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Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Three Equal Spans » Wide Flange Steel I Beam » W16 × 50
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 = 659 in4) for the W16 × 50 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 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 3.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 2.37 × 10-6 6.66
60.0 2.85 × 10-6 7.99
70.0 3.32 × 10-6 9.33
80.0 3.79 × 10-6 10.7
90.0 4.27 × 10-6 12.0
100 4.74 × 10-6 13.3
200 9.48 × 10-6 26.6
300 1.42 × 10-5 40.0
400 1.90 × 10-5 53.3
500 2.37 × 10-5 66.6
600 2.85 × 10-5 79.9
700 3.32 × 10-5 93.3
800 3.79 × 10-5 107
900 4.27 × 10-5 120
1000 4.74 × 10-5 133
2000 9.48 × 10-5 266
3000 1.42 × 10-4 400
4000 1.90 × 10-4 533
5000 2.37 × 10-4 666
6000 2.85 × 10-4 799
7000 3.32 × 10-4 933
8000 3.79 × 10-4 1070
9000 4.27 × 10-4 1200
1.00 × 104 4.74 × 10-4 1330
2.00 × 104 9.48 × 10-4 2660
3.00 × 104 0.00142 4000
4.00 × 104 0.00190 5330
5.00 × 104 0.00237 6660
6.00 × 104 0.00285 7990
7.00 × 104 0.00332 9330
8.00 × 104 0.00379 1.07 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.00427 1.20 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.00474 1.33 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.00948 2.66 × 104
3.00 × 105 0.0142 4.00 × 104
4.00 × 105 0.0190 5.33 × 104
5.00 × 105 0.0237 6.66 × 104
6.00 × 105 0.0285 7.99 × 104
7.00 × 105 0.0332 9.33 × 104
8.00 × 105 0.0379 1.07 × 105
9.00 × 105 0.0427 1.20 × 105
1.00 × 106 0.0474 1.33 × 105
2.00 × 106 0.0948 2.66 × 105
2.23 × 106 0.106 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 5.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 1.83 × 10-5 18.5
60.0 2.20 × 10-5 22.2
70.0 2.56 × 10-5 25.9
80.0 2.93 × 10-5 29.6
90.0 3.29 × 10-5 33.3
100 3.66 × 10-5 37.0
200 7.32 × 10-5 74.0
300 1.10 × 10-4 111
400 1.46 × 10-4 148
500 1.83 × 10-4 185
600 2.20 × 10-4 222
700 2.56 × 10-4 259
800 2.93 × 10-4 296
900 3.29 × 10-4 333
1000 3.66 × 10-4 370
2000 7.32 × 10-4 740
3000 0.00110 1110
4000 0.00146 1480
5000 0.00183 1850
6000 0.00220 2220
7000 0.00256 2590
8000 0.00293 2960
9000 0.00329 3330
1.00 × 104 0.00366 3700
2.00 × 104 0.00732 7400
3.00 × 104 0.0110 1.11 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.0146 1.48 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.0183 1.85 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.0220 2.22 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.0256 2.59 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.0293 2.96 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.0329 3.33 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.0366 3.70 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.0732 7.40 × 104
3.00 × 105 0.110 1.11 × 105
4.00 × 105 0.146 1.48 × 105
5.00 × 105 0.183 1.85 × 105
6.00 × 105 0.220 2.22 × 105
7.00 × 105 0.256 2.59 × 105
8.00 × 105 0.293 2.96 × 105
8.03 × 105 0.294 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 10.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 2.93 × 10-4 74.0
60.0 3.51 × 10-4 88.8
70.0 4.10 × 10-4 104
80.0 4.68 × 10-4 118
90.0 5.27 × 10-4 133
100 5.85 × 10-4 148
200 0.00117 296
300 0.00176 444
400 0.00234 592
500 0.00293 740
600 0.00351 888
700 0.00410 1040
800 0.00468 1180
900 0.00527 1330
1000 0.00585 1480
2000 0.0117 2960
3000 0.0176 4440
4000 0.0234 5920
5000 0.0293 7400
6000 0.0351 8880
7000 0.0410 1.04 × 104
8000 0.0468 1.18 × 104
9000 0.0527 1.33 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.0585 1.48 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.117 2.96 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.176 4.44 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.234 5.92 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.293 7.40 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.351 8.88 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.410 1.04 × 105
8.00 × 104 0.468 1.18 × 105
9.00 × 104 0.527 1.33 × 105
1.00 × 105 0.585 1.48 × 105
2.00 × 105 1.17 2.96 × 105
2.01 × 105 1.17 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 15.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.00148 167
60.0 0.00178 200
70.0 0.00207 233
80.0 0.00237 266
90.0 0.00267 300
100 0.00296 333
200 0.00593 666
300 0.00889 999
400 0.0119 1330
500 0.0148 1670
600 0.0178 2000
700 0.0207 2330
800 0.0237 2660
900 0.0267 3000
1000 0.0296 3330
2000 0.0593 6660
3000 0.0889 9990
4000 0.119 1.33 × 104
5000 0.148 1.67 × 104
6000 0.178 2.00 × 104
7000 0.207 2.33 × 104
8000 0.237 2.66 × 104
9000 0.267 3.00 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.296 3.33 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.593 6.66 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.889 9.99 × 104
4.00 × 104 1.19 1.33 × 105
5.00 × 104 1.48 1.67 × 105
6.00 × 104 1.78 2.00 × 105
7.00 × 104 2.07 2.33 × 105
8.00 × 104 2.37 2.66 × 105
8.92 × 104 2.64 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 20.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.00468 296
60.0 0.00562 355
70.0 0.00656 415
80.0 0.00749 474
90.0 0.00843 533
100 0.00937 592
200 0.0187 1180
300 0.0281 1780
400 0.0375 2370
500 0.0468 2960
600 0.0562 3550
700 0.0656 4150
800 0.0749 4740
900 0.0843 5330
1000 0.0937 5920
2000 0.187 1.18 × 104
3000 0.281 1.78 × 104
4000 0.375 2.37 × 104
5000 0.468 2.96 × 104
6000 0.562 3.55 × 104
7000 0.656 4.15 × 104
8000 0.749 4.74 × 104
9000 0.843 5.33 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.937 5.92 × 104
2.00 × 104 1.87 1.18 × 105
3.00 × 104 2.81 1.78 × 105
4.00 × 104 3.75 2.37 × 105
5.00 × 104 4.68 2.96 × 105
5.02 × 104 4.70 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 25.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.0114 463
60.0 0.0137 555
70.0 0.0160 648
80.0 0.0183 740
90.0 0.0206 833
100 0.0229 925
200 0.0457 1850
300 0.0686 2780
400 0.0915 3700
500 0.114 4630
600 0.137 5550
700 0.160 6480
800 0.183 7400
900 0.206 8330
1000 0.229 9250
2000 0.457 1.85 × 104
3000 0.686 2.78 × 104
4000 0.915 3.70 × 104
5000 1.14 4.63 × 104
6000 1.37 5.55 × 104
7000 1.60 6.48 × 104
8000 1.83 7.40 × 104
9000 2.06 8.33 × 104
1.00 × 104 2.29 9.25 × 104
2.00 × 104 4.57 1.85 × 105
3.00 × 104 6.86 2.78 × 105
3.21 × 104 7.34 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 30.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.0237 666
60.0 0.0285 799
70.0 0.0332 933
80.0 0.0379 1070
90.0 0.0427 1200
100 0.0474 1330
200 0.0948 2660
300 0.142 4000
400 0.190 5330
500 0.237 6660
600 0.285 7990
700 0.332 9330
800 0.379 1.07 × 104
900 0.427 1.20 × 104
1000 0.474 1.33 × 104
2000 0.948 2.66 × 104
3000 1.42 4.00 × 104
4000 1.90 5.33 × 104
5000 2.37 6.66 × 104
6000 2.85 7.99 × 104
7000 3.32 9.33 × 104
8000 3.79 1.07 × 105
9000 4.27 1.20 × 105
1.00 × 104 4.74 1.33 × 105
2.00 × 104 9.48 2.66 × 105
2.23 × 104 10.6 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 40.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.0749 1180
60.0 0.0899 1420
70.0 0.105 1660
80.0 0.120 1890
90.0 0.135 2130
100 0.150 2370
200 0.300 4740
300 0.450 7110
400 0.599 9470
500 0.749 1.18 × 104
600 0.899 1.42 × 104
700 1.05 1.66 × 104
800 1.20 1.89 × 104
900 1.35 2.13 × 104
1000 1.50 2.37 × 104
2000 3.00 4.74 × 104
3000 4.50 7.11 × 104
4000 5.99 9.47 × 104
5000 7.49 1.18 × 105
6000 8.99 1.42 × 105
7000 10.5 1.66 × 105
8000 12.0 1.89 × 105
9000 13.5 2.13 × 105
1.00 × 104 15.0 2.37 × 105
1.25 × 104 18.8 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 50.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.183 1850
60.0 0.220 2220
70.0 0.256 2590
80.0 0.293 2960
90.0 0.329 3330
100 0.366 3700
200 0.732 7400
300 1.10 1.11 × 104
400 1.46 1.48 × 104
500 1.83 1.85 × 104
600 2.20 2.22 × 104
700 2.56 2.59 × 104
800 2.93 2.96 × 104
900 3.29 3.33 × 104
1000 3.66 3.70 × 104
2000 7.32 7.40 × 104
3000 11.0 1.11 × 105
4000 14.6 1.48 × 105
4440 16.3 1.64 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 60.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.379 2660
60.0 0.455 3200
70.0 0.531 3730
80.0 0.607 4260
90.0 0.683 4800
100 0.759 5330
200 1.52 1.07 × 104
300 2.28 1.60 × 104
400 3.03 2.13 × 104
500 3.79 2.66 × 104
600 4.55 3.20 × 104
700 5.31 3.73 × 104
800 6.07 4.26 × 104
900 6.83 4.80 × 104
1000 7.59 5.33 × 104
2000 15.2 1.07 × 105
2140 16.3 1.14 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 70.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 0.703 3630
60.0 0.843 4350
70.0 0.984 5080
80.0 1.12 5800
90.0 1.27 6530
100 1.41 7250
200 2.81 1.45 × 104
300 4.22 2.18 × 104
400 5.62 2.90 × 104
500 7.03 3.63 × 104
600 8.43 4.35 × 104
700 9.84 5.08 × 104
800 11.2 5.80 × 104
900 12.7 6.53 × 104
1000 14.1 7.25 × 104
1160 16.3 8.39 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 80.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 1.20 4740
60.0 1.44 5680
70.0 1.68 6630
80.0 1.92 7580
90.0 2.16 8530
100 2.40 9470
200 4.80 1.89 × 104
300 7.19 2.84 × 104
400 9.59 3.79 × 104
500 12.0 4.74 × 104
600 14.4 5.68 × 104
678 16.3 6.42 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 90.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 1.92 6000
60.0 2.30 7190
70.0 2.69 8390
80.0 3.07 9590
90.0 3.46 1.08 × 104
100 3.84 1.20 × 104
200 7.68 2.40 × 104
300 11.5 3.60 × 104
400 15.4 4.80 × 104
423 16.3 5.08 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 100 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 2.93 7400
60.0 3.51 8880
70.0 4.10 1.04 × 104
80.0 4.68 1.18 × 104
90.0 5.27 1.33 × 104
100 5.85 1.48 × 104
200 11.7 2.96 × 104
278 16.3 4.11 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 125 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 7.15 1.16 × 104
60.0 8.58 1.39 × 104
70.0 10.0 1.62 × 104
80.0 11.4 1.85 × 104
90.0 12.9 2.08 × 104
100 14.3 2.31 × 104
114 16.3 2.63 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 50 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 50 lbf/ft)
L = 150 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
50.0 14.8 1.67 × 104
54.9 16.3 1.83 × 104
Additional Information
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