Beam Loading
Moment and deflection for simply supported beams.
Example
You enter
- Load type uniform
- Load value (lb/ft for uniform; lb for point) 200
- Span length (ft) 12
- Modulus of elasticity E (psi) 1600000
- Section width b (in) 5.5
- Section depth d (in) 9.5
You get
- Maximum moment 3600 lb*ft
- Maximum deflection 0.148 in
Checked against published worked examples from: Jonathan Ochshorn (Cornell University).
Details, formula, and sources
Formula or tableSimple-beam maximum moment and deflection for a uniform load (M = wL^2/8, delta = 5wL^4/384EI) or a centered point load (M = PL/4, delta = PL^3/48EI).
Source and editionClassical mechanics of materials; AWC NDS-2018 design values for wood.
Free accessMechanics-of-materials texts free at university OCW. AWC NDS free at awc.org.
What governsEstimate. AHJ and licensed structural engineer govern.
API field namesload_type, load_value, length_ft, E_psi, b_in, d_in, M_lbft, delta_in
- Support condition simply supportedcalculation convention