W14×145 Steel Beam
A W14×145 is a wide flange steel beam 14.8 inches deep with 15.5-inch flanges, weighing 145 pounds per foot. In ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi) it has a design bending strength of 975 kip-ft (LRFD) when its compression flange is braced, and a design shear strength of 302 kips.
Design a W14×145 beam Opens a 23 ft span in the free beam designer.
W14×145 dimensions
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth, d | 14.8 in |
| Flange width, bf | 15.5 in |
| Flange thickness, tf | 1.09 in |
| Web thickness, tw | 0.680 in |
| Distance to web toe of fillet, kdes | 1.69 in |
| Distance between flange centroids, ho | 13.71 in |
| Cross-sectional area, A | 42.7 in2 |
| Weight | 145 lb/ft |
Dimensions are AISC design values. Detailing dimensions are rounded to the nearest 1/16 in.
W14×145 section properties
| Property | Strong axis (x) | Weak axis (y) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment of inertia, I | 1710 in4 | 677 in4 |
| Elastic section modulus, S | 232 in3 | 87.3 in3 |
| Plastic section modulus, Z | 260 in3 | 133 in3 |
| Radius of gyration, r | 6.33 in | 3.98 in |
| Torsion and slenderness | Value |
|---|---|
| Torsional constant, J | 15.2 in4 |
| Warping constant, Cw | 31700 in6 |
| Effective radius of gyration, rts | 4.47 in |
| Flange slenderness, bf/2tf | 7.11 |
| Web slenderness, h/tw | 16.8 |
W14×145 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 = 975 kip-ft | Mn/Ω = 649 kip-ft |
| Shear | φVn = 302 kips | Vn/Ω = 201 kips |
If the compression flange isn't braced, the beam can buckle sideways before it yields. Up to Lp = 14.1 ft between braces it keeps its full strength; past Lr = 61.6 ft it buckles elastically. With uniform moment between braces (Cb = 1.0):
| Unbraced length, Lb | φMn (LRFD) | Mn/Ω (ASD) |
|---|---|---|
| Braced | 975 kip-ft | 649 kip-ft |
| 10 ft | 975 kip-ft | 649 kip-ft |
| 14.1 ft (Lp) | 975 kip-ft | 649 kip-ft |
| 20 ft | 929 kip-ft | 618 kip-ft |
| 30 ft | 852 kip-ft | 567 kip-ft |
| 40 ft | 775 kip-ft | 516 kip-ft |
| 50 ft | 699 kip-ft | 465 kip-ft |
| 60 ft | 622 kip-ft | 414 kip-ft |
| 61.6 ft (Lr) | 609 kip-ft | 405 kip-ft |
| 70 ft | 531 kip-ft | 353 kip-ft |
| 80 ft | 460 kip-ft | 306 kip-ft |
| 90 ft | 407 kip-ft | 271 kip-ft |
| 100 ft | 365 kip-ft | 243 kip-ft |
| 110 ft | 330 kip-ft | 220 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.
W14×145 load table by span
The largest uniform load a simply supported W14×145 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 0.145 kips per foot.
| Span | Factored load (LRFD) | Allowable load (ASD) | Load at span/360 | Load at span/240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 ft | 86.3* | 57.5* | 214.2 | 321.3 |
| 9 ft | 67.1* | 44.7* | 100.8 | 151.2 |
| 11 ft | 54.9* | 36.6* | 55.2 | 82.8 |
| 13 ft | 46.2 | 30.7 | 33.4 | 50.2 |
| 15 ft | 34.7 | 23.1 | 21.8 | 32.7 |
| 17 ft | 27.0 | 18.0 | 15.0 | 22.4 |
| 19 ft | 21.6 | 14.4 | 10.7 | 16.1 |
| 21 ft | 17.7 | 11.8 | 7.93 | 11.9 |
| 23 ft | 14.7 | 9.81 | 6.04 | 9.06 |
| 25 ft | 12.5 | 8.30 | 4.70 | 7.05 |
| 27 ft | 10.7 | 7.12 | 3.73 | 5.60 |
| 29 ft | 9.27 | 6.17 | 3.01 | 4.52 |
| 31 ft | 8.12 | 5.40 | 2.47 | 3.70 |
| 33 ft | 7.16 | 4.77 | 2.04 | 3.07 |
| 35 ft | 6.37 | 4.24 | 1.71 | 2.57 |
| 37 ft | 5.70 | 3.79 | 1.45 | 2.18 |
- 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 W14×145 carries a factored load of 14.7 kips per foot (LRFD) or an allowable load of 9.81 kips per foot (ASD). A live load of 6.04 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.
W14×145 questions
What does W14×145 mean?
W means a wide flange shape. 14 is its nominal depth in inches (the actual depth is 14.8 in) and 145 is its weight in pounds per foot.
How much does a W14×145 weigh?
145 pounds per foot, so a 20 ft W14×145 weighs about 2,900 pounds.
How far can a W14×145 span?
It depends on the load. Braced along its length, it carries 86.3 kips per foot of factored load at 7 ft and 5.70 kips per foot at 37 ft; the load table has the spans in between. Floor beams are often 22 to 30 ft for this depth (span-to-depth ratios of about 18 to 24), where deflection usually governs.
Is a W14×145 a compact section?
Yes. Its flanges (bf/2tf = 7.11) and web (h/tw = 16.8) are both compact for bending in 50 ksi steel.