W36×487 Steel Beam
A W36×487 is a wide flange steel beam 39.3 inches deep with 17.1-inch flanges, weighing 487 pounds per foot. In ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi) it has a design bending strength of 7,988 kip-ft (LRFD) when its compression flange is braced, and a design shear strength of 1,769 kips.
Design a W36×487 beam Opens a 60 ft span in the free beam designer.
W36×487 dimensions
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth, d | 39.3 in |
| Flange width, bf | 17.1 in |
| Flange thickness, tf | 2.68 in |
| Web thickness, tw | 1.50 in |
| Distance to web toe of fillet, kdes | 3.63 in |
| Distance between flange centroids, ho | 36.62 in |
| Cross-sectional area, A | 143 in2 |
| Weight | 487 lb/ft |
Dimensions are AISC design values. Detailing dimensions are rounded to the nearest 1/16 in.
W36×487 section properties
| Property | Strong axis (x) | Weak axis (y) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment of inertia, I | 36000 in4 | 2250 in4 |
| Elastic section modulus, S | 1830 in3 | 263 in3 |
| Plastic section modulus, Z | 2130 in3 | 412 in3 |
| Radius of gyration, r | 15.8 in | 3.96 in |
| Torsion and slenderness | Value |
|---|---|
| Torsional constant, J | 258 in4 |
| Warping constant, Cw | 754000 in6 |
| Effective radius of gyration, rts | 4.74 in |
| Flange slenderness, bf/2tf | 3.19 |
| Web slenderness, h/tw | 21.4 |
W36×487 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 = 7,988 kip-ft | Mn/Ω = 5,314 kip-ft |
| Shear | φVn = 1,769 kips | Vn/Ω = 1,179 kips |
If the compression flange isn't braced, the beam can buckle sideways before it yields. Up to Lp = 14.0 ft between braces it keeps its full strength; past Lr = 60.0 ft it buckles elastically. With uniform moment between braces (Cb = 1.0):
| Unbraced length, Lb | φMn (LRFD) | Mn/Ω (ASD) |
|---|---|---|
| Braced | 7,988 kip-ft | 5,314 kip-ft |
| 10 ft | 7,988 kip-ft | 5,314 kip-ft |
| 14.0 ft (Lp) | 7,987 kip-ft | 5,314 kip-ft |
| 20 ft | 7,571 kip-ft | 5,037 kip-ft |
| 30 ft | 6,879 kip-ft | 4,577 kip-ft |
| 40 ft | 6,187 kip-ft | 4,116 kip-ft |
| 50 ft | 5,495 kip-ft | 3,656 kip-ft |
| 60.0 ft (Lr) | 4,801 kip-ft | 3,194 kip-ft |
| 60 ft (Lr) | 4,799 kip-ft | 3,193 kip-ft |
| 70 ft | 4,044 kip-ft | 2,690 kip-ft |
| 80 ft | 3,498 kip-ft | 2,328 kip-ft |
| 90 ft | 3,085 kip-ft | 2,053 kip-ft |
| 100 ft | 2,760 kip-ft | 1,837 kip-ft |
| 110 ft | 2,499 kip-ft | 1,662 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.
W36×487 load table by span
The largest uniform load a simply supported W36×487 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 0.487 kips per foot.
| Span | Factored load (LRFD) | Allowable load (ASD) | Load at span/360 | Load at span/240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft | 159.8 | 106.3 | 193.3 | 290.0 |
| 22 ft | 132.0 | 87.8 | 145.3 | 217.9 |
| 24 ft | 110.9 | 73.8 | 111.9 | 167.8 |
| 26 ft | 94.5 | 62.9 | 88.0 | 132.0 |
| 28 ft | 81.5 | 54.2 | 70.5 | 105.7 |
| 30 ft | 71.0 | 47.2 | 57.3 | 85.9 |
| 32 ft | 62.4 | 41.5 | 47.2 | 70.8 |
| 34 ft | 55.3 | 36.8 | 39.4 | 59.0 |
| 36 ft | 49.3 | 32.8 | 33.2 | 49.7 |
| 38 ft | 44.3 | 29.4 | 28.2 | 42.3 |
| 40 ft | 39.9 | 26.6 | 24.2 | 36.3 |
| 42 ft | 36.2 | 24.1 | 20.9 | 31.3 |
| 44 ft | 33.0 | 22.0 | 18.2 | 27.2 |
| 46 ft | 30.2 | 20.1 | 15.9 | 23.8 |
| 48 ft | 27.7 | 18.5 | 14.0 | 21.0 |
| 50 ft | 25.6 | 17.0 | 12.4 | 18.6 |
| 52 ft | 23.6 | 15.7 | 11.0 | 16.5 |
| 54 ft | 21.9 | 14.6 | 9.82 | 14.7 |
| 56 ft | 20.4 | 13.6 | 8.81 | 13.2 |
| 58 ft | 19.0 | 12.6 | 7.93 | 11.9 |
| 60 ft | 17.8 | 11.8 | 7.16 | 10.7 |
| 62 ft | 16.6 | 11.1 | 6.49 | 9.73 |
| 64 ft | 15.6 | 10.4 | 5.90 | 8.85 |
| 66 ft | 14.7 | 9.76 | 5.38 | 8.07 |
| 68 ft | 13.8 | 9.19 | 4.92 | 7.38 |
| 70 ft | 13.0 | 8.68 | 4.51 | 6.76 |
| 72 ft | 12.3 | 8.20 | 4.14 | 6.22 |
| 74 ft | 11.7 | 7.76 | 3.82 | 5.73 |
| 76 ft | 11.1 | 7.36 | 3.52 | 5.29 |
| 78 ft | 10.5 | 6.99 | 3.26 | 4.89 |
| 80 ft | 9.98 | 6.64 | 3.02 | 4.53 |
| 82 ft | 9.50 | 6.32 | 2.81 | 4.21 |
| 84 ft | 9.06 | 6.03 | 2.61 | 3.91 |
| 86 ft | 8.64 | 5.75 | 2.43 | 3.65 |
| 88 ft | 8.25 | 5.49 | 2.27 | 3.40 |
| 90 ft | 7.89 | 5.25 | 2.12 | 3.18 |
| 92 ft | 7.55 | 5.02 | 1.99 | 2.98 |
| 94 ft | 7.23 | 4.81 | 1.86 | 2.79 |
| 96 ft | 6.93 | 4.61 | 1.75 | 2.62 |
| 98 ft | 6.65 | 4.43 | 1.64 | 2.46 |
- 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 60 ft span, a W36×487 carries a factored load of 17.8 kips per foot (LRFD) or an allowable load of 11.8 kips per foot (ASD). A live load of 7.16 kips per foot would deflect it span/360, which is 2.00 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.
W36×487 questions
What does W36×487 mean?
W means a wide flange shape. 36 is its nominal depth in inches (the actual depth is 39.3 in) and 487 is its weight in pounds per foot.
How much does a W36×487 weigh?
487 pounds per foot, so a 20 ft W36×487 weighs about 9,740 pounds.
How far can a W36×487 span?
It depends on the load. Braced along its length, it carries 159.8 kips per foot of factored load at 20 ft and 6.65 kips per foot at 98 ft; the load table has the spans in between. Floor beams are often 59 to 79 ft for this depth (span-to-depth ratios of about 18 to 24), where deflection usually governs.
Is a W36×487 a compact section?
Yes. Its flanges (bf/2tf = 3.19) and web (h/tw = 21.4) are both compact for bending in 50 ksi steel.