W36×282 Steel Beam
A W36×282 is a wide flange steel beam 37.1 inches deep with 16.6-inch flanges, weighing 282 pounds per foot. In ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi) it has a design bending strength of 4,463 kip-ft (LRFD) when its compression flange is braced, and a design shear strength of 985 kips.
Design a W36×282 beam Opens a 57 ft span in the free beam designer.
W36×282 dimensions
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth, d | 37.1 in |
| Flange width, bf | 16.6 in |
| Flange thickness, tf | 1.57 in |
| Web thickness, tw | 0.885 in |
| Distance to web toe of fillet, kdes | 2.52 in |
| Distance between flange centroids, ho | 35.53 in |
| Cross-sectional area, A | 82.9 in2 |
| Weight | 282 lb/ft |
Dimensions are AISC design values. Detailing dimensions are rounded to the nearest 1/16 in.
W36×282 section properties
| Property | Strong axis (x) | Weak axis (y) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment of inertia, I | 19600 in4 | 1200 in4 |
| Elastic section modulus, S | 1050 in3 | 144 in3 |
| Plastic section modulus, Z | 1190 in3 | 223 in3 |
| Radius of gyration, r | 15.4 in | 3.80 in |
| Torsion and slenderness | Value |
|---|---|
| Torsional constant, J | 52.7 in4 |
| Warping constant, Cw | 378000 in6 |
| Effective radius of gyration, rts | 4.50 in |
| Flange slenderness, bf/2tf | 5.29 |
| Web slenderness, h/tw | 36.2 |
W36×282 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 = 4,463 kip-ft | Mn/Ω = 2,969 kip-ft |
| Shear | φVn = 985 kips | Vn/Ω = 657 kips |
If the compression flange isn't braced, the beam can buckle sideways before it yields. Up to Lp = 13.4 ft between braces it keeps its full strength; past Lr = 42.2 ft it buckles elastically. With uniform moment between braces (Cb = 1.0):
| Unbraced length, Lb | φMn (LRFD) | Mn/Ω (ASD) |
|---|---|---|
| Braced | 4,463 kip-ft | 2,969 kip-ft |
| 10 ft | 4,463 kip-ft | 2,969 kip-ft |
| 13.4 ft (Lp) | 4,463 kip-ft | 2,969 kip-ft |
| 20 ft | 4,073 kip-ft | 2,710 kip-ft |
| 30 ft | 3,481 kip-ft | 2,316 kip-ft |
| 40 ft | 2,889 kip-ft | 1,922 kip-ft |
| 42.3 ft (Lr) | 2,753 kip-ft | 1,832 kip-ft |
| 50 ft | 2,183 kip-ft | 1,453 kip-ft |
| 60 ft | 1,723 kip-ft | 1,146 kip-ft |
| 70 ft | 1,424 kip-ft | 948 kip-ft |
| 80 ft | 1,216 kip-ft | 809 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.
W36×282 load table by span
The largest uniform load a simply supported W36×282 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 0.282 kips per foot.
| Span | Factored load (LRFD) | Allowable load (ASD) | Load at span/360 | Load at span/240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 ft | 98.9 | 65.8 | 122.8 | 184.2 |
| 21 ft | 81.0 | 53.9 | 90.9 | 136.4 |
| 23 ft | 67.5 | 44.9 | 69.2 | 103.8 |
| 25 ft | 57.1 | 38.0 | 53.9 | 80.8 |
| 27 ft | 49.0 | 32.6 | 42.8 | 64.2 |
| 29 ft | 42.4 | 28.2 | 34.5 | 51.8 |
| 31 ft | 37.1 | 24.7 | 28.3 | 42.4 |
| 33 ft | 32.8 | 21.8 | 23.4 | 35.1 |
| 35 ft | 29.1 | 19.4 | 19.6 | 29.5 |
| 37 ft | 26.1 | 17.4 | 16.6 | 24.9 |
| 39 ft | 23.5 | 15.6 | 14.2 | 21.3 |
| 41 ft | 21.2 | 14.1 | 12.2 | 18.3 |
| 43 ft | 19.3 | 12.8 | 10.6 | 15.9 |
| 45 ft | 17.6 | 11.7 | 9.24 | 13.9 |
| 47 ft | 16.2 | 10.8 | 8.11 | 12.2 |
| 49 ft | 14.9 | 9.89 | 7.16 | 10.7 |
| 51 ft | 13.7 | 9.13 | 6.35 | 9.52 |
| 53 ft | 12.7 | 8.46 | 5.66 | 8.48 |
| 55 ft | 11.8 | 7.85 | 5.06 | 7.59 |
| 57 ft | 11.0 | 7.31 | 4.55 | 6.82 |
| 59 ft | 10.3 | 6.82 | 4.10 | 6.15 |
| 61 ft | 9.59 | 6.38 | 3.71 | 5.56 |
| 63 ft | 8.99 | 5.98 | 3.37 | 5.05 |
| 65 ft | 8.45 | 5.62 | 3.07 | 4.60 |
| 67 ft | 7.95 | 5.29 | 2.80 | 4.20 |
| 69 ft | 7.50 | 4.99 | 2.56 | 3.84 |
| 71 ft | 7.08 | 4.71 | 2.35 | 3.53 |
| 73 ft | 6.70 | 4.46 | 2.16 | 3.25 |
| 75 ft | 6.35 | 4.22 | 2.00 | 2.99 |
| 77 ft | 6.02 | 4.01 | 1.84 | 2.77 |
| 79 ft | 5.72 | 3.81 | 1.71 | 2.56 |
| 81 ft | 5.44 | 3.62 | 1.58 | 2.38 |
| 83 ft | 5.18 | 3.45 | 1.47 | 2.21 |
| 85 ft | 4.94 | 3.29 | 1.37 | 2.06 |
| 87 ft | 4.72 | 3.14 | 1.28 | 1.92 |
| 89 ft | 4.51 | 3.00 | 1.19 | 1.79 |
| 91 ft | 4.31 | 2.87 | 1.12 | 1.68 |
| 93 ft | 4.13 | 2.75 | 1.05 | 1.57 |
- 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 57 ft span, a W36×282 carries a factored load of 11.0 kips per foot (LRFD) or an allowable load of 7.31 kips per foot (ASD). A live load of 4.55 kips per foot would deflect it span/360, which is 1.90 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.
W36×282 questions
What does W36×282 mean?
W means a wide flange shape. 36 is its nominal depth in inches (the actual depth is 37.1 in) and 282 is its weight in pounds per foot.
How much does a W36×282 weigh?
282 pounds per foot, so a 20 ft W36×282 weighs about 5,640 pounds.
How far can a W36×282 span?
It depends on the load. Braced along its length, it carries 98.9 kips per foot of factored load at 19 ft and 4.13 kips per foot at 93 ft; the load table has the spans in between. Floor beams are often 56 to 74 ft for this depth (span-to-depth ratios of about 18 to 24), where deflection usually governs.
Is a W36×282 a compact section?
Yes. Its flanges (bf/2tf = 5.29) and web (h/tw = 36.2) are both compact for bending in 50 ksi steel.