W36×150 Steel Beam
A W36×150 is a wide flange steel beam 35.9 inches deep with 12-inch flanges, weighing 150 pounds per foot. In ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi) it has a design bending strength of 2,179 kip-ft (LRFD) when its compression flange is braced, and a design shear strength of 673 kips.
Design a W36×150 beam Opens a 54 ft span in the free beam designer.
W36×150 dimensions
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth, d | 35.9 in |
| Flange width, bf | 12.0 in |
| Flange thickness, tf | 0.940 in |
| Web thickness, tw | 0.625 in |
| Distance to web toe of fillet, kdes | 1.69 in |
| Distance between flange centroids, ho | 34.96 in |
| Cross-sectional area, A | 44.2 in2 |
| Weight | 150 lb/ft |
Dimensions are AISC design values. Detailing dimensions are rounded to the nearest 1/16 in.
W36×150 section properties
| Property | Strong axis (x) | Weak axis (y) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment of inertia, I | 9040 in4 | 270 in4 |
| Elastic section modulus, S | 504 in3 | 45.1 in3 |
| Plastic section modulus, Z | 581 in3 | 70.9 in3 |
| Radius of gyration, r | 14.3 in | 2.47 in |
| Torsion and slenderness | Value |
|---|---|
| Torsional constant, J | 10.1 in4 |
| Warping constant, Cw | 82200 in6 |
| Effective radius of gyration, rts | 3.06 in |
| Flange slenderness, bf/2tf | 6.37 |
| Web slenderness, h/tw | 51.9 |
W36×150 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 = 2,179 kip-ft | Mn/Ω = 1,450 kip-ft |
| Shear | φVn = 673 kips | Vn/Ω = 449 kips |
If the compression flange isn't braced, the beam can buckle sideways before it yields. Up to Lp = 8.7 ft between braces it keeps its full strength; past Lr = 25.3 ft it buckles elastically. With uniform moment between braces (Cb = 1.0):
| Unbraced length, Lb | φMn (LRFD) | Mn/Ω (ASD) |
|---|---|---|
| Braced | 2,179 kip-ft | 1,450 kip-ft |
| 5 ft | 2,179 kip-ft | 1,450 kip-ft |
| 8.7 ft (Lp) | 2,179 kip-ft | 1,450 kip-ft |
| 10 ft | 2,113 kip-ft | 1,406 kip-ft |
| 15 ft | 1,854 kip-ft | 1,233 kip-ft |
| 20 ft | 1,595 kip-ft | 1,061 kip-ft |
| 25 ft | 1,336 kip-ft | 889 kip-ft |
| 25.3 ft (Lr) | 1,323 kip-ft | 880 kip-ft |
| 30 ft | 993 kip-ft | 661 kip-ft |
| 35 ft | 778 kip-ft | 518 kip-ft |
| 40 ft | 636 kip-ft | 423 kip-ft |
| 45 ft | 537 kip-ft | 357 kip-ft |
| 50 ft | 463 kip-ft | 308 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.
W36×150 load table by span
The largest uniform load a simply supported W36×150 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 0.150 kips per foot.
| Span | Factored load (LRFD) | Allowable load (ASD) | Load at span/360 | Load at span/240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 ft | 53.8 | 35.8 | 66.6 | 99.9 |
| 20 ft | 43.6 | 29.0 | 48.5 | 72.8 |
| 22 ft | 36.0 | 24.0 | 36.5 | 54.7 |
| 24 ft | 30.3 | 20.1 | 28.1 | 42.1 |
| 26 ft | 25.8 | 17.2 | 22.1 | 33.1 |
| 28 ft | 22.2 | 14.8 | 17.7 | 26.5 |
| 30 ft | 19.4 | 12.9 | 14.4 | 21.6 |
| 32 ft | 17.0 | 11.3 | 11.9 | 17.8 |
| 34 ft | 15.1 | 10.0 | 9.88 | 14.8 |
| 36 ft | 13.4 | 8.95 | 8.32 | 12.5 |
| 38 ft | 12.1 | 8.03 | 7.08 | 10.6 |
| 40 ft | 10.9 | 7.25 | 6.07 | 9.10 |
| 42 ft | 9.88 | 6.57 | 5.24 | 7.86 |
| 44 ft | 9.00 | 5.99 | 4.56 | 6.84 |
| 46 ft | 8.24 | 5.48 | 3.99 | 5.99 |
| 48 ft | 7.57 | 5.03 | 3.51 | 5.27 |
| 50 ft | 6.97 | 4.64 | 3.11 | 4.66 |
| 52 ft | 6.45 | 4.29 | 2.76 | 4.14 |
| 54 ft | 5.98 | 3.98 | 2.47 | 3.70 |
| 56 ft | 5.56 | 3.70 | 2.21 | 3.32 |
| 58 ft | 5.18 | 3.45 | 1.99 | 2.99 |
| 60 ft | 4.84 | 3.22 | 1.80 | 2.70 |
| 62 ft | 4.53 | 3.02 | 1.63 | 2.44 |
| 64 ft | 4.26 | 2.83 | 1.48 | 2.22 |
| 66 ft | 4.00 | 2.66 | 1.35 | 2.03 |
| 68 ft | 3.77 | 2.51 | 1.24 | 1.85 |
| 70 ft | 3.56 | 2.37 | 1.13 | 1.70 |
| 72 ft | 3.36 | 2.24 | 1.04 | 1.56 |
| 74 ft | 3.18 | 2.12 | 0.96 | 1.44 |
| 76 ft | 3.02 | 2.01 | 0.88 | 1.33 |
| 78 ft | 2.86 | 1.91 | 0.82 | 1.23 |
| 80 ft | 2.72 | 1.81 | 0.76 | 1.14 |
| 82 ft | 2.59 | 1.72 | 0.70 | 1.06 |
| 84 ft | 2.47 | 1.64 | 0.66 | 0.98 |
| 86 ft | 2.36 | 1.57 | 0.61 | 0.92 |
| 88 ft | 2.25 | 1.50 | 0.57 | 0.85 |
| 90 ft | 2.15 | 1.43 | 0.53 | 0.80 |
- 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 54 ft span, a W36×150 carries a factored load of 5.98 kips per foot (LRFD) or an allowable load of 3.98 kips per foot (ASD). A live load of 2.47 kips per foot would deflect it span/360, which is 1.80 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.
W36×150 questions
What does W36×150 mean?
W means a wide flange shape. 36 is its nominal depth in inches (the actual depth is 35.9 in) and 150 is its weight in pounds per foot.
How much does a W36×150 weigh?
150 pounds per foot, so a 20 ft W36×150 weighs about 3,000 pounds.
How far can a W36×150 span?
It depends on the load. Braced along its length, it carries 53.8 kips per foot of factored load at 18 ft and 2.15 kips per foot at 90 ft; the load table has the spans in between. Floor beams are often 54 to 72 ft for this depth (span-to-depth ratios of about 18 to 24), where deflection usually governs.
Is a W36×150 a compact section?
Yes. Its flanges (bf/2tf = 6.37) and web (h/tw = 51.9) are both compact for bending in 50 ksi steel.