W44×290 Steel Beam
A W44×290 is a wide flange steel beam 43.6 inches deep with 15.8-inch flanges, weighing 290 pounds per foot. In ASTM A992 steel (Fy = 50 ksi) it has a design bending strength of 5,288 kip-ft (LRFD) when its compression flange is braced, and a design shear strength of 1,131 kips.
Design a W44×290 beam Opens a 66 ft span in the free beam designer.
W44×290 dimensions
| Dimension | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth, d | 43.6 in |
| Flange width, bf | 15.8 in |
| Flange thickness, tf | 1.58 in |
| Web thickness, tw | 0.865 in |
| Distance to web toe of fillet, kdes | 2.36 in |
| Distance between flange centroids, ho | 42.02 in |
| Cross-sectional area, A | 85.4 in2 |
| Weight | 290 lb/ft |
Dimensions are AISC design values. Detailing dimensions are rounded to the nearest 1/16 in.
W44×290 section properties
| Property | Strong axis (x) | Weak axis (y) |
|---|---|---|
| Moment of inertia, I | 27000 in4 | 1040 in4 |
| Elastic section modulus, S | 1240 in3 | 132 in3 |
| Plastic section modulus, Z | 1410 in3 | 205 in3 |
| Radius of gyration, r | 17.8 in | 3.49 in |
| Torsion and slenderness | Value |
|---|---|
| Torsional constant, J | 50.9 in4 |
| Warping constant, Cw | 461000 in6 |
| Effective radius of gyration, rts | 4.20 in |
| Flange slenderness, bf/2tf | 5.02 |
| Web slenderness, h/tw | 45.0 |
W44×290 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 = 5,288 kip-ft | Mn/Ω = 3,518 kip-ft |
| Shear | φVn = 1,131 kips | Vn/Ω = 754 kips |
If the compression flange isn't braced, the beam can buckle sideways before it yields. Up to Lp = 12.3 ft between braces it keeps its full strength; past Lr = 36.9 ft it buckles elastically. With uniform moment between braces (Cb = 1.0):
| Unbraced length, Lb | φMn (LRFD) | Mn/Ω (ASD) |
|---|---|---|
| Braced | 5,288 kip-ft | 3,518 kip-ft |
| 10 ft | 5,288 kip-ft | 3,518 kip-ft |
| 12.3 ft (Lp) | 5,287 kip-ft | 3,518 kip-ft |
| 20 ft | 4,654 kip-ft | 3,096 kip-ft |
| 30 ft | 3,828 kip-ft | 2,547 kip-ft |
| 36.9 ft (Lr) | 3,255 kip-ft | 2,166 kip-ft |
| 40 ft | 2,881 kip-ft | 1,917 kip-ft |
| 50 ft | 2,086 kip-ft | 1,388 kip-ft |
| 60 ft | 1,631 kip-ft | 1,085 kip-ft |
| 70 ft | 1,340 kip-ft | 891 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.
W44×290 load table by span
The largest uniform load a simply supported W44×290 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 0.290 kips per foot.
| Span | Factored load (LRFD) | Allowable load (ASD) | Load at span/360 | Load at span/240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 ft | 87.4 | 58.1 | 108.9 | 163.4 |
| 24 ft | 73.4 | 48.9 | 83.9 | 125.9 |
| 26 ft | 62.6 | 41.6 | 66.0 | 99.0 |
| 28 ft | 54.0 | 35.9 | 52.8 | 79.3 |
| 30 ft | 47.0 | 31.3 | 43.0 | 64.4 |
| 32 ft | 41.3 | 27.5 | 35.4 | 53.1 |
| 34 ft | 36.6 | 24.3 | 29.5 | 44.3 |
| 36 ft | 32.6 | 21.7 | 24.9 | 37.3 |
| 38 ft | 29.3 | 19.5 | 21.1 | 31.7 |
| 40 ft | 26.4 | 17.6 | 18.1 | 27.2 |
| 42 ft | 24.0 | 16.0 | 15.7 | 23.5 |
| 44 ft | 21.8 | 14.5 | 13.6 | 20.4 |
| 46 ft | 20.0 | 13.3 | 11.9 | 17.9 |
| 48 ft | 18.4 | 12.2 | 10.5 | 15.7 |
| 50 ft | 16.9 | 11.3 | 9.28 | 13.9 |
| 52 ft | 15.6 | 10.4 | 8.25 | 12.4 |
| 54 ft | 14.5 | 9.65 | 7.37 | 11.1 |
| 56 ft | 13.5 | 8.97 | 6.61 | 9.91 |
| 58 ft | 12.6 | 8.37 | 5.95 | 8.92 |
| 60 ft | 11.8 | 7.82 | 5.37 | 8.06 |
| 62 ft | 11.0 | 7.32 | 4.87 | 7.30 |
| 64 ft | 10.3 | 6.87 | 4.43 | 6.64 |
| 66 ft | 9.71 | 6.46 | 4.03 | 6.05 |
| 68 ft | 9.15 | 6.09 | 3.69 | 5.53 |
| 70 ft | 8.63 | 5.74 | 3.38 | 5.07 |
| 72 ft | 8.16 | 5.43 | 3.11 | 4.66 |
| 74 ft | 7.72 | 5.14 | 2.86 | 4.29 |
| 76 ft | 7.32 | 4.87 | 2.64 | 3.96 |
| 78 ft | 6.95 | 4.63 | 2.44 | 3.67 |
| 80 ft | 6.61 | 4.40 | 2.27 | 3.40 |
| 82 ft | 6.29 | 4.19 | 2.10 | 3.16 |
| 84 ft | 5.99 | 3.99 | 1.96 | 2.94 |
| 86 ft | 5.72 | 3.81 | 1.82 | 2.74 |
| 88 ft | 5.46 | 3.63 | 1.70 | 2.55 |
| 90 ft | 5.22 | 3.47 | 1.59 | 2.39 |
| 92 ft | 5.00 | 3.33 | 1.49 | 2.23 |
| 94 ft | 4.79 | 3.19 | 1.40 | 2.09 |
| 96 ft | 4.59 | 3.05 | 1.31 | 1.97 |
| 98 ft | 4.40 | 2.93 | 1.23 | 1.85 |
| 100 ft | 4.23 | 2.81 | 1.16 | 1.74 |
| 102 ft | 4.07 | 2.71 | 1.09 | 1.64 |
| 104 ft | 3.91 | 2.60 | 1.03 | 1.55 |
| 106 ft | 3.76 | 2.50 | 0.97 | 1.46 |
| 108 ft | 3.63 | 2.41 | 0.92 | 1.38 |
- 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 66 ft span, a W44×290 carries a factored load of 9.71 kips per foot (LRFD) or an allowable load of 6.46 kips per foot (ASD). A live load of 4.03 kips per foot would deflect it span/360, which is 2.20 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.
W44×290 questions
What does W44×290 mean?
W means a wide flange shape. 44 is its nominal depth in inches (the actual depth is 43.6 in) and 290 is its weight in pounds per foot.
How much does a W44×290 weigh?
290 pounds per foot, so a 20 ft W44×290 weighs about 5,800 pounds.
How far can a W44×290 span?
It depends on the load. Braced along its length, it carries 87.4 kips per foot of factored load at 22 ft and 3.63 kips per foot at 108 ft; the load table has the spans in between. Floor beams are often 65 to 87 ft for this depth (span-to-depth ratios of about 18 to 24), where deflection usually governs.
Is a W44×290 a compact section?
Yes. Its flanges (bf/2tf = 5.02) and web (h/tw = 45.0) are both compact for bending in 50 ksi steel.