W36×441 Steel Beam
A W36×441 is a wide flange steel beam 38.9 inches deep with 17-inch flanges, weighing 441 pounds per foot. In ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi) it has a design bending strength of 7,163 kip-ft (LRFD) when its compression flange is braced, and a design shear strength of 1,587 kips.
Design a W36×441 beam Opens a 59 ft span in the free beam designer.
W36×441 dimensions
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth, d | 38.9 in |
| Flange width, bf | 17.0 in |
| Flange thickness, tf | 2.44 in |
| Web thickness, tw | 1.36 in |
| Distance to web toe of fillet, kdes | 3.39 in |
| Distance between flange centroids, ho | 36.46 in |
| Cross-sectional area, A | 130 in2 |
| Weight | 441 lb/ft |
Dimensions are AISC design values. Detailing dimensions are rounded to the nearest 1/16 in.
W36×441 section properties
| Property | Strong axis (x) | Weak axis (y) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment of inertia, I | 32100 in4 | 1990 in4 |
| Elastic section modulus, S | 1650 in3 | 235 in3 |
| Plastic section modulus, Z | 1910 in3 | 368 in3 |
| Radius of gyration, r | 15.7 in | 3.92 in |
| Torsion and slenderness | Value |
|---|---|
| Torsional constant, J | 194 in4 |
| Warping constant, Cw | 661000 in6 |
| Effective radius of gyration, rts | 4.69 in |
| Flange slenderness, bf/2tf | 3.48 |
| Web slenderness, h/tw | 23.6 |
W36×441 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 = 7,163 kip-ft | Mn/Ω = 4,765 kip-ft |
| Shear | φVn = 1,587 kips | Vn/Ω = 1,058 kips |
If the compression flange isn't braced, the beam can buckle sideways before it yields. Up to Lp = 13.8 ft between braces it keeps its full strength; past Lr = 55.5 ft it buckles elastically. With uniform moment between braces (Cb = 1.0):
| Unbraced length, Lb | φMn (LRFD) | Mn/Ω (ASD) |
|---|---|---|
| Braced | 7,163 kip-ft | 4,765 kip-ft |
| 10 ft | 7,163 kip-ft | 4,765 kip-ft |
| 13.9 ft (Lp) | 7,162 kip-ft | 4,765 kip-ft |
| 20 ft | 6,744 kip-ft | 4,487 kip-ft |
| 30 ft | 6,064 kip-ft | 4,035 kip-ft |
| 40 ft | 5,384 kip-ft | 3,582 kip-ft |
| 50 ft | 4,704 kip-ft | 3,130 kip-ft |
| 55.5 ft (Lr) | 4,328 kip-ft | 2,880 kip-ft |
| 60 ft | 3,954 kip-ft | 2,631 kip-ft |
| 70 ft | 3,324 kip-ft | 2,211 kip-ft |
| 80 ft | 2,871 kip-ft | 1,910 kip-ft |
| 90 ft | 2,528 kip-ft | 1,682 kip-ft |
| 100 ft | 2,260 kip-ft | 1,504 kip-ft |
| 110 ft | 2,045 kip-ft | 1,360 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.
W36×441 load table by span
The largest uniform load a simply supported W36×441 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 0.441 kips per foot.
| Span | Factored load (LRFD) | Allowable load (ASD) | Load at span/360 | Load at span/240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 ft | 158.7 | 105.6 | 201.1 | 301.6 |
| 21 ft | 129.9 | 86.4 | 148.9 | 223.4 |
| 23 ft | 108.3 | 72.1 | 113.3 | 170.0 |
| 25 ft | 91.7 | 61.0 | 88.3 | 132.4 |
| 27 ft | 78.6 | 52.3 | 70.1 | 105.1 |
| 29 ft | 68.1 | 45.3 | 56.5 | 84.8 |
| 31 ft | 59.6 | 39.7 | 46.3 | 69.4 |
| 33 ft | 52.6 | 35.0 | 38.4 | 57.6 |
| 35 ft | 46.8 | 31.1 | 32.2 | 48.2 |
| 37 ft | 41.9 | 27.8 | 27.2 | 40.8 |
| 39 ft | 37.7 | 25.1 | 23.2 | 34.9 |
| 41 ft | 34.1 | 22.7 | 20.0 | 30.0 |
| 43 ft | 31.0 | 20.6 | 17.3 | 26.0 |
| 45 ft | 28.3 | 18.8 | 15.1 | 22.7 |
| 47 ft | 25.9 | 17.3 | 13.3 | 19.9 |
| 49 ft | 23.9 | 15.9 | 11.7 | 17.6 |
| 51 ft | 22.0 | 14.7 | 10.4 | 15.6 |
| 53 ft | 20.4 | 13.6 | 9.26 | 13.9 |
| 55 ft | 18.9 | 12.6 | 8.29 | 12.4 |
| 57 ft | 17.6 | 11.7 | 7.45 | 11.2 |
| 59 ft | 16.5 | 11.0 | 6.71 | 10.1 |
| 61 ft | 15.4 | 10.2 | 6.08 | 9.11 |
| 63 ft | 14.4 | 9.61 | 5.52 | 8.27 |
| 65 ft | 13.6 | 9.02 | 5.02 | 7.53 |
| 67 ft | 12.8 | 8.49 | 4.59 | 6.88 |
| 69 ft | 12.0 | 8.01 | 4.20 | 6.30 |
| 71 ft | 11.4 | 7.56 | 3.85 | 5.78 |
| 73 ft | 10.8 | 7.15 | 3.55 | 5.32 |
| 75 ft | 10.2 | 6.78 | 3.27 | 4.90 |
| 77 ft | 9.66 | 6.43 | 3.02 | 4.53 |
| 79 ft | 9.18 | 6.11 | 2.80 | 4.20 |
| 81 ft | 8.73 | 5.81 | 2.60 | 3.89 |
| 83 ft | 8.32 | 5.53 | 2.41 | 3.62 |
| 85 ft | 7.93 | 5.28 | 2.25 | 3.37 |
| 87 ft | 7.57 | 5.04 | 2.09 | 3.14 |
| 89 ft | 7.23 | 4.81 | 1.96 | 2.93 |
| 91 ft | 6.92 | 4.60 | 1.83 | 2.75 |
| 93 ft | 6.63 | 4.41 | 1.71 | 2.57 |
| 95 ft | 6.35 | 4.22 | 1.61 | 2.41 |
| 97 ft | 6.09 | 4.05 | 1.51 | 2.27 |
- 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 59 ft span, a W36×441 carries a factored load of 16.5 kips per foot (LRFD) or an allowable load of 11.0 kips per foot (ASD). A live load of 6.71 kips per foot would deflect it span/360, which is 1.97 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.
W36×441 questions
What does W36×441 mean?
W means a wide flange shape. 36 is its nominal depth in inches (the actual depth is 38.9 in) and 441 is its weight in pounds per foot.
How much does a W36×441 weigh?
441 pounds per foot, so a 20 ft W36×441 weighs about 8,820 pounds.
How far can a W36×441 span?
It depends on the load. Braced along its length, it carries 158.7 kips per foot of factored load at 19 ft and 6.09 kips per foot at 97 ft; the load table has the spans in between. Floor beams are often 58 to 78 ft for this depth (span-to-depth ratios of about 18 to 24), where deflection usually governs.
Is a W36×441 a compact section?
Yes. Its flanges (bf/2tf = 3.48) and web (h/tw = 23.6) are both compact for bending in 50 ksi steel.