W14×176 Steel Beam
A W14×176 is a wide flange steel beam 15.2 inches deep with 15.7-inch flanges, weighing 176 pounds per foot. In ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi) it has a design bending strength of 1,200 kip-ft (LRFD) when its compression flange is braced, and a design shear strength of 378 kips.
Design a W14×176 beam Opens a 24 ft span in the free beam designer.
W14×176 dimensions
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth, d | 15.2 in |
| Flange width, bf | 15.7 in |
| Flange thickness, tf | 1.31 in |
| Web thickness, tw | 0.830 in |
| Distance to web toe of fillet, kdes | 1.91 in |
| Distance between flange centroids, ho | 13.89 in |
| Cross-sectional area, A | 51.8 in2 |
| Weight | 176 lb/ft |
Dimensions are AISC design values. Detailing dimensions are rounded to the nearest 1/16 in.
W14×176 section properties
| Property | Strong axis (x) | Weak axis (y) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment of inertia, I | 2140 in4 | 838 in4 |
| Elastic section modulus, S | 281 in3 | 107 in3 |
| Plastic section modulus, Z | 320 in3 | 163 in3 |
| Radius of gyration, r | 6.43 in | 4.02 in |
| Torsion and slenderness | Value |
|---|---|
| Torsional constant, J | 26.5 in4 |
| Warping constant, Cw | 40500 in6 |
| Effective radius of gyration, rts | 4.55 in |
| Flange slenderness, bf/2tf | 5.97 |
| Web slenderness, h/tw | 13.7 |
W14×176 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 = 1,200 kip-ft | Mn/Ω = 798 kip-ft |
| Shear | φVn = 378 kips | Vn/Ω = 252 kips |
If the compression flange isn't braced, the beam can buckle sideways before it yields. Up to Lp = 14.2 ft between braces it keeps its full strength; past Lr = 73.2 ft it buckles elastically. With uniform moment between braces (Cb = 1.0):
| Unbraced length, Lb | φMn (LRFD) | Mn/Ω (ASD) |
|---|---|---|
| Braced | 1,200 kip-ft | 798 kip-ft |
| 10 ft | 1,200 kip-ft | 798 kip-ft |
| 14.2 ft (Lp) | 1,200 kip-ft | 798 kip-ft |
| 20 ft | 1,155 kip-ft | 768 kip-ft |
| 30 ft | 1,076 kip-ft | 716 kip-ft |
| 40 ft | 998 kip-ft | 664 kip-ft |
| 50 ft | 920 kip-ft | 612 kip-ft |
| 60 ft | 841 kip-ft | 560 kip-ft |
| 70 ft | 763 kip-ft | 508 kip-ft |
| 73.2 ft (Lr) | 738 kip-ft | 491 kip-ft |
| 80 ft | 672 kip-ft | 447 kip-ft |
| 90 ft | 595 kip-ft | 396 kip-ft |
| 100 ft | 534 kip-ft | 355 kip-ft |
| 110 ft | 484 kip-ft | 322 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.
W14×176 load table by span
The largest uniform load a simply supported W14×176 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 0.176 kips per foot.
| Span | Factored load (LRFD) | Allowable load (ASD) | Load at span/360 | Load at span/240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 94.6* | 63.1* | 179.6 | 269.4 |
| 10 ft | 75.7* | 50.5* | 91.9 | 137.9 |
| 12 ft | 63.1* | 42.1* | 53.2 | 79.8 |
| 14 ft | 49.0 | 32.6 | 33.5 | 50.3 |
| 16 ft | 37.5 | 25.0 | 22.4 | 33.7 |
| 18 ft | 29.6 | 19.7 | 15.8 | 23.6 |
| 20 ft | 24.0 | 16.0 | 11.5 | 17.2 |
| 22 ft | 19.8 | 13.2 | 8.63 | 13.0 |
| 24 ft | 16.7 | 11.1 | 6.65 | 9.98 |
| 26 ft | 14.2 | 9.45 | 5.23 | 7.85 |
| 28 ft | 12.2 | 8.15 | 4.19 | 6.28 |
| 30 ft | 10.7 | 7.10 | 3.41 | 5.11 |
| 32 ft | 9.38 | 6.24 | 2.81 | 4.21 |
| 34 ft | 8.30 | 5.53 | 2.34 | 3.51 |
| 36 ft | 7.41 | 4.93 | 1.97 | 2.96 |
| 38 ft | 6.65 | 4.42 | 1.68 | 2.51 |
- 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 24 ft span, a W14×176 carries a factored load of 16.7 kips per foot (LRFD) or an allowable load of 11.1 kips per foot (ASD). A live load of 6.65 kips per foot would deflect it span/360, which is 0.80 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.
W14×176 questions
What does W14×176 mean?
W means a wide flange shape. 14 is its nominal depth in inches (the actual depth is 15.2 in) and 176 is its weight in pounds per foot.
How much does a W14×176 weigh?
176 pounds per foot, so a 20 ft W14×176 weighs about 3,520 pounds.
How far can a W14×176 span?
It depends on the load. Braced along its length, it carries 94.6 kips per foot of factored load at 8 ft and 6.65 kips per foot at 38 ft; the load table has the spans in between. Floor beams are often 23 to 30 ft for this depth (span-to-depth ratios of about 18 to 24), where deflection usually governs.
Is a W14×176 a compact section?
Yes. Its flanges (bf/2tf = 5.97) and web (h/tw = 13.7) are both compact for bending in 50 ksi steel.