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Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Two Equal Spans » Aluminum I Beam » 3.00 × 1.637
Aluminum I Beam | Single Span | Two Equal Spans | Three Equal Spans | Four Equal Spans

For a simply supported beam in two equal spans, we compute the displacement at the middle of each span w_mid and the maximum normal stress stress_max occuring at the center support of the beam.
The tabulated data listed in this page are calculated based on the area moment of inertia (Ixx = 2.24 in4) for the 3.00 × 1.637 Aluminum I Beam and the typical Young's modulus (E = 1.015 × 107 psi) of aluminum alloys. Note that the typical yielding stress Yield of aluminum alloys can range from 4061 to 7.614 × 104 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
   
Aluminum I Beam: 3.00 × 1.637 (3.00 inch tall × 1.637 lbf/ft)
L = 3.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
1.64 5.25 × 10-5 14.8
2.00 6.41 × 10-5 18.1
3.00 9.62 × 10-5 27.1
4.00 1.28 × 10-4 36.2
5.00 1.60 × 10-4 45.2
6.00 1.92 × 10-4 54.2
7.00 2.24 × 10-4 63.3
8.00 2.56 × 10-4 72.3
9.00 2.88 × 10-4 81.4
10.0 3.21 × 10-4 90.4
20.0 6.41 × 10-4 181
30.0 9.62 × 10-4 271
40.0 0.00128 362
50.0 0.00160 452
60.0 0.00192 542
70.0 0.00224 633
80.0 0.00256 723
90.0 0.00288 814
100 0.00321 904
200 0.00641 1810
300 0.00962 2710
400 0.0128 3620
500 0.0160 4520
600 0.0192 5420
700 0.0224 6330
800 0.0256 7230
900 0.0288 8140
1000 0.0321 9040
2000 0.0641 1.81 × 104
3000 0.0962 2.71 × 104
4000 0.128 3.62 × 104
5000 0.160 4.52 × 104
6000 0.192 5.42 × 104
7000 0.224 6.33 × 104
8000 0.256 7.23 × 104
8420 0.270 7.61 × 104
Aluminum I Beam: 3.00 × 1.637 (3.00 inch tall × 1.637 lbf/ft)
L = 5.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
1.64 4.05 × 10-4 41.1
2.00 4.95 × 10-4 50.2
3.00 7.42 × 10-4 75.3
4.00 9.89 × 10-4 100
5.00 0.00124 126
6.00 0.00148 151
7.00 0.00173 176
8.00 0.00198 201
9.00 0.00223 226
10.0 0.00247 251
20.0 0.00495 502
30.0 0.00742 753
40.0 0.00989 1000
50.0 0.0124 1260
60.0 0.0148 1510
70.0 0.0173 1760
80.0 0.0198 2010
90.0 0.0223 2260
100 0.0247 2510
200 0.0495 5020
300 0.0742 7530
400 0.0989 1.00 × 104
500 0.124 1.26 × 104
600 0.148 1.51 × 104
700 0.173 1.76 × 104
800 0.198 2.01 × 104
900 0.223 2.26 × 104
1000 0.247 2.51 × 104
2000 0.495 5.02 × 104
3000 0.742 7.53 × 104
3030 0.750 7.61 × 104
Aluminum I Beam: 3.00 × 1.637 (3.00 inch tall × 1.637 lbf/ft)
L = 10.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
1.64 0.00648 164
2.00 0.00791 201
3.00 0.0119 301
4.00 0.0158 402
5.00 0.0198 502
6.00 0.0237 603
7.00 0.0277 703
8.00 0.0317 804
9.00 0.0356 904
10.0 0.0396 1000
20.0 0.0791 2010
30.0 0.119 3010
40.0 0.158 4020
50.0 0.198 5020
60.0 0.237 6030
70.0 0.277 7030
80.0 0.317 8040
90.0 0.356 9040
100 0.396 1.00 × 104
200 0.791 2.01 × 104
300 1.19 3.01 × 104
400 1.58 4.02 × 104
500 1.98 5.02 × 104
600 2.37 6.03 × 104
700 2.77 7.03 × 104
758 3.00 7.61 × 104
Aluminum I Beam: 3.00 × 1.637 (3.00 inch tall × 1.637 lbf/ft)
L = 15.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
1.64 0.0328 370
2.00 0.0401 452
3.00 0.0601 678
4.00 0.0801 904
5.00 0.100 1130
6.00 0.120 1360
7.00 0.140 1580
8.00 0.160 1810
9.00 0.180 2030
10.0 0.200 2260
20.0 0.401 4520
30.0 0.601 6780
40.0 0.801 9040
50.0 1.00 1.13 × 104
60.0 1.20 1.36 × 104
70.0 1.40 1.58 × 104
80.0 1.60 1.81 × 104
90.0 1.80 2.03 × 104
100 2.00 2.26 × 104
150 3.00 3.38 × 104
Aluminum I Beam: 3.00 × 1.637 (3.00 inch tall × 1.637 lbf/ft)
L = 20.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
1.64 0.104 658
2.00 0.127 804
3.00 0.190 1210
4.00 0.253 1610
5.00 0.317 2010
6.00 0.380 2410
7.00 0.443 2810
8.00 0.507 3210
9.00 0.570 3620
10.0 0.633 4020
20.0 1.27 8040
30.0 1.90 1.21 × 104
40.0 2.53 1.61 × 104
47.4 3.00 1.90 × 104
Aluminum I Beam: 3.00 × 1.637 (3.00 inch tall × 1.637 lbf/ft)
L = 25.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
1.64 0.253 1030
2.00 0.309 1260
3.00 0.464 1880
4.00 0.618 2510
5.00 0.773 3140
6.00 0.928 3770
7.00 1.08 4390
8.00 1.24 5020
9.00 1.39 5650
10.0 1.55 6280
19.4 3.00 1.22 × 104
Aluminum I Beam: 3.00 × 1.637 (3.00 inch tall × 1.637 lbf/ft)
L = 30.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
1.64 0.525 1480
2.00 0.641 1810
3.00 0.962 2710
4.00 1.28 3620
5.00 1.60 4520
6.00 1.92 5420
7.00 2.24 6330
8.00 2.56 7230
9.00 2.88 8140
9.36 3.00 8460
Aluminum I Beam: 3.00 × 1.637 (3.00 inch tall × 1.637 lbf/ft)
L = 40.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
1.64 1.66 2630
2.00 2.03 3210
2.96 3.00 4760
Additional Information
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Essentials of Manufacturing

Information, coverage of important developments and expert commentary in manufacturing.

Negotiate Your Salary

Learn the best principles to negotiate the salary you deserve!

STEM Career Outlook

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

Metal 3D Printing Design Guide

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

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