104
70.0 14.7 2.32 × 104
75.4 15.9 2.50 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 36 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 36 lbf/ft)
L = 150 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
36.0 15.7 1.72 × 104
36.4 15.9 1.74 × 104
Additional Information
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CNC Machining Design Guide

Optimize your designs, reduce machining time, and lower your costs.

Negotiate Your Salary

Learn the best principles to negotiate the salary you deserve!

Injection Molding Design Guide

Guide for high quality and cost-effective plastic injection molding.

3D Scanners

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

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