Efficient Steel Beam Design Calculator

Effortlessly design steel wide flange beams with this streamlined tool from efficalc. Simply input your moment demand and beam span, and the powerful calculator will select an efficient efficient beam size for your needs. Instantly receive a free detailed report explaining the moment capacity calculation for the selected beam, ensuring a quick and verifiable design process.

What you get:

Instant Results: Simply enter the load, span, and material properties to receive an efficient beam size with an immediate and accurate design strength evaluation.
Detailed Calculation Report: Your calculation comes with a free professional-quality calculation report which details every calculation step, making it simple to review, verify, and submit in a design package.
Customization: You can change any part of these calculations and make it your own! Simply copy or save this template below and edit it in any way that suits your project.
Open Source: This calculator is 100% built with our open-source Python calculations library, efficalc. You can make your own calculations just like this on the website, or in a local Python environment and integrate them with your other Python workflows.

Designed with modern engineers in mind, efficalc will not only speed up your design process but also integrate seamlessly with today's automated and data-driven engineering environments.

We value your feedback and are always looking for ways to enhance our tools. Reach out to us with the contact button () to the right or at github.com/youandvern/efficalc/issues anytime!

Design your beam here:

Use the interactive form below to find an efficient steel beam design. View or print the calculation report using the icons in the "Results" section.

Assumptions

AISC 14th Edition controls design
Beam web is unstiffened
Beam design is not controlled by deflection requirements

Inputs

Description	Name	Value (units)
Beam ultimate moment demand	$𝑀 𝑢$	$𝑘 𝑖 𝑝 - 𝑓 𝑡$
Beam unbraced length	$𝐿 𝑏$	$𝑓 𝑡$
Steel yield strength	$𝐹 𝑦$	$𝑘 𝑠 𝑖$
Modulus of elasticity	$𝐸$	$𝑘 𝑠 𝑖$
Lateral-torsional buckling modification factor	$𝐶 𝑏$

Results

$𝑠 𝑒 𝑐 𝑡 𝑖 𝑜 𝑛 = 𝑊 12 𝑋 26$

Design flexural strength of the section

$𝜙 𝑀 𝑛 = 41.77 k i p - f t$

$𝑀 𝑢 = 30 k i p - f t \leq 𝜙 𝑀 𝑛 = 41.77 k i p - f t$ OK

Save or copy this template:

Edit this calculation template now by cloning it to your saved templates:

Please login or create a free account so you can save, edit, and create your own calculations.

You get this same interactive design form as well as free calculation reports for all of your online efficalc calculations.

Copy the efficalc code

Instead of cloning to your online efficalc templates, you can copy the calculation code below and run it with the open source efficalc library!

from efficalc import clear_saved_objects

# This is importing the calculation file for https://www.efficalc.com/public-calc/design/steel-beam-calculator
from .steel_beam_moment_strength import calculation as steel_beam_moment_strength


def calculation():
    """This is a simple function that will find the lightest beam size that is strong enough for the input properties."""

    # Loop through all available beam sizes starting at the lightest beam
    for name in EFFICIENT_AISC_WIDE_FLANGE_BEAM_NAMES_BY_WT:

        # Clear calculations from any previous run
        clear_saved_objects()

        # Run the strength calculation for the current beam
        beam_design = steel_beam_moment_strength(name)

        # If the beam is strong enough, finsh the calculation without clearing the saved objects. The last run is the
        # most efficient section. If it's not strong enough, continue the loop to the next heavier section.
        if beam_design.get("design_strength") >= beam_design.get("demand"):
            return


# These are the W-Shapes Selection by Zx (AISC 14th edition Table 3-2) sorted by nominal weight (and depth)
EFFICIENT_AISC_WIDE_FLANGE_BEAM_NAMES_BY_WT = [
    "W8X10",
    "W10X12",
    "W12X14",
    "W12X16",
    "W10X19",
    "W12X19",
    "W10X22",
    "W12X22",
    "W14X22",
    "W12X26",
    "W14X26",
    "W16X26",
    "W14X30",
    "W16X31",
    "W14X34",
    "W18X35",
    "W16X40",
    "W18X40",
    "W21X44",
    "W21X48",
    "W21X50",
    "W18X55",
    "W21X55",
    "W24X55",
    "W21X62",
    "W24X62",
    "W21X68",
    "W24X68",
    "W24X76",
    "W24X84",
    "W27X84",
    "W30X90",
    "W30X99",
    "W30X108",
    "W30X116",
    "W33X118",
    "W33X130",
    "W36X135",
    "W33X141",
    "W40X149",
    "W36X160",
    "W40X167",
]

Note: you can make suggestions for improvements to this code at github.com/youandvern/efficalc/issues or by sending us a message with the contact button.

Other tools:

Take a look at some of these similar free tools we've built. Hope you find them useful!

Disclaimer: This calculator is provided as a free tool to assist professionals and does not offer any warranties or guarantees regarding its use or the results. All calculations and engineering decisions must be reviewed and approved by a licensed professional engineer who will take responsibility for their application. Efficalc and its affiliates disclaim any responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of any design resulting from the use of this calculator. Users agree to indemnify and hold harmless Efficalc from any claims, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this calculator or its outputs. This calculator is not a substitute for professional judgment.