W14×193 Steel Beam
A W14×193 is a wide flange steel beam 15.5 inches deep with 15.7-inch flanges, weighing 193 pounds per foot. In ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi) it has a design bending strength of 1,331 kip-ft (LRFD) when its compression flange is braced, and a design shear strength of 414 kips.
Design a W14×193 beam Opens a 24 ft span in the free beam designer.
W14×193 dimensions
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth, d | 15.5 in |
| Flange width, bf | 15.7 in |
| Flange thickness, tf | 1.44 in |
| Web thickness, tw | 0.890 in |
| Distance to web toe of fillet, kdes | 2.04 in |
| Distance between flange centroids, ho | 14.06 in |
| Cross-sectional area, A | 56.8 in2 |
| Weight | 193 lb/ft |
Dimensions are AISC design values. Detailing dimensions are rounded to the nearest 1/16 in.
W14×193 section properties
| Property | Strong axis (x) | Weak axis (y) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment of inertia, I | 2400 in4 | 931 in4 |
| Elastic section modulus, S | 310 in3 | 119 in3 |
| Plastic section modulus, Z | 355 in3 | 180 in3 |
| Radius of gyration, r | 6.50 in | 4.05 in |
| Torsion and slenderness | Value |
|---|---|
| Torsional constant, J | 34.8 in4 |
| Warping constant, Cw | 45900 in6 |
| Effective radius of gyration, rts | 4.59 in |
| Flange slenderness, bf/2tf | 5.45 |
| Web slenderness, h/tw | 12.8 |
W14×193 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 = 1,331 kip-ft | Mn/Ω = 886 kip-ft |
| Shear | φVn = 414 kips | Vn/Ω = 276 kips |
If the compression flange isn't braced, the beam can buckle sideways before it yields. Up to Lp = 14.3 ft between braces it keeps its full strength; past Lr = 79.6 ft it buckles elastically. With uniform moment between braces (Cb = 1.0):
| Unbraced length, Lb | φMn (LRFD) | Mn/Ω (ASD) |
|---|---|---|
| Braced | 1,331 kip-ft | 886 kip-ft |
| 10 ft | 1,331 kip-ft | 886 kip-ft |
| 14.3 ft (Lp) | 1,331 kip-ft | 886 kip-ft |
| 20 ft | 1,286 kip-ft | 856 kip-ft |
| 30 ft | 1,207 kip-ft | 803 kip-ft |
| 40 ft | 1,128 kip-ft | 750 kip-ft |
| 50 ft | 1,048 kip-ft | 697 kip-ft |
| 60 ft | 969 kip-ft | 645 kip-ft |
| 70 ft | 890 kip-ft | 592 kip-ft |
| 79.6 ft (Lr) | 814 kip-ft | 541 kip-ft |
| 80 ft | 809 kip-ft | 538 kip-ft |
| 90 ft | 716 kip-ft | 477 kip-ft |
| 100 ft | 643 kip-ft | 428 kip-ft |
| 110 ft | 583 kip-ft | 388 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.
W14×193 load table by span
The largest uniform load a simply supported W14×193 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 0.193 kips per foot.
| Span | Factored load (LRFD) | Allowable load (ASD) | Load at span/360 | Load at span/240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 103.5* | 69.0* | 201.4 | 302.1 |
| 10 ft | 82.8* | 55.2* | 103.1 | 154.7 |
| 12 ft | 69.0* | 46.0* | 59.7 | 89.5 |
| 14 ft | 54.3 | 36.2 | 37.6 | 56.4 |
| 16 ft | 41.6 | 27.7 | 25.2 | 37.8 |
| 18 ft | 32.9 | 21.9 | 17.7 | 26.5 |
| 20 ft | 26.6 | 17.7 | 12.9 | 19.3 |
| 22 ft | 22.0 | 14.6 | 9.68 | 14.5 |
| 24 ft | 18.5 | 12.3 | 7.46 | 11.2 |
| 26 ft | 15.8 | 10.5 | 5.87 | 8.80 |
| 28 ft | 13.6 | 9.04 | 4.70 | 7.05 |
| 30 ft | 11.8 | 7.87 | 3.82 | 5.73 |
| 32 ft | 10.4 | 6.92 | 3.15 | 4.72 |
| 34 ft | 9.21 | 6.13 | 2.62 | 3.94 |
| 36 ft | 8.22 | 5.47 | 2.21 | 3.32 |
| 38 ft | 7.38 | 4.91 | 1.88 | 2.82 |
- 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 W14×193 carries a factored load of 18.5 kips per foot (LRFD) or an allowable load of 12.3 kips per foot (ASD). A live load of 7.46 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.
W14×193 questions
What does W14×193 mean?
W means a wide flange shape. 14 is its nominal depth in inches (the actual depth is 15.5 in) and 193 is its weight in pounds per foot.
How much does a W14×193 weigh?
193 pounds per foot, so a 20 ft W14×193 weighs about 3,860 pounds.
How far can a W14×193 span?
It depends on the load. Braced along its length, it carries 103.5 kips per foot of factored load at 8 ft and 7.38 kips per foot at 38 ft; the load table has the spans in between. Floor beams are often 23 to 31 ft for this depth (span-to-depth ratios of about 18 to 24), where deflection usually governs.
Is a W14×193 a compact section?
Yes. Its flanges (bf/2tf = 5.45) and web (h/tw = 12.8) are both compact for bending in 50 ksi steel.