W14×132 Steel Beam
A W14×132 is a wide flange steel beam 14.7 inches deep with 14.7-inch flanges, weighing 132 pounds per foot. In ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi) it has a design bending strength of 878 kip-ft (LRFD) when its compression flange is braced, and a design shear strength of 284 kips.
Design a W14×132 beam Opens a 23 ft span in the free beam designer.
W14×132 dimensions
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth, d | 14.7 in |
| Flange width, bf | 14.7 in |
| Flange thickness, tf | 1.03 in |
| Web thickness, tw | 0.645 in |
| Distance to web toe of fillet, kdes | 1.63 in |
| Distance between flange centroids, ho | 13.67 in |
| Cross-sectional area, A | 38.8 in2 |
| Weight | 132 lb/ft |
Dimensions are AISC design values. Detailing dimensions are rounded to the nearest 1/16 in.
W14×132 section properties
| Property | Strong axis (x) | Weak axis (y) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment of inertia, I | 1530 in4 | 548 in4 |
| Elastic section modulus, S | 209 in3 | 74.5 in3 |
| Plastic section modulus, Z | 234 in3 | 113 in3 |
| Radius of gyration, r | 6.28 in | 3.76 in |
| Torsion and slenderness | Value |
|---|---|
| Torsional constant, J | 12.3 in4 |
| Warping constant, Cw | 25500 in6 |
| Effective radius of gyration, rts | 4.23 in |
| Flange slenderness, bf/2tf | 7.15 |
| Web slenderness, h/tw | 17.7 |
W14×132 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 = 878 kip-ft | Mn/Ω = 584 kip-ft |
| Shear | φVn = 284 kips | Vn/Ω = 190 kips |
If the compression flange isn't braced, the beam can buckle sideways before it yields. Up to Lp = 13.3 ft between braces it keeps its full strength; past Lr = 55.9 ft it buckles elastically. With uniform moment between braces (Cb = 1.0):
| Unbraced length, Lb | φMn (LRFD) | Mn/Ω (ASD) |
|---|---|---|
| Braced | 878 kip-ft | 584 kip-ft |
| 10 ft | 878 kip-ft | 584 kip-ft |
| 13.3 ft (Lp) | 878 kip-ft | 584 kip-ft |
| 20 ft | 826 kip-ft | 549 kip-ft |
| 30 ft | 748 kip-ft | 498 kip-ft |
| 40 ft | 671 kip-ft | 447 kip-ft |
| 50 ft | 594 kip-ft | 395 kip-ft |
| 55.9 ft (Lr) | 548 kip-ft | 365 kip-ft |
| 60 ft | 507 kip-ft | 337 kip-ft |
| 70 ft | 429 kip-ft | 286 kip-ft |
| 80 ft | 373 kip-ft | 248 kip-ft |
| 90 ft | 329 kip-ft | 219 kip-ft |
| 100 ft | 295 kip-ft | 196 kip-ft |
| 110 ft | 267 kip-ft | 178 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.
W14×132 load table by span
The largest uniform load a simply supported W14×132 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 0.132 kips per foot.
| Span | Factored load (LRFD) | Allowable load (ASD) | Load at span/360 | Load at span/240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 ft | 81.3* | 54.2* | 191.6 | 287.5 |
| 9 ft | 63.2* | 42.1* | 90.2 | 135.3 |
| 11 ft | 51.7* | 34.5* | 49.4 | 74.1 |
| 13 ft | 41.5 | 27.6 | 29.9 | 44.9 |
| 15 ft | 31.2 | 20.8 | 19.5 | 29.2 |
| 17 ft | 24.3 | 16.2 | 13.4 | 20.1 |
| 19 ft | 19.4 | 12.9 | 9.58 | 14.4 |
| 21 ft | 15.9 | 10.6 | 7.10 | 10.6 |
| 23 ft | 13.3 | 8.83 | 5.40 | 8.10 |
| 25 ft | 11.2 | 7.47 | 4.21 | 6.31 |
| 27 ft | 9.63 | 6.41 | 3.34 | 5.01 |
| 29 ft | 8.35 | 5.55 | 2.70 | 4.04 |
| 31 ft | 7.30 | 4.86 | 2.21 | 3.31 |
| 33 ft | 6.45 | 4.29 | 1.83 | 2.74 |
| 35 ft | 5.73 | 3.81 | 1.53 | 2.30 |
| 37 ft | 5.13 | 3.41 | 1.30 | 1.95 |
- 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 W14×132 carries a factored load of 13.3 kips per foot (LRFD) or an allowable load of 8.83 kips per foot (ASD). A live load of 5.40 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.
W14×132 questions
What does W14×132 mean?
W means a wide flange shape. 14 is its nominal depth in inches (the actual depth is 14.7 in) and 132 is its weight in pounds per foot.
How much does a W14×132 weigh?
132 pounds per foot, so a 20 ft W14×132 weighs about 2,640 pounds.
How far can a W14×132 span?
It depends on the load. Braced along its length, it carries 81.3 kips per foot of factored load at 7 ft and 5.13 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 W14×132 a compact section?
Yes. Its flanges (bf/2tf = 7.15) and web (h/tw = 17.7) are both compact for bending in 50 ksi steel.