Steel I Beam Sizes

Steel I beam sizes, section properties, steel beam dimensions, and structural steel sizes can all be found in the steel beam tables. Structural steel sizes are industry standard that steel manufacturer, steel fabricators, and design engineers and architects used.

Figure 33 is an example of wide flange section property. The first column provide the beam size designation i.e. W12x26. Wide flange designation is W, I is an old version and is no longer use in any steel beam table.

The number next to the W represents the depth in inches, the last number represents the weight in pounds per foot. For W12x26 reads W-12-by -26 is 12 inches deep, weighs 26 pounds per foot.

The A(in^2)column shows the cross section area of the section measured in square inches, d is depth of the section in inches measured from top flange surface to bottom flange surface. Bf (b sub f) represents the width in inches, tf(t sub f) is the flange thickness, tw (t sub w) is the web thickness in inches.

The Sx column represents the section modulus with respect to the strong axis, likewise Sy with respect to the weak axis. From design perspective Sx is the property widely used for determining load carrying capacity of a particular beam.

Should a beam loaded sideways such that the load is applied parallel to the flanges, Sy should be used to determine the load carrying capacity.

Whether wide flanges are used to support concrete floor on metal deck, beam girder to support wood framing, the design procedure are the same.

As shown in the steel beam sizing where procedures for determining the section modulus in order to select the most economical beam size that can adequately carry the designed load.

Click to view this PDF steel i beam sizes

Back to the top

From steel i beam to all-concrete-cement.com