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Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Two Equal Spans » Wide Flange Steel I Beam » W16 × 40
Wide Flange Steel 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 = 518 in4) for the W16 × 40 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 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 3.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 1.85 × 10-6 8.34
50.0 2.31 × 10-6 10.4
60.0 2.77 × 10-6 12.5
70.0 3.23 × 10-6 14.6
80.0 3.70 × 10-6 16.7
90.0 4.16 × 10-6 18.8
100 4.62 × 10-6 20.9
200 9.24 × 10-6 41.7
300 1.39 × 10-5 62.6
400 1.85 × 10-5 83.4
500 2.31 × 10-5 104
600 2.77 × 10-5 125
700 3.23 × 10-5 146
800 3.70 × 10-5 167
900 4.16 × 10-5 188
1000 4.62 × 10-5 209
2000 9.24 × 10-5 417
3000 1.39 × 10-4 626
4000 1.85 × 10-4 834
5000 2.31 × 10-4 1040
6000 2.77 × 10-4 1250
7000 3.23 × 10-4 1460
8000 3.70 × 10-4 1670
9000 4.16 × 10-4 1880
1.00 × 104 4.62 × 10-4 2090
2.00 × 104 9.24 × 10-4 4170
3.00 × 104 0.00139 6260
4.00 × 104 0.00185 8340
5.00 × 104 0.00231 1.04 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.00277 1.25 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.00323 1.46 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.00370 1.67 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.00416 1.88 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.00462 2.09 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.00924 4.17 × 104
3.00 × 105 0.0139 6.26 × 104
4.00 × 105 0.0185 8.34 × 104
5.00 × 105 0.0231 1.04 × 105
6.00 × 105 0.0277 1.25 × 105
7.00 × 105 0.0323 1.46 × 105
8.00 × 105 0.0370 1.67 × 105
9.00 × 105 0.0416 1.88 × 105
1.00 × 106 0.0462 2.09 × 105
1.42 × 106 0.0658 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 5.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 1.43 × 10-5 23.2
50.0 1.78 × 10-5 29.0
60.0 2.14 × 10-5 34.8
70.0 2.50 × 10-5 40.6
80.0 2.85 × 10-5 46.4
90.0 3.21 × 10-5 52.2
100 3.57 × 10-5 58.0
200 7.13 × 10-5 116
300 1.07 × 10-4 174
400 1.43 × 10-4 232
500 1.78 × 10-4 290
600 2.14 × 10-4 348
700 2.50 × 10-4 406
800 2.85 × 10-4 464
900 3.21 × 10-4 522
1000 3.57 × 10-4 580
2000 7.13 × 10-4 1160
3000 0.00107 1740
4000 0.00143 2320
5000 0.00178 2900
6000 0.00214 3480
7000 0.00250 4060
8000 0.00285 4640
9000 0.00321 5220
1.00 × 104 0.00357 5800
2.00 × 104 0.00713 1.16 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.0107 1.74 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.0143 2.32 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.0178 2.90 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.0214 3.48 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.0250 4.06 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.0285 4.64 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.0321 5.22 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.0357 5.80 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.0713 1.16 × 105
3.00 × 105 0.107 1.74 × 105
4.00 × 105 0.143 2.32 × 105
5.00 × 105 0.178 2.90 × 105
5.13 × 105 0.183 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 10.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 2.28 × 10-4 92.7
50.0 2.85 × 10-4 116
60.0 3.42 × 10-4 139
70.0 3.99 × 10-4 162
80.0 4.56 × 10-4 185
90.0 5.13 × 10-4 209
100 5.70 × 10-4 232
200 0.00114 464
300 0.00171 695
400 0.00228 927
500 0.00285 1160
600 0.00342 1390
700 0.00399 1620
800 0.00456 1850
900 0.00513 2090
1000 0.00570 2320
2000 0.0114 4640
3000 0.0171 6950
4000 0.0228 9270
5000 0.0285 1.16 × 104
6000 0.0342 1.39 × 104
7000 0.0399 1.62 × 104
8000 0.0456 1.85 × 104
9000 0.0513 2.09 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.0570 2.32 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.114 4.64 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.171 6.95 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.228 9.27 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.285 1.16 × 105
6.00 × 104 0.342 1.39 × 105
7.00 × 104 0.399 1.62 × 105
8.00 × 104 0.456 1.85 × 105
9.00 × 104 0.513 2.09 × 105
1.00 × 105 0.570 2.32 × 105
1.28 × 105 0.731 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 15.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 0.00116 209
50.0 0.00144 261
60.0 0.00173 313
70.0 0.00202 365
80.0 0.00231 417
90.0 0.00260 469
100 0.00289 522
200 0.00578 1040
300 0.00866 1560
400 0.0116 2090
500 0.0144 2610
600 0.0173 3130
700 0.0202 3650
800 0.0231 4170
900 0.0260 4690
1000 0.0289 5220
2000 0.0578 1.04 × 104
3000 0.0866 1.56 × 104
4000 0.116 2.09 × 104
5000 0.144 2.61 × 104
6000 0.173 3.13 × 104
7000 0.202 3.65 × 104
8000 0.231 4.17 × 104
9000 0.260 4.69 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.289 5.22 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.578 1.04 × 105
3.00 × 104 0.866 1.56 × 105
4.00 × 104 1.16 2.09 × 105
5.00 × 104 1.44 2.61 × 105
5.70 × 104 1.64 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 20.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 0.00365 371
50.0 0.00456 464
60.0 0.00548 556
70.0 0.00639 649
80.0 0.00730 742
90.0 0.00821 834
100 0.00913 927
200 0.0183 1850
300 0.0274 2780
400 0.0365 3710
500 0.0456 4640
600 0.0548 5560
700 0.0639 6490
800 0.0730 7420
900 0.0821 8340
1000 0.0913 9270
2000 0.183 1.85 × 104
3000 0.274 2.78 × 104
4000 0.365 3.71 × 104
5000 0.456 4.64 × 104
6000 0.548 5.56 × 104
7000 0.639 6.49 × 104
8000 0.730 7.42 × 104
9000 0.821 8.34 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.913 9.27 × 104
2.00 × 104 1.83 1.85 × 105
3.00 × 104 2.74 2.78 × 105
3.20 × 104 2.92 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 25.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 0.00891 580
50.0 0.0111 724
60.0 0.0134 869
70.0 0.0156 1010
80.0 0.0178 1160
90.0 0.0201 1300
100 0.0223 1450
200 0.0446 2900
300 0.0668 4350
400 0.0891 5800
500 0.111 7240
600 0.134 8690
700 0.156 1.01 × 104
800 0.178 1.16 × 104
900 0.201 1.30 × 104
1000 0.223 1.45 × 104
2000 0.446 2.90 × 104
3000 0.668 4.35 × 104
4000 0.891 5.80 × 104
5000 1.11 7.24 × 104
6000 1.34 8.69 × 104
7000 1.56 1.01 × 105
8000 1.78 1.16 × 105
9000 2.01 1.30 × 105
1.00 × 104 2.23 1.45 × 105
2.00 × 104 4.46 2.90 × 105
2.05 × 104 4.57 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 30.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 0.0185 834
50.0 0.0231 1040
60.0 0.0277 1250
70.0 0.0323 1460
80.0 0.0370 1670
90.0 0.0416 1880
100 0.0462 2090
200 0.0924 4170
300 0.139 6260
400 0.185 8340
500 0.231 1.04 × 104
600 0.277 1.25 × 104
700 0.323 1.46 × 104
800 0.370 1.67 × 104
900 0.416 1.88 × 104
1000 0.462 2.09 × 104
2000 0.924 4.17 × 104
3000 1.39 6.26 × 104
4000 1.85 8.34 × 104
5000 2.31 1.04 × 105
6000 2.77 1.25 × 105
7000 3.23 1.46 × 105
8000 3.70 1.67 × 105
9000 4.16 1.88 × 105
1.00 × 104 4.62 2.09 × 105
1.42 × 104 6.58 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 40.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 0.0584 1480
50.0 0.0730 1850
60.0 0.0876 2230
70.0 0.102 2600
80.0 0.117 2970
90.0 0.131 3340
100 0.146 3710
200 0.292 7420
300 0.438 1.11 × 104
400 0.584 1.48 × 104
500 0.730 1.85 × 104
600 0.876 2.23 × 104
700 1.02 2.60 × 104
800 1.17 2.97 × 104
900 1.31 3.34 × 104
1000 1.46 3.71 × 104
2000 2.92 7.42 × 104
3000 4.38 1.11 × 105
4000 5.84 1.48 × 105
5000 7.30 1.85 × 105
6000 8.76 2.23 × 105
7000 10.2 2.60 × 105
8000 11.7 2.97 × 105
8010 11.7 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 50.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 0.143 2320
50.0 0.178 2900
60.0 0.214 3480
70.0 0.250 4060
80.0 0.285 4640
90.0 0.321 5220
100 0.357 5800
200 0.713 1.16 × 104
300 1.07 1.74 × 104
400 1.43 2.32 × 104
500 1.78 2.90 × 104
600 2.14 3.48 × 104
700 2.50 4.06 × 104
800 2.85 4.64 × 104
900 3.21 5.22 × 104
1000 3.57 5.80 × 104
2000 7.13 1.16 × 105
3000 10.7 1.74 × 105
4000 14.3 2.32 × 105
4490 16.0 2.60 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 60.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 0.296 3340
50.0 0.370 4170
60.0 0.444 5010
70.0 0.518 5840
80.0 0.591 6680
90.0 0.665 7510
100 0.739 8340
200 1.48 1.67 × 104
300 2.22 2.50 × 104
400 2.96 3.34 × 104
500 3.70 4.17 × 104
600 4.44 5.01 × 104
700 5.18 5.84 × 104
800 5.91 6.68 × 104
900 6.65 7.51 × 104
1000 7.39 8.34 × 104
2000 14.8 1.67 × 105
2170 16.0 1.81 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 70.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 0.548 4540
50.0 0.685 5680
60.0 0.822 6820
70.0 0.959 7950
80.0 1.10 9090
90.0 1.23 1.02 × 104
100 1.37 1.14 × 104
200 2.74 2.27 × 104
300 4.11 3.41 × 104
400 5.48 4.54 × 104
500 6.85 5.68 × 104
600 8.22 6.82 × 104
700 9.59 7.95 × 104
800 11.0 9.09 × 104
900 12.3 1.02 × 105
1000 13.7 1.14 × 105
1170 16.0 1.33 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 80.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 0.935 5930
50.0 1.17 7420
60.0 1.40 8900
70.0 1.64 1.04 × 104
80.0 1.87 1.19 × 104
90.0 2.10 1.34 × 104
100 2.34 1.48 × 104
200 4.67 2.97 × 104
300 7.01 4.45 × 104
400 9.35 5.93 × 104
500 11.7 7.42 × 104
600 14.0 8.90 × 104
685 16.0 1.02 × 105
Steel I Beam: W16 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 90.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 1.50 7510
50.0 1.87 9390
60.0 2.25 1.13 × 104
70.0 2.62 1.31 × 104
80.0 2.99 1.50 × 104
90.0 3.37 1.69 × 104
100 3.74 1.88 × 104
200 7.49 3.76 × 104
300 11.2 5.63 × 104
400 15.0 7.51 × 104
428 16.0 8.03 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 100 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 2.28 9270
50.0 2.85 1.16 × 104
60.0 3.42 1.39 × 104
70.0 3.99 1.62 × 104
80.0 4.56 1.85 × 104
90.0 5.13 2.09 × 104
100 5.70 2.32 × 104
200 11.4 4.64 × 104
281 16.0 6.51 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 125 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 5.57 1.45 × 104
50.0 6.96 1.81 × 104
60.0 8.36 2.17 × 104
70.0 9.75 2.54 × 104
80.0 11.1 2.90 × 104
90.0 12.5 3.26 × 104
100 13.9 3.62 × 104
115 16.0 4.16 × 104
Steel I Beam: W16 × 40 (Wide Flange 16 inch tall × 40 lbf/ft)
L = 150 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
40.0 11.6 2.09 × 104
50.0 14.4 2.61 × 104
55.4 16.0 2.89 × 104
Additional Information
Related Pages
FREE Publications
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.

Injection Molding Design Guide

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

Metal 3D Printing Design Guide

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

more publications