W14×426 Steel Beam
A W14×426 is a wide flange steel beam 18.7 inches deep with 16.7-inch flanges, weighing 426 pounds per foot. In ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi) it has a design bending strength of 3,259 kip-ft (LRFD) when its compression flange is braced, and a design shear strength of 1,055 kips.
Design a W14×426 beam Opens a 29 ft span in the free beam designer.
W14×426 dimensions
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth, d | 18.7 in |
| Flange width, bf | 16.7 in |
| Flange thickness, tf | 3.04 in |
| Web thickness, tw | 1.88 in |
| Distance to web toe of fillet, kdes | 3.63 in |
| Distance between flange centroids, ho | 15.66 in |
| Cross-sectional area, A | 125 in2 |
| Weight | 426 lb/ft |
Dimensions are AISC design values. Detailing dimensions are rounded to the nearest 1/16 in.
W14×426 section properties
| Property | Strong axis (x) | Weak axis (y) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment of inertia, I | 6600 in4 | 2360 in4 |
| Elastic section modulus, S | 706 in3 | 283 in3 |
| Plastic section modulus, Z | 869 in3 | 434 in3 |
| Radius of gyration, r | 7.26 in | 4.34 in |
| Torsion and slenderness | Value |
|---|---|
| Torsional constant, J | 331 in4 |
| Warping constant, Cw | 144000 in6 |
| Effective radius of gyration, rts | 5.11 in |
| Flange slenderness, bf/2tf | 2.75 |
| Web slenderness, h/tw | 6.08 |
W14×426 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 = 3,259 kip-ft | Mn/Ω = 2,168 kip-ft |
| Shear | φVn = 1,055 kips | Vn/Ω = 703 kips |
If the compression flange isn't braced, the beam can buckle sideways before it yields. Up to Lp = 15.3 ft between braces it keeps its full strength; past Lr = 168.6 ft it buckles elastically. With uniform moment between braces (Cb = 1.0):
| Unbraced length, Lb | φMn (LRFD) | Mn/Ω (ASD) |
|---|---|---|
| Braced | 3,259 kip-ft | 2,168 kip-ft |
| 10 ft | 3,259 kip-ft | 2,168 kip-ft |
| 15.3 ft (Lp) | 3,259 kip-ft | 2,168 kip-ft |
| 20 ft | 3,216 kip-ft | 2,140 kip-ft |
| 30 ft | 3,124 kip-ft | 2,079 kip-ft |
| 40 ft | 3,033 kip-ft | 2,018 kip-ft |
| 50 ft | 2,941 kip-ft | 1,957 kip-ft |
| 60 ft | 2,849 kip-ft | 1,896 kip-ft |
| 70 ft | 2,757 kip-ft | 1,835 kip-ft |
| 80 ft | 2,666 kip-ft | 1,774 kip-ft |
| 90 ft | 2,574 kip-ft | 1,713 kip-ft |
| 100 ft | 2,482 kip-ft | 1,652 kip-ft |
| 110 ft | 2,391 kip-ft | 1,591 kip-ft |
| 168.6 ft (Lr) | 1,852 kip-ft | 1,232 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.
W14×426 load table by span
The largest uniform load a simply supported W14×426 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 0.426 kips per foot.
| Span | Factored load (LRFD) | Allowable load (ASD) | Load at span/360 | Load at span/240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 ft | 234.4* | 156.2* | 389.0 | 583.4 |
| 11 ft | 191.8* | 127.8* | 213.0 | 319.6 |
| 13 ft | 154.3 | 102.6 | 129.1 | 193.6 |
| 15 ft | 115.9 | 77.1 | 84.0 | 126.0 |
| 17 ft | 90.2 | 60.0 | 57.7 | 86.6 |
| 19 ft | 72.2 | 48.0 | 41.3 | 62.0 |
| 21 ft | 59.1 | 39.3 | 30.6 | 45.9 |
| 23 ft | 49.3 | 32.8 | 23.3 | 35.0 |
| 25 ft | 41.7 | 27.8 | 18.1 | 27.2 |
| 27 ft | 35.8 | 23.8 | 14.4 | 21.6 |
| 29 ft | 31.0 | 20.6 | 11.6 | 17.4 |
| 31 ft | 27.1 | 18.0 | 9.52 | 14.3 |
| 33 ft | 23.9 | 15.9 | 7.89 | 11.8 |
| 35 ft | 21.3 | 14.2 | 6.61 | 9.92 |
| 37 ft | 19.0 | 12.7 | 5.60 | 8.40 |
| 39 ft | 17.1 | 11.4 | 4.78 | 7.17 |
| 41 ft | 15.5 | 10.3 | 4.11 | 6.17 |
| 43 ft | 14.1 | 9.38 | 3.57 | 5.35 |
| 45 ft | 12.9 | 8.57 | 3.11 | 4.67 |
| 47 ft | 11.8 | 7.85 | 2.73 | 4.10 |
- 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 29 ft span, a W14×426 carries a factored load of 31.0 kips per foot (LRFD) or an allowable load of 20.6 kips per foot (ASD). A live load of 11.6 kips per foot would deflect it span/360, which is 0.97 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.
W14×426 questions
What does W14×426 mean?
W means a wide flange shape. 14 is its nominal depth in inches (the actual depth is 18.7 in) and 426 is its weight in pounds per foot.
How much does a W14×426 weigh?
426 pounds per foot, so a 20 ft W14×426 weighs about 8,520 pounds.
How far can a W14×426 span?
It depends on the load. Braced along its length, it carries 234.4 kips per foot of factored load at 9 ft and 11.8 kips per foot at 47 ft; the load table has the spans in between. Floor beams are often 28 to 37 ft for this depth (span-to-depth ratios of about 18 to 24), where deflection usually governs.
Is a W14×426 a compact section?
Yes. Its flanges (bf/2tf = 2.75) and web (h/tw = 6.08) are both compact for bending in 50 ksi steel.