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Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Three Equal Spans » 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 three equal spans, we compute the displacement at the middle of the first and the third span and the maximum normal stress stress_max occuring at the second and third support of the beam.
The tabulated data listed in this page are calculated based on the area moment of inertia (Ixx = 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.
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
   
Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 3.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
16.0 2.35 × 10-5 20.3
20.0 2.93 × 10-5 25.4
30.0 4.40 × 10-5 38.1
40.0 5.87 × 10-5 50.8
50.0 7.34 × 10-5 63.5
60.0 8.80 × 10-5 76.2
70.0 1.03 × 10-4 88.9
80.0 1.17 × 10-4 102
90.0 1.32 × 10-4 114
100 1.47 × 10-4 127
200 2.93 × 10-4 254
300 4.40 × 10-4 381
400 5.87 × 10-4 508
500 7.34 × 10-4 635
600 8.80 × 10-4 762
700 0.00103 889
800 0.00117 1020
900 0.00132 1140
1000 0.00147 1270
2000 0.00293 2540
3000 0.00440 3810
4000 0.00587 5080
5000 0.00734 6350
6000 0.00880 7620
7000 0.0103 8890
8000 0.0117 1.02 × 104
9000 0.0132 1.14 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.0147 1.27 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.0293 2.54 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.0440 3.81 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.0587 5.08 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.0734 6.35 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.0880 7.62 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.103 8.89 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.117 1.02 × 105
9.00 × 104 0.132 1.14 × 105
1.00 × 105 0.147 1.27 × 105
2.00 × 105 0.293 2.54 × 105
2.34 × 105 0.343 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 5.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
16.0 1.81 × 10-4 56.5
20.0 2.26 × 10-4 70.6
30.0 3.40 × 10-4 106
40.0 4.53 × 10-4 141
50.0 5.66 × 10-4 176
60.0 6.79 × 10-4 212
70.0 7.92 × 10-4 247
80.0 9.06 × 10-4 282
90.0 0.00102 318
100 0.00113 353
200 0.00226 706
300 0.00340 1060
400 0.00453 1410
500 0.00566 1760
600 0.00679 2120
700 0.00792 2470
800 0.00906 2820
900 0.0102 3180
1000 0.0113 3530
2000 0.0226 7060
3000 0.0340 1.06 × 104
4000 0.0453 1.41 × 104
5000 0.0566 1.76 × 104
6000 0.0679 2.12 × 104
7000 0.0792 2.47 × 104
8000 0.0906 2.82 × 104
9000 0.102 3.18 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.113 3.53 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.226 7.06 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.340 1.06 × 105
4.00 × 104 0.453 1.41 × 105
5.00 × 104 0.566 1.76 × 105
6.00 × 104 0.679 2.12 × 105
7.00 × 104 0.792 2.47 × 105
8.00 × 104 0.906 2.82 × 105
8.42 × 104 0.953 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 10.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
16.0 0.00290 226
20.0 0.00362 282
30.0 0.00543 423
40.0 0.00724 565
50.0 0.00906 706
60.0 0.0109 847
70.0 0.0127 988
80.0 0.0145 1130
90.0 0.0163 1270
100 0.0181 1410
200 0.0362 2820
300 0.0543 4230
400 0.0724 5650
500 0.0906 7060
600 0.109 8470
700 0.127 9880
800 0.145 1.13 × 104
900 0.163 1.27 × 104
1000 0.181 1.41 × 104
2000 0.362 2.82 × 104
3000 0.543 4.23 × 104
4000 0.724 5.65 × 104
5000 0.906 7.06 × 104
6000 1.09 8.47 × 104
7000 1.27 9.88 × 104
8000 1.45 1.13 × 105
9000 1.63 1.27 × 105
1.00 × 104 1.81 1.41 × 105
2.00 × 104 3.62 2.82 × 105
2.10 × 104 3.81 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 15.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
16.0 0.0147 508
20.0 0.0183 635
30.0 0.0275 953
40.0 0.0367 1270
50.0 0.0458 1590
60.0 0.0550 1910
70.0 0.0642 2220
80.0 0.0734 2540
90.0 0.0825 2860
100 0.0917 3180
200 0.183 6350
300 0.275 9530
400 0.367 1.27 × 104
500 0.458 1.59 × 104
600 0.550 1.91 × 104
700 0.642 2.22 × 104
800 0.734 2.54 × 104
900 0.825 2.86 × 104
1000 0.917 3.18 × 104
2000 1.83 6.35 × 104
3000 2.75 9.53 × 104
4000 3.67 1.27 × 105
5000 4.58 1.59 × 105
5460 5.01 1.73 × 105
Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 20.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
16.0 0.0464 903
20.0 0.0580 1130
30.0 0.0869 1690
40.0 0.116 2260
50.0 0.145 2820
60.0 0.174 3390
70.0 0.203 3950
80.0 0.232 4520
90.0 0.261 5080
100 0.290 5650
200 0.580 1.13 × 104
300 0.869 1.69 × 104
400 1.16 2.26 × 104
500 1.45 2.82 × 104
600 1.74 3.39 × 104
700 2.03 3.95 × 104
800 2.32 4.52 × 104
900 2.61 5.08 × 104
1000 2.90 5.65 × 104
1730 5.01 9.76 × 104
Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 25.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
16.0 0.113 1410
20.0 0.142 1760
30.0 0.212 2650
40.0 0.283 3530
50.0 0.354 4410
60.0 0.425 5290
70.0 0.495 6170
80.0 0.566 7060
90.0 0.637 7940
100 0.708 8820
200 1.42 1.76 × 104
300 2.12 2.65 × 104
400 2.83 3.53 × 104
500 3.54 4.41 × 104
600 4.25 5.29 × 104
700 4.95 6.17 × 104
708 5.01 6.25 × 104
Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 30.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
16.0 0.235 2030
20.0 0.293 2540
30.0 0.440 3810
40.0 0.587 5080
50.0 0.734 6350
60.0 0.880 7620
70.0 1.03 8890
80.0 1.17 1.02 × 104
90.0 1.32 1.14 × 104
100 1.47 1.27 × 104
200 2.93 2.54 × 104
300 4.40 3.81 × 104
341 5.01 4.34 × 104
Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 40.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
16.0 0.742 3610
20.0 0.927 4520
30.0 1.39 6770
40.0 1.85 9030
50.0 2.32 1.13 × 104
60.0 2.78 1.35 × 104
70.0 3.25 1.58 × 104
80.0 3.71 1.81 × 104
90.0 4.17 2.03 × 104
100 4.64 2.26 × 104
108 5.01 2.44 × 104
Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 50.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
16.0 1.81 5650
20.0 2.26 7060
30.0 3.40 1.06 × 104
40.0 4.53 1.41 × 104
44.3 5.01 1.56 × 104
Steel I Beam: W5 × 16 (Wide Flange 5 inch tall × 16 lbf/ft)
L = 60.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
16.0 3.76 8130
20.0 4.69 1.02 × 104
21.3 5.01 1.08 × 104
Additional Information
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FREE Publications
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!

Metal 3D Printing Design Guide

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

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

more publications