W12×210 Steel Beam
A W12×210 is a wide flange steel beam 14.7 inches deep with 12.8-inch flanges, weighing 210 pounds per foot. In ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi) it has a design bending strength of 1,305 kip-ft (LRFD) when its compression flange is braced, and a design shear strength of 520 kips.
Design a W12×210 beam Opens a 23 ft span in the free beam designer.
W12×210 dimensions
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth, d | 14.7 in |
| Flange width, bf | 12.8 in |
| Flange thickness, tf | 1.90 in |
| Web thickness, tw | 1.18 in |
| Distance to web toe of fillet, kdes | 2.50 in |
| Distance between flange centroids, ho | 12.80 in |
| Cross-sectional area, A | 61.8 in2 |
| Weight | 210 lb/ft |
Dimensions are AISC design values. Detailing dimensions are rounded to the nearest 1/16 in.
W12×210 section properties
| Property | Strong axis (x) | Weak axis (y) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment of inertia, I | 2140 in4 | 664 in4 |
| Elastic section modulus, S | 292 in3 | 104 in3 |
| Plastic section modulus, Z | 348 in3 | 159 in3 |
| Radius of gyration, r | 5.89 in | 3.28 in |
| Torsion and slenderness | Value |
|---|---|
| Torsional constant, J | 64.7 in4 |
| Warping constant, Cw | 27200 in6 |
| Effective radius of gyration, rts | 3.81 in |
| Flange slenderness, bf/2tf | 3.37 |
| Web slenderness, h/tw | 8.23 |
W12×210 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 = 1,305 kip-ft | Mn/Ω = 868 kip-ft |
| Shear | φVn = 520 kips | Vn/Ω = 347 kips |
If the compression flange isn't braced, the beam can buckle sideways before it yields. Up to Lp = 11.6 ft between braces it keeps its full strength; past Lr = 96.0 ft it buckles elastically. With uniform moment between braces (Cb = 1.0):
| Unbraced length, Lb | φMn (LRFD) | Mn/Ω (ASD) |
|---|---|---|
| Braced | 1,305 kip-ft | 868 kip-ft |
| 10 ft | 1,305 kip-ft | 868 kip-ft |
| 11.6 ft (Lp) | 1,305 kip-ft | 868 kip-ft |
| 20 ft | 1,251 kip-ft | 833 kip-ft |
| 30 ft | 1,187 kip-ft | 790 kip-ft |
| 40 ft | 1,124 kip-ft | 748 kip-ft |
| 50 ft | 1,060 kip-ft | 705 kip-ft |
| 60 ft | 996 kip-ft | 663 kip-ft |
| 70 ft | 932 kip-ft | 620 kip-ft |
| 80 ft | 868 kip-ft | 578 kip-ft |
| 90 ft | 805 kip-ft | 535 kip-ft |
| 96.0 ft (Lr) | 767 kip-ft | 510 kip-ft |
| 100 ft | 735 kip-ft | 489 kip-ft |
| 110 ft | 668 kip-ft | 444 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.
W12×210 load table by span
The largest uniform load a simply supported W12×210 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 0.210 kips per foot.
| Span | Factored load (LRFD) | Allowable load (ASD) | Load at span/360 | Load at span/240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 ft | 148.7* | 99.1* | 268.0 | 402.1 |
| 9 ft | 115.6* | 77.1* | 126.1 | 189.2 |
| 11 ft | 86.3 | 57.4 | 69.1 | 103.6 |
| 13 ft | 61.8 | 41.1 | 41.8 | 62.8 |
| 15 ft | 46.4 | 30.9 | 27.2 | 40.9 |
| 17 ft | 36.1 | 24.0 | 18.7 | 28.1 |
| 19 ft | 28.9 | 19.2 | 13.4 | 20.1 |
| 21 ft | 23.7 | 15.8 | 9.93 | 14.9 |
| 23 ft | 19.7 | 13.1 | 7.56 | 11.3 |
| 25 ft | 16.7 | 11.1 | 5.88 | 8.83 |
| 27 ft | 14.3 | 9.53 | 4.67 | 7.01 |
| 29 ft | 12.4 | 8.26 | 3.77 | 5.65 |
| 31 ft | 10.9 | 7.23 | 3.09 | 4.63 |
| 33 ft | 9.59 | 6.38 | 2.56 | 3.84 |
| 35 ft | 8.52 | 5.67 | 2.14 | 3.22 |
| 37 ft | 7.63 | 5.07 | 1.82 | 2.72 |
- 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 23 ft span, a W12×210 carries a factored load of 19.7 kips per foot (LRFD) or an allowable load of 13.1 kips per foot (ASD). A live load of 7.56 kips per foot would deflect it span/360, which is 0.77 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.
W12×210 questions
What does W12×210 mean?
W means a wide flange shape. 12 is its nominal depth in inches (the actual depth is 14.7 in) and 210 is its weight in pounds per foot.
How much does a W12×210 weigh?
210 pounds per foot, so a 20 ft W12×210 weighs about 4,200 pounds.
How far can a W12×210 span?
It depends on the load. Braced along its length, it carries 148.7 kips per foot of factored load at 7 ft and 7.63 kips per foot at 37 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 W12×210 a compact section?
Yes. Its flanges (bf/2tf = 3.37) and web (h/tw = 8.23) are both compact for bending in 50 ksi steel.