What is the mid-span deflection of a W21x44 beam spanning 3.0 meters under 10.0 kN/m?
⚡ Instant Calculated Answer
A W21x44 steel beam across a 3.0 meter span under a 10.0 kN/m uniform distributed load deflects by 0.15 mm at mid-span, which PASSES the standard building code L/360 serviceability limit (8.33 mm).
0.15 mm
Primary Metric
Limit: 8.33 mm
Secondary Metric
📐 Mathematical Formula & Step-by-Step Substitution
- Identify beam properties: Section W21x44, Moment of Inertia I_x = 35,100 cm⁴ (3.5100e-04 m⁴), Young's Modulus E = 200 GPa.
- Convert units: Span L = 3.0 m, Load w = 10.0 kN/m = 10,000 N/m.
- Calculate numerator: 5 × 10,000 × (3.0)⁴ = 5 × 10,000 × 81.00 = 4,050,000.0.
- Calculate denominator: 384 × 200×10⁹ × 3.5100e-04 = 26,956,800,000.0.
- Evaluate deflection: 4,050,000.0 / 26,956,800,000.0 = 0.00015 m = 0.15 mm (compared to L/360 = 8.33 mm).
📊 Nearby Parameter Reference Table
| Span Length | Uniform Load | Mid-Span Deflection | L/360 Code Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 m | 10.0 kN/m | 0.03 mm | 5.56 mm (OK) |
| 2.5 m | 10.0 kN/m | 0.07 mm | 6.94 mm (OK) |
| 3.0 m | 10.0 kN/m | 0.15 mm | 8.33 mm (OK) |
| 3.5 m | 10.0 kN/m | 0.28 mm | 9.72 mm (OK) |
| 4.0 m | 10.0 kN/m | 0.47 mm | 11.11 mm (OK) |
Want to test custom numbers?
Launch the full interactive simulator pre-loaded with these exact calculation parameters.