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Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Two 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 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 = 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 1.80 × 10-5 25.4
20.0 2.25 × 10-5 31.8
30.0 3.37 × 10-5 47.6
40.0 4.49 × 10-5 63.5
50.0 5.62 × 10-5 79.4
60.0 6.74 × 10-5 95.3
70.0 7.87 × 10-5 111
80.0 8.99 × 10-5 127
90.0 1.01 × 10-4 143
100 1.12 × 10-4 159
200 2.25 × 10-4 318
300 3.37 × 10-4 476
400 4.49 × 10-4 635
500 5.62 × 10-4 794
600 6.74 × 10-4 953
700 7.87 × 10-4 1110
800 8.99 × 10-4 1270
900 0.00101 1430
1000 0.00112 1590
2000 0.00225 3180
3000 0.00337 4760
4000 0.00449 6350
5000 0.00562 7940
6000 0.00674 9530
7000 0.00787 1.11 × 104
8000 0.00899 1.27 × 104
9000 0.0101 1.43 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.0112 1.59 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.0225 3.18 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.0337 4.76 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.0449 6.35 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.0562 7.94 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.0674 9.53 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.0787 1.11 × 105
8.00 × 104 0.0899 1.27 × 105
9.00 × 104 0.101 1.43 × 105
1.00 × 105 0.112 1.59 × 105
1.87 × 105 0.210 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 1.39 × 10-4 70.6
20.0 1.73 × 10-4 88.2
30.0 2.60 × 10-4 132
40.0 3.47 × 10-4 176
50.0 4.34 × 10-4 221
60.0 5.20 × 10-4 265
70.0 6.07 × 10-4 309
80.0 6.94 × 10-4 353
90.0 7.80 × 10-4 397
100 8.67 × 10-4 441
200 0.00173 882
300 0.00260 1320
400 0.00347 1760
500 0.00434 2210
600 0.00520 2650
700 0.00607 3090
800 0.00694 3530
900 0.00780 3970
1000 0.00867 4410
2000 0.0173 8820
3000 0.0260 1.32 × 104
4000 0.0347 1.76 × 104
5000 0.0434 2.21 × 104
6000 0.0520 2.65 × 104
7000 0.0607 3.09 × 104
8000 0.0694 3.53 × 104
9000 0.0780 3.97 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.0867 4.41 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.173 8.82 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.260 1.32 × 105
4.00 × 104 0.347 1.76 × 105
5.00 × 104 0.434 2.21 × 105
6.00 × 104 0.520 2.65 × 105
6.74 × 104 0.584 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 0.00222 282
20.0 0.00277 353
30.0 0.00416 529
40.0 0.00555 706
50.0 0.00694 882
60.0 0.00832 1060
70.0 0.00971 1230
80.0 0.0111 1410
90.0 0.0125 1590
100 0.0139 1760
200 0.0277 3530
300 0.0416 5290
400 0.0555 7060
500 0.0694 8820
600 0.0832 1.06 × 104
700 0.0971 1.23 × 104
800 0.111 1.41 × 104
900 0.125 1.59 × 104
1000 0.139 1.76 × 104
2000 0.277 3.53 × 104
3000 0.416 5.29 × 104
4000 0.555 7.06 × 104
5000 0.694 8.82 × 104
6000 0.832 1.06 × 105
7000 0.971 1.23 × 105
8000 1.11 1.41 × 105
9000 1.25 1.59 × 105
1.00 × 104 1.39 1.76 × 105
1.68 × 104 2.34 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 0.0112 635
20.0 0.0140 794
30.0 0.0211 1190
40.0 0.0281 1590
50.0 0.0351 1980
60.0 0.0421 2380
70.0 0.0492 2780
80.0 0.0562 3180
90.0 0.0632 3570
100 0.0702 3970
200 0.140 7940
300 0.211 1.19 × 104
400 0.281 1.59 × 104
500 0.351 1.98 × 104
600 0.421 2.38 × 104
700 0.492 2.78 × 104
800 0.562 3.18 × 104
900 0.632 3.57 × 104
1000 0.702 3.97 × 104
2000 1.40 7.94 × 104
3000 2.11 1.19 × 105
4000 2.81 1.59 × 105
5000 3.51 1.98 × 105
6000 4.21 2.38 × 105
7000 4.92 2.78 × 105
7480 5.26 2.97 × 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 0.0355 1130
20.0 0.0444 1410
30.0 0.0666 2120
40.0 0.0888 2820
50.0 0.111 3530
60.0 0.133 4230
70.0 0.155 4940
80.0 0.178 5650
90.0 0.200 6350
100 0.222 7060
200 0.444 1.41 × 104
300 0.666 2.12 × 104
400 0.888 2.82 × 104
500 1.11 3.53 × 104
600 1.33 4.23 × 104
700 1.55 4.94 × 104
800 1.78 5.65 × 104
900 2.00 6.35 × 104
1000 2.22 7.06 × 104
2000 4.44 1.41 × 105
2260 5.01 1.59 × 105
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 0.0867 1760
20.0 0.108 2210
30.0 0.163 3310
40.0 0.217 4410
50.0 0.271 5510
60.0 0.325 6620
70.0 0.379 7720
80.0 0.434 8820
90.0 0.488 9920
100 0.542 1.10 × 104
200 1.08 2.21 × 104
300 1.63 3.31 × 104
400 2.17 4.41 × 104
500 2.71 5.51 × 104
600 3.25 6.62 × 104
700 3.79 7.72 × 104
800 4.34 8.82 × 104
900 4.88 9.92 × 104
925 5.01 1.02 × 105
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 0.180 2540
20.0 0.225 3180
30.0 0.337 4760
40.0 0.449 6350
50.0 0.562 7940
60.0 0.674 9530
70.0 0.787 1.11 × 104
80.0 0.899 1.27 × 104
90.0 1.01 1.43 × 104
100 1.12 1.59 × 104
200 2.25 3.18 × 104
300 3.37 4.76 × 104
400 4.49 6.35 × 104
446 5.01 7.08 × 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 0.568 4520
20.0 0.710 5650
30.0 1.07 8470
40.0 1.42 1.13 × 104
50.0 1.78 1.41 × 104
60.0 2.13 1.69 × 104
70.0 2.49 1.98 × 104
80.0 2.84 2.26 × 104
90.0 3.20 2.54 × 104
100 3.55 2.82 × 104
141 5.01 3.98 × 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 1.39 7060
20.0 1.73 8820
30.0 2.60 1.32 × 104
40.0 3.47 1.76 × 104
50.0 4.34 2.21 × 104
57.8 5.01 2.55 × 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 2.88 1.02 × 104
20.0 3.60 1.27 × 104
27.9 5.01 1.77 × 104
Additional Information
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FREE Publications
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.

Injection Molding Design Guide

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

Mechanical Engineers Outlook

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

more publications