W36×262 Steel Beam
A W36×262 is a wide flange steel beam 36.9 inches deep with 16.6-inch flanges, weighing 262 pounds per foot. In ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi) it has a design bending strength of 4,125 kip-ft (LRFD) when its compression flange is braced, and a design shear strength of 930 kips.
Design a W36×262 beam Opens a 56 ft span in the free beam designer.
W36×262 dimensions
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth, d | 36.9 in |
| Flange width, bf | 16.6 in |
| Flange thickness, tf | 1.44 in |
| Web thickness, tw | 0.840 in |
| Distance to web toe of fillet, kdes | 2.39 in |
| Distance between flange centroids, ho | 35.46 in |
| Cross-sectional area, A | 77.0 in2 |
| Weight | 262 lb/ft |
Dimensions are AISC design values. Detailing dimensions are rounded to the nearest 1/16 in.
W36×262 section properties
| Property | Strong axis (x) | Weak axis (y) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment of inertia, I | 17900 in4 | 1090 in4 |
| Elastic section modulus, S | 972 in3 | 132 in3 |
| Plastic section modulus, Z | 1100 in3 | 204 in3 |
| Radius of gyration, r | 15.3 in | 3.76 in |
| Torsion and slenderness | Value |
|---|---|
| Torsional constant, J | 41.6 in4 |
| Warping constant, Cw | 342000 in6 |
| Effective radius of gyration, rts | 4.46 in |
| Flange slenderness, bf/2tf | 5.75 |
| Web slenderness, h/tw | 38.2 |
W36×262 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 = 4,125 kip-ft | Mn/Ω = 2,745 kip-ft |
| Shear | φVn = 930 kips | Vn/Ω = 620 kips |
If the compression flange isn't braced, the beam can buckle sideways before it yields. Up to Lp = 13.3 ft between braces it keeps its full strength; past Lr = 40.6 ft it buckles elastically. With uniform moment between braces (Cb = 1.0):
| Unbraced length, Lb | φMn (LRFD) | Mn/Ω (ASD) |
|---|---|---|
| Braced | 4,125 kip-ft | 2,745 kip-ft |
| 10 ft | 4,125 kip-ft | 2,745 kip-ft |
| 13.3 ft (Lp) | 4,125 kip-ft | 2,745 kip-ft |
| 20 ft | 3,737 kip-ft | 2,487 kip-ft |
| 30 ft | 3,161 kip-ft | 2,103 kip-ft |
| 40 ft | 2,584 kip-ft | 1,719 kip-ft |
| 40.6 ft (Lr) | 2,552 kip-ft | 1,698 kip-ft |
| 50 ft | 1,894 kip-ft | 1,260 kip-ft |
| 60 ft | 1,486 kip-ft | 989 kip-ft |
| 70 ft | 1,224 kip-ft | 815 kip-ft |
| 80 ft | 1,042 kip-ft | 693 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.
W36×262 load table by span
The largest uniform load a simply supported W36×262 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 0.262 kips per foot.
| Span | Factored load (LRFD) | Allowable load (ASD) | Load at span/360 | Load at span/240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 ft | 101.9 | 67.8 | 131.9 | 197.8 |
| 20 ft | 82.5 | 54.9 | 96.1 | 144.2 |
| 22 ft | 68.2 | 45.4 | 72.2 | 108.3 |
| 24 ft | 57.3 | 38.1 | 55.6 | 83.4 |
| 26 ft | 48.8 | 32.5 | 43.8 | 65.6 |
| 28 ft | 42.1 | 28.0 | 35.0 | 52.5 |
| 30 ft | 36.7 | 24.4 | 28.5 | 42.7 |
| 32 ft | 32.2 | 21.4 | 23.5 | 35.2 |
| 34 ft | 28.5 | 19.0 | 19.6 | 29.3 |
| 36 ft | 25.5 | 16.9 | 16.5 | 24.7 |
| 38 ft | 22.9 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 21.0 |
| 40 ft | 20.6 | 13.7 | 12.0 | 18.0 |
| 42 ft | 18.7 | 12.4 | 10.4 | 15.6 |
| 44 ft | 17.0 | 11.3 | 9.03 | 13.5 |
| 46 ft | 15.6 | 10.4 | 7.90 | 11.9 |
| 48 ft | 14.3 | 9.53 | 6.95 | 10.4 |
| 50 ft | 13.2 | 8.78 | 6.15 | 9.23 |
| 52 ft | 12.2 | 8.12 | 5.47 | 8.20 |
| 54 ft | 11.3 | 7.53 | 4.88 | 7.33 |
| 56 ft | 10.5 | 7.00 | 4.38 | 6.57 |
| 58 ft | 9.81 | 6.53 | 3.94 | 5.91 |
| 60 ft | 9.17 | 6.10 | 3.56 | 5.34 |
| 62 ft | 8.58 | 5.71 | 3.23 | 4.84 |
| 64 ft | 8.06 | 5.36 | 2.93 | 4.40 |
| 66 ft | 7.58 | 5.04 | 2.67 | 4.01 |
| 68 ft | 7.14 | 4.75 | 2.45 | 3.67 |
| 70 ft | 6.73 | 4.48 | 2.24 | 3.36 |
| 72 ft | 6.37 | 4.24 | 2.06 | 3.09 |
| 74 ft | 6.03 | 4.01 | 1.90 | 2.85 |
| 76 ft | 5.71 | 3.80 | 1.75 | 2.63 |
| 78 ft | 5.42 | 3.61 | 1.62 | 2.43 |
| 80 ft | 5.16 | 3.43 | 1.50 | 2.25 |
| 82 ft | 4.91 | 3.27 | 1.39 | 2.09 |
| 84 ft | 4.68 | 3.11 | 1.30 | 1.95 |
| 86 ft | 4.46 | 2.97 | 1.21 | 1.81 |
| 88 ft | 4.26 | 2.84 | 1.13 | 1.69 |
| 90 ft | 4.07 | 2.71 | 1.05 | 1.58 |
| 92 ft | 3.90 | 2.59 | 0.99 | 1.48 |
- 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 56 ft span, a W36×262 carries a factored load of 10.5 kips per foot (LRFD) or an allowable load of 7.00 kips per foot (ASD). A live load of 4.38 kips per foot would deflect it span/360, which is 1.87 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.
W36×262 questions
What does W36×262 mean?
W means a wide flange shape. 36 is its nominal depth in inches (the actual depth is 36.9 in) and 262 is its weight in pounds per foot.
How much does a W36×262 weigh?
262 pounds per foot, so a 20 ft W36×262 weighs about 5,240 pounds.
How far can a W36×262 span?
It depends on the load. Braced along its length, it carries 101.9 kips per foot of factored load at 18 ft and 3.90 kips per foot at 92 ft; the load table has the spans in between. Floor beams are often 55 to 74 ft for this depth (span-to-depth ratios of about 18 to 24), where deflection usually governs.
Is a W36×262 a compact section?
Yes. Its flanges (bf/2tf = 5.75) and web (h/tw = 38.2) are both compact for bending in 50 ksi steel.