Mechanical Engineers Outlook

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

Metal 3D Printing Design Guide

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

Essentials of Manufacturing

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

3D Scanners

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

more free publications

Materials

Design

Processes

Units

Formulas

Math
Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Two Equal Spans » Aluminum I Beam » 3.00 × 2.030
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 = 2.71 in4) for the 3.00 × 2.030 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 × 2.030 (3.00 inch tall × 2.030 lbf/ft)
L = 3.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
2.03 5.38 × 10-5 15.2
3.00 7.95 × 10-5 22.4
4.00 1.06 × 10-4 29.9
5.00 1.32 × 10-4 37.4
6.00 1.59 × 10-4 44.8
7.00 1.85 × 10-4 52.3
8.00 2.12 × 10-4 59.8
9.00 2.38 × 10-4 67.3
10.0 2.65 × 10-4 74.7
20.0 5.30 × 10-4 149
30.0 7.95 × 10-4 224
40.0 0.00106 299
50.0 0.00132 374
60.0 0.00159 448
70.0 0.00185 523
80.0 0.00212 598
90.0 0.00238 673
100 0.00265 747
200 0.00530 1490
300 0.00795 2240
400 0.0106 2990
500 0.0132 3740
600 0.0159 4480
700 0.0185 5230
800 0.0212 5980
900 0.0238 6730
1000 0.0265 7470
2000 0.0530 1.49 × 104
3000 0.0795 2.24 × 104
4000 0.106 2.99 × 104
5000 0.132 3.74 × 104
6000 0.159 4.48 × 104
7000 0.185 5.23 × 104
8000 0.212 5.98 × 104
9000 0.238 6.73 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.265 7.47 × 104
1.02 × 104 0.270 7.61 × 104
Aluminum I Beam: 3.00 × 2.030 (3.00 inch tall × 2.030 lbf/ft)
L = 5.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
2.03 4.15 × 10-4 42.1
3.00 6.13 × 10-4 62.3
4.00 8.18 × 10-4 83.0
5.00 0.00102 104
6.00 0.00123 125
7.00 0.00143 145
8.00 0.00164 166
9.00 0.00184 187
10.0 0.00204 208
20.0 0.00409 415
30.0 0.00613 623
40.0 0.00818 830
50.0 0.0102 1040
60.0 0.0123 1250
70.0 0.0143 1450
80.0 0.0164 1660
90.0 0.0184 1870
100 0.0204 2080
200 0.0409 4150
300 0.0613 6230
400 0.0818 8300
500 0.102 1.04 × 104
600 0.123 1.25 × 104
700 0.143 1.45 × 104
800 0.164 1.66 × 104
900 0.184 1.87 × 104
1000 0.204 2.08 × 104
2000 0.409 4.15 × 104
3000 0.613 6.23 × 104
3670 0.750 7.61 × 104
Aluminum I Beam: 3.00 × 2.030 (3.00 inch tall × 2.030 lbf/ft)
L = 10.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
2.03 0.00664 169
3.00 0.00981 249
4.00 0.0131 332
5.00 0.0164 415
6.00 0.0196 498
7.00 0.0229 581
8.00 0.0262 664
9.00 0.0294 747
10.0 0.0327 830
20.0 0.0654 1660
30.0 0.0981 2490
40.0 0.131 3320
50.0 0.164 4150
60.0 0.196 4980
70.0 0.229 5810
80.0 0.262 6640
90.0 0.294 7470
100 0.327 8300
200 0.654 1.66 × 104
300 0.981 2.49 × 104
400 1.31 3.32 × 104
500 1.64 4.15 × 104
600 1.96 4.98 × 104
700 2.29 5.81 × 104
800 2.62 6.64 × 104
900 2.94 7.47 × 104
917 3.00 7.61 × 104
Aluminum I Beam: 3.00 × 2.030 (3.00 inch tall × 2.030 lbf/ft)
L = 15.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
2.03 0.0336 379
3.00 0.0497 560
4.00 0.0662 747
5.00 0.0828 934
6.00 0.0994 1120
7.00 0.116 1310
8.00 0.132 1490
9.00 0.149 1680
10.0 0.166 1870
20.0 0.331 3740
30.0 0.497 5600
40.0 0.662 7470
50.0 0.828 9340
60.0 0.994 1.12 × 104
70.0 1.16 1.31 × 104
80.0 1.32 1.49 × 104
90.0 1.49 1.68 × 104
100 1.66 1.87 × 104
181 3.00 3.38 × 104
Aluminum I Beam: 3.00 × 2.030 (3.00 inch tall × 2.030 lbf/ft)
L = 20.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
2.03 0.106 674
3.00 0.157 996
4.00 0.209 1330
5.00 0.262 1660
6.00 0.314 1990
7.00 0.366 2320
8.00 0.419 2660
9.00 0.471 2990
10.0 0.523 3320
20.0 1.05 6640
30.0 1.57 9960
40.0 2.09 1.33 × 104
50.0 2.62 1.66 × 104
57.3 3.00 1.90 × 104
Aluminum I Beam: 3.00 × 2.030 (3.00 inch tall × 2.030 lbf/ft)
L = 25.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
2.03 0.259 1050
3.00 0.383 1560
4.00 0.511 2080
5.00 0.639 2590
6.00 0.767 3110
7.00 0.894 3630
8.00 1.02 4150
9.00 1.15 4670
10.0 1.28 5190
20.0 2.56 1.04 × 104
23.5 3.00 1.22 × 104
Aluminum I Beam: 3.00 × 2.030 (3.00 inch tall × 2.030 lbf/ft)
L = 30.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
2.03 0.538 1520
3.00 0.795 2240
4.00 1.06 2990
5.00 1.32 3740
6.00 1.59 4480
7.00 1.85 5230
8.00 2.12 5980
9.00 2.38 6730
10.0 2.65 7470
11.3 3.00 8460
Aluminum I Beam: 3.00 × 2.030 (3.00 inch tall × 2.030 lbf/ft)
L = 40.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_mid (in) stress_max (psi)
2.03 1.70 2700
3.00 2.51 3990
3.58 3.00 4760
Additional Information
Related Pages
FREE Publications
Mechanical Engineers Outlook

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

Metal 3D Printing Design Guide

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

Essentials of Manufacturing

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

3D Scanners

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

more publications