W12×190 Steel Beam
A W12×190 is a wide flange steel beam 14.4 inches deep with 12.7-inch flanges, weighing 190 pounds per foot. In ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi) it has a design bending strength of 1,166 kip-ft (LRFD) when its compression flange is braced, and a design shear strength of 458 kips.
Design a W12×190 beam Opens a 21 ft span in the free beam designer.
W12×190 dimensions
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth, d | 14.4 in |
| Flange width, bf | 12.7 in |
| Flange thickness, tf | 1.74 in |
| Web thickness, tw | 1.06 in |
| Distance to web toe of fillet, kdes | 2.33 in |
| Distance between flange centroids, ho | 12.66 in |
| Cross-sectional area, A | 55.8 in2 |
| Weight | 190 lb/ft |
Dimensions are AISC design values. Detailing dimensions are rounded to the nearest 1/16 in.
W12×190 section properties
| Property | Strong axis (x) | Weak axis (y) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment of inertia, I | 1890 in4 | 589 in4 |
| Elastic section modulus, S | 263 in3 | 93.0 in3 |
| Plastic section modulus, Z | 311 in3 | 143 in3 |
| Radius of gyration, r | 5.82 in | 3.25 in |
| Torsion and slenderness | Value |
|---|---|
| Torsional constant, J | 48.8 in4 |
| Warping constant, Cw | 23600 in6 |
| Effective radius of gyration, rts | 3.77 in |
| Flange slenderness, bf/2tf | 3.65 |
| Web slenderness, h/tw | 9.16 |
W12×190 bending and shear strength
For ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi, E = 29,000 ksi) per AISC 360-16. Its flanges and web are compact for bending, so with its compression flange braced it reaches its full plastic moment.
| Strength | LRFD | ASD |
|---|---|---|
| Bending, compression flange braced | φMn = 1,166 kip-ft | Mn/Ω = 776 kip-ft |
| Shear | φVn = 458 kips | Vn/Ω = 305 kips |
If the compression flange isn't braced, the beam can buckle sideways before it yields. Up to Lp = 11.5 ft between braces it keeps its full strength; past Lr = 87.3 ft it buckles elastically. With uniform moment between braces (Cb = 1.0):
| Unbraced length, Lb | φMn (LRFD) | Mn/Ω (ASD) |
|---|---|---|
| Braced | 1,166 kip-ft | 776 kip-ft |
| 10 ft | 1,166 kip-ft | 776 kip-ft |
| 11.5 ft (Lp) | 1,166 kip-ft | 776 kip-ft |
| 20 ft | 1,113 kip-ft | 740 kip-ft |
| 30 ft | 1,050 kip-ft | 699 kip-ft |
| 40 ft | 987 kip-ft | 657 kip-ft |
| 50 ft | 924 kip-ft | 615 kip-ft |
| 60 ft | 862 kip-ft | 573 kip-ft |
| 70 ft | 799 kip-ft | 532 kip-ft |
| 80 ft | 736 kip-ft | 490 kip-ft |
| 87.3 ft (Lr) | 690 kip-ft | 459 kip-ft |
| 90 ft | 669 kip-ft | 445 kip-ft |
| 100 ft | 602 kip-ft | 400 kip-ft |
| 110 ft | 546 kip-ft | 364 kip-ft |
A beam with a uniform load between braces has Cb above 1.0 (1.14 for a simple span braced only at its ends), so these values are conservative. The beam designer works out Cb for every segment between braces.
W12×190 load table by span
The largest uniform load a simply supported W12×190 can carry, in kips per foot, with its compression flange braced along its length (by a floor or roof deck, for example). The loads include the beam's own weight of 0.190 kips per foot.
| Span | Factored load (LRFD) | Allowable load (ASD) | Load at span/360 | Load at span/240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 ft | 130.8* | 87.2* | 236.7 | 355.1 |
| 9 ft | 101.8* | 67.8* | 111.4 | 167.1 |
| 11 ft | 77.1 | 51.3 | 61.0 | 91.5 |
| 13 ft | 55.2 | 36.7 | 37.0 | 55.4 |
| 15 ft | 41.5 | 27.6 | 24.1 | 36.1 |
| 17 ft | 32.3 | 21.5 | 16.5 | 24.8 |
| 19 ft | 25.8 | 17.2 | 11.8 | 17.8 |
| 21 ft | 21.2 | 14.1 | 8.77 | 13.2 |
| 23 ft | 17.6 | 11.7 | 6.67 | 10.0 |
| 25 ft | 14.9 | 9.93 | 5.20 | 7.80 |
| 27 ft | 12.8 | 8.52 | 4.13 | 6.19 |
| 29 ft | 11.1 | 7.38 | 3.33 | 4.99 |
| 31 ft | 9.71 | 6.46 | 2.73 | 4.09 |
| 33 ft | 8.57 | 5.70 | 2.26 | 3.39 |
| 35 ft | 7.62 | 5.07 | 1.89 | 2.84 |
- Factored and allowable loads are limited by bending, or by shear where marked *.
- The deflection columns are the service loads that make the beam sag span/360 or span/240. Compare span/360 with the live load alone and span/240 with dead plus live load, the usual floor limits in IBC Table 1604.3.
Reading the table
At a 21 ft span, a W12×190 carries a factored load of 21.2 kips per foot (LRFD) or an allowable load of 14.1 kips per foot (ASD). A live load of 8.77 kips per foot would deflect it span/360, which is 0.70 in. The beam works if the factored load is under the first number and the live and total loads are under the deflection numbers. For other spans, supports or loads, open it in the beam designer, or follow the steel beam design guide to check one by hand.
W12×190 questions
What does W12×190 mean?
W means a wide flange shape. 12 is its nominal depth in inches (the actual depth is 14.4 in) and 190 is its weight in pounds per foot.
How much does a W12×190 weigh?
190 pounds per foot, so a 20 ft W12×190 weighs about 3,800 pounds.
How far can a W12×190 span?
It depends on the load. Braced along its length, it carries 130.8 kips per foot of factored load at 7 ft and 7.62 kips per foot at 35 ft; the load table has the spans in between. Floor beams are often 22 to 29 ft for this depth (span-to-depth ratios of about 18 to 24), where deflection usually governs.
Is a W12×190 a compact section?
Yes. Its flanges (bf/2tf = 3.65) and web (h/tw = 9.16) are both compact for bending in 50 ksi steel.