W40×362 Steel Beam
A W40×362 is a wide flange steel beam 40.6 inches deep with 16-inch flanges, weighing 362 pounds per foot. In ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi) it has a design bending strength of 6,150 kip-ft (LRFD) when its compression flange is braced, and a design shear strength of 1,364 kips.
Design a W40×362 beam Opens a 62 ft span in the free beam designer.
W40×362 dimensions
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth, d | 40.6 in |
| Flange width, bf | 16.0 in |
| Flange thickness, tf | 2.01 in |
| Web thickness, tw | 1.12 in |
| Distance to web toe of fillet, kdes | 3.19 in |
| Distance between flange centroids, ho | 38.59 in |
| Cross-sectional area, A | 107 in2 |
| Weight | 362 lb/ft |
Dimensions are AISC design values. Detailing dimensions are rounded to the nearest 1/16 in.
W40×362 section properties
| Property | Strong axis (x) | Weak axis (y) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment of inertia, I | 28900 in4 | 1380 in4 |
| Elastic section modulus, S | 1420 in3 | 173 in3 |
| Plastic section modulus, Z | 1640 in3 | 270 in3 |
| Radius of gyration, r | 16.5 in | 3.60 in |
| Torsion and slenderness | Value |
|---|---|
| Torsional constant, J | 109 in4 |
| Warping constant, Cw | 513000 in6 |
| Effective radius of gyration, rts | 4.33 in |
| Flange slenderness, bf/2tf | 3.99 |
| Web slenderness, h/tw | 30.5 |
W40×362 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 = 6,150 kip-ft | Mn/Ω = 4,092 kip-ft |
| Shear | φVn = 1,364 kips | Vn/Ω = 909 kips |
If the compression flange isn't braced, the beam can buckle sideways before it yields. Up to Lp = 12.7 ft between braces it keeps its full strength; past Lr = 44.0 ft it buckles elastically. With uniform moment between braces (Cb = 1.0):
| Unbraced length, Lb | φMn (LRFD) | Mn/Ω (ASD) |
|---|---|---|
| Braced | 6,150 kip-ft | 4,092 kip-ft |
| 10 ft | 6,150 kip-ft | 4,092 kip-ft |
| 12.7 ft (Lp) | 6,150 kip-ft | 4,092 kip-ft |
| 20 ft | 5,586 kip-ft | 3,717 kip-ft |
| 30 ft | 4,812 kip-ft | 3,202 kip-ft |
| 40 ft | 4,039 kip-ft | 2,687 kip-ft |
| 44.0 ft (Lr) | 3,724 kip-ft | 2,478 kip-ft |
| 50 ft | 3,166 kip-ft | 2,106 kip-ft |
| 60 ft | 2,535 kip-ft | 1,686 kip-ft |
| 70 ft | 2,117 kip-ft | 1,409 kip-ft |
| 80 ft | 1,821 kip-ft | 1,211 kip-ft |
| 90 ft | 1,599 kip-ft | 1,064 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.
W40×362 load table by span
The largest uniform load a simply supported W40×362 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 0.362 kips per foot.
| Span | Factored load (LRFD) | Allowable load (ASD) | Load at span/360 | Load at span/240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft | 123.0 | 81.8 | 155.2 | 232.8 |
| 22 ft | 101.7 | 67.6 | 116.6 | 174.9 |
| 24 ft | 85.4 | 56.8 | 89.8 | 134.7 |
| 26 ft | 72.8 | 48.4 | 70.6 | 106.0 |
| 28 ft | 62.8 | 41.8 | 56.6 | 84.8 |
| 30 ft | 54.7 | 36.4 | 46.0 | 69.0 |
| 32 ft | 48.0 | 32.0 | 37.9 | 56.8 |
| 34 ft | 42.6 | 28.3 | 31.6 | 47.4 |
| 36 ft | 38.0 | 25.3 | 26.6 | 39.9 |
| 38 ft | 34.1 | 22.7 | 22.6 | 33.9 |
| 40 ft | 30.8 | 20.5 | 19.4 | 29.1 |
| 42 ft | 27.9 | 18.6 | 16.8 | 25.1 |
| 44 ft | 25.4 | 16.9 | 14.6 | 21.9 |
| 46 ft | 23.3 | 15.5 | 12.8 | 19.1 |
| 48 ft | 21.4 | 14.2 | 11.2 | 16.8 |
| 50 ft | 19.7 | 13.1 | 9.93 | 14.9 |
| 52 ft | 18.2 | 12.1 | 8.83 | 13.2 |
| 54 ft | 16.9 | 11.2 | 7.89 | 11.8 |
| 56 ft | 15.7 | 10.4 | 7.07 | 10.6 |
| 58 ft | 14.6 | 9.73 | 6.36 | 9.55 |
| 60 ft | 13.7 | 9.09 | 5.75 | 8.62 |
| 62 ft | 12.8 | 8.52 | 5.21 | 7.81 |
| 64 ft | 12.0 | 7.99 | 4.74 | 7.10 |
| 66 ft | 11.3 | 7.51 | 4.32 | 6.48 |
| 68 ft | 10.6 | 7.08 | 3.95 | 5.92 |
| 70 ft | 10.0 | 6.68 | 3.62 | 5.43 |
| 72 ft | 9.49 | 6.31 | 3.33 | 4.99 |
| 74 ft | 8.98 | 5.98 | 3.06 | 4.60 |
| 76 ft | 8.52 | 5.67 | 2.83 | 4.24 |
| 78 ft | 8.09 | 5.38 | 2.62 | 3.92 |
| 80 ft | 7.69 | 5.11 | 2.43 | 3.64 |
| 82 ft | 7.32 | 4.87 | 2.25 | 3.38 |
| 84 ft | 6.97 | 4.64 | 2.09 | 3.14 |
| 86 ft | 6.65 | 4.43 | 1.95 | 2.93 |
| 88 ft | 6.35 | 4.23 | 1.82 | 2.73 |
| 90 ft | 6.07 | 4.04 | 1.70 | 2.55 |
| 92 ft | 5.81 | 3.87 | 1.59 | 2.39 |
| 94 ft | 5.57 | 3.70 | 1.49 | 2.24 |
| 96 ft | 5.34 | 3.55 | 1.40 | 2.11 |
| 98 ft | 5.12 | 3.41 | 1.32 | 1.98 |
| 100 ft | 4.92 | 3.27 | 1.24 | 1.86 |
| 102 ft | 4.73 | 3.15 | 1.17 | 1.76 |
- 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 62 ft span, a W40×362 carries a factored load of 12.8 kips per foot (LRFD) or an allowable load of 8.52 kips per foot (ASD). A live load of 5.21 kips per foot would deflect it span/360, which is 2.07 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.
W40×362 questions
What does W40×362 mean?
W means a wide flange shape. 40 is its nominal depth in inches (the actual depth is 40.6 in) and 362 is its weight in pounds per foot.
How much does a W40×362 weigh?
362 pounds per foot, so a 20 ft W40×362 weighs about 7,240 pounds.
How far can a W40×362 span?
It depends on the load. Braced along its length, it carries 123.0 kips per foot of factored load at 20 ft and 4.73 kips per foot at 102 ft; the load table has the spans in between. Floor beams are often 61 to 81 ft for this depth (span-to-depth ratios of about 18 to 24), where deflection usually governs.
Is a W40×362 a compact section?
Yes. Its flanges (bf/2tf = 3.99) and web (h/tw = 30.5) are both compact for bending in 50 ksi steel.