W14×257 Steel Beam
A W14×257 is a wide flange steel beam 16.4 inches deep with 16-inch flanges, weighing 257 pounds per foot. In ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi) it has a design bending strength of 1,826 kip-ft (LRFD) when its compression flange is braced, and a design shear strength of 581 kips.
Design a W14×257 beam Opens a 24 ft span in the free beam designer.
W14×257 dimensions
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth, d | 16.4 in |
| Flange width, bf | 16.0 in |
| Flange thickness, tf | 1.89 in |
| Web thickness, tw | 1.18 in |
| Distance to web toe of fillet, kdes | 2.49 in |
| Distance between flange centroids, ho | 14.51 in |
| Cross-sectional area, A | 75.6 in2 |
| Weight | 257 lb/ft |
Dimensions are AISC design values. Detailing dimensions are rounded to the nearest 1/16 in.
W14×257 section properties
| Property | Strong axis (x) | Weak axis (y) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment of inertia, I | 3400 in4 | 1290 in4 |
| Elastic section modulus, S | 415 in3 | 161 in3 |
| Plastic section modulus, Z | 487 in3 | 246 in3 |
| Radius of gyration, r | 6.71 in | 4.13 in |
| Torsion and slenderness | Value |
|---|---|
| Torsional constant, J | 79.1 in4 |
| Warping constant, Cw | 67800 in6 |
| Effective radius of gyration, rts | 4.75 in |
| Flange slenderness, bf/2tf | 4.23 |
| Web slenderness, h/tw | 9.71 |
W14×257 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 = 1,826 kip-ft | Mn/Ω = 1,215 kip-ft |
| Shear | φVn = 581 kips | Vn/Ω = 387 kips |
If the compression flange isn't braced, the beam can buckle sideways before it yields. Up to Lp = 14.6 ft between braces it keeps its full strength; past Lr = 104.3 ft it buckles elastically. With uniform moment between braces (Cb = 1.0):
| Unbraced length, Lb | φMn (LRFD) | Mn/Ω (ASD) |
|---|---|---|
| Braced | 1,826 kip-ft | 1,215 kip-ft |
| 10 ft | 1,826 kip-ft | 1,215 kip-ft |
| 14.6 ft (Lp) | 1,826 kip-ft | 1,215 kip-ft |
| 20 ft | 1,782 kip-ft | 1,186 kip-ft |
| 30 ft | 1,700 kip-ft | 1,131 kip-ft |
| 40 ft | 1,618 kip-ft | 1,076 kip-ft |
| 50 ft | 1,535 kip-ft | 1,022 kip-ft |
| 60 ft | 1,453 kip-ft | 967 kip-ft |
| 70 ft | 1,371 kip-ft | 912 kip-ft |
| 80 ft | 1,289 kip-ft | 858 kip-ft |
| 90 ft | 1,207 kip-ft | 803 kip-ft |
| 100 ft | 1,125 kip-ft | 748 kip-ft |
| 104.3 ft (Lr) | 1,089 kip-ft | 724 kip-ft |
| 110 ft | 1,032 kip-ft | 687 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.
W14×257 load table by span
The largest uniform load a simply supported W14×257 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 0.257 kips per foot.
| Span | Factored load (LRFD) | Allowable load (ASD) | Load at span/360 | Load at span/240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 145.1* | 96.8* | 285.3 | 428.0 |
| 10 ft | 116.1* | 77.4* | 146.1 | 219.1 |
| 12 ft | 96.8* | 64.5* | 84.5 | 126.8 |
| 14 ft | 74.5 | 49.6 | 53.2 | 79.9 |
| 16 ft | 57.1 | 38.0 | 35.7 | 53.5 |
| 18 ft | 45.1 | 30.0 | 25.0 | 37.6 |
| 20 ft | 36.5 | 24.3 | 18.3 | 27.4 |
| 22 ft | 30.2 | 20.1 | 13.7 | 20.6 |
| 24 ft | 25.4 | 16.9 | 10.6 | 15.9 |
| 26 ft | 21.6 | 14.4 | 8.31 | 12.5 |
| 28 ft | 18.6 | 12.4 | 6.65 | 9.98 |
| 30 ft | 16.2 | 10.8 | 5.41 | 8.12 |
| 32 ft | 14.3 | 9.49 | 4.46 | 6.69 |
| 34 ft | 12.6 | 8.41 | 3.72 | 5.57 |
| 36 ft | 11.3 | 7.50 | 3.13 | 4.70 |
| 38 ft | 10.1 | 6.73 | 2.66 | 3.99 |
| 40 ft | 9.13 | 6.08 | 2.28 | 3.42 |
- 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 W14×257 carries a factored load of 25.4 kips per foot (LRFD) or an allowable load of 16.9 kips per foot (ASD). A live load of 10.6 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.
W14×257 questions
What does W14×257 mean?
W means a wide flange shape. 14 is its nominal depth in inches (the actual depth is 16.4 in) and 257 is its weight in pounds per foot.
How much does a W14×257 weigh?
257 pounds per foot, so a 20 ft W14×257 weighs about 5,140 pounds.
How far can a W14×257 span?
It depends on the load. Braced along its length, it carries 145.1 kips per foot of factored load at 8 ft and 9.13 kips per foot at 40 ft; the load table has the spans in between. Floor beams are often 25 to 33 ft for this depth (span-to-depth ratios of about 18 to 24), where deflection usually governs.
Is a W14×257 a compact section?
Yes. Its flanges (bf/2tf = 4.23) and web (h/tw = 9.71) are both compact for bending in 50 ksi steel.