Structural & Civil Engineering

What is the mid-span deflection of a W14x30 beam spanning 7.0 meters under 25.0 kN/m?

⚡ Instant Calculated Answer

A W14x30 steel beam across a 7.0 meter span under a 25.0 kN/m uniform distributed load deflects by 32.3 mm at mid-span, which EXCEEDS the standard building code L/360 serviceability limit (19.44 mm).

32.3 mm Primary Metric
Limit: 19.44 mm Secondary Metric

📐 Mathematical Formula & Step-by-Step Substitution

\[ \delta_{max} = \frac{5 \cdot w \cdot L^4}{384 \cdot E \cdot I_x} = \frac{5 \cdot 25000 \cdot (7.0)^4}{384 \cdot (200 \times 10^9) \cdot (1.21e-04)} = 32.3 \text{ mm} \]
delta = (5 * 25000.0 * 7.0^4) / (384 * 200e9 * 1.21e-04) = 32.3 mm
  1. Identify beam properties: Section W14x30, Moment of Inertia I_x = 12,100 cm⁴ (1.2100e-04 m⁴), Young's Modulus E = 200 GPa.
  2. Convert units: Span L = 7.0 m, Load w = 25.0 kN/m = 25,000 N/m.
  3. Calculate numerator: 5 × 25,000 × (7.0)⁴ = 5 × 25,000 × 2401.00 = 300,125,000.0.
  4. Calculate denominator: 384 × 200×10⁹ × 1.2100e-04 = 9,292,800,000.0.
  5. Evaluate deflection: 300,125,000.0 / 9,292,800,000.0 = 0.03230 m = 32.3 mm (compared to L/360 = 19.44 mm).

📊 Nearby Parameter Reference Table

Span Length Uniform Load Mid-Span Deflection L/360 Code Limit
6.0 m 25.0 kN/m 17.43 mm 16.67 mm (FAIL)
6.5 m 25.0 kN/m 24.01 mm 18.06 mm (FAIL)
7.0 m 25.0 kN/m 32.3 mm 19.44 mm (FAIL)
7.5 m 25.0 kN/m 42.56 mm 20.83 mm (FAIL)
8.0 m 25.0 kN/m 55.1 mm 22.22 mm (FAIL)
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