{
  "id": "v20-us-steel-beam",
  "version": "20.16.0",
  "name": "Simply Supported Steel Beam Screening Calculator — United States",
  "shortName": "Simply Supported Steel Beam Screening",
  "description": "Check the arithmetic of an idealized simple beam with a specified section and uniformly distributed total load. USD planning view; stated limitations apply.",
  "category": "Home & Construction",
  "categorySlug": "home-construction",
  "keywords": [
    "steel-beam",
    "us",
    "quantity-surveying",
    "energy-saver",
    "engineering-scope"
  ],
  "status": "live",
  "workStatus": "pending",
  "reviewStatus": "pending",
  "migrationStatus": "new",
  "engine": "native",
  "creator": null,
  "reviewer": null,
  "quality": {
    "availability": "live",
    "technicalReviewRecord": "/reviews/v20-us-steel-beam.json",
    "qualifiedReview": "pending",
    "qualifiedReviewer": null,
    "qualifiedReviewDate": null,
    "formulaVersion": "20.16.0",
    "referenceCoverage": "references-listed",
    "releaseTestScope": "Catalog and regression checks are not a professional formula audit; consult release evidence.",
    "historicalMetadataDate": "",
    "historicalMetadataNotice": "The imported date is not evidence of a completed human review."
  },
  "notice": "Illustrative defaults are not local quotes or verified legal rules. Dated reference components and user-entered assumptions are explicitly distinguished. Professional review is pending.",
  "urls": {
    "page": "/us/steel-beam/",
    "definition": "/us/steel-beam/definition.json",
    "schema": "/us/steel-beam/schema.json",
    "llms": "/us/steel-beam/llms.txt",
    "legacyDefinition": "/us/steel-beam/definition.json"
  },
  "queryExample": "https://askcalculators.com/us/steel-beam/?unitSystem=imperial&span=13.123359580052492&uniformLoad=685.2176585679176&elasticModulus=29007.547546041846&sectionModulus=30.511872047366143&secondMoment=240.25096100288303&unitRate=0&laborCost=0&deliveryCost=0&otherCost=0&costMultiplier=1&spreadPercent=15&taxRate=0",
  "queryParameters": {
    "unitSystem": {
      "label": "Measurement system",
      "type": "select",
      "required": false,
      "default": "imperial"
    },
    "span": {
      "label": "Simply supported clear span",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "default": 13.123359580052492
    },
    "uniformLoad": {
      "label": "Specified total uniform load",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "default": 685.2176585679176
    },
    "elasticModulus": {
      "label": "Material elastic modulus",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "default": 29007.547546041846
    },
    "sectionModulus": {
      "label": "Section modulus about bending axis",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "default": 30.511872047366143
    },
    "secondMoment": {
      "label": "Second moment of area about bending axis",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "default": 240.25096100288303
    },
    "unitRate": {
      "label": "Material price per length unit",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "default": 0
    },
    "laborCost": {
      "label": "Total labor allowance",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "default": 0
    },
    "deliveryCost": {
      "label": "Delivery allowance",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "default": 0
    },
    "otherCost": {
      "label": "Other fixed costs",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "default": 0
    },
    "costMultiplier": {
      "label": "Material/labor multiplier",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "default": 1
    },
    "spreadPercent": {
      "label": "Low/high sensitivity around the entered total",
      "type": "percent",
      "required": true,
      "default": 15
    },
    "taxRate": {
      "label": "Explicit tax allowance",
      "type": "percent",
      "required": true,
      "default": 0
    }
  },
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "unitSystem",
      "label": "Measurement system",
      "type": "select",
      "defaultValue": "imperial",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "imperial",
          "label": "Imperial (US gallons / short tons where relevant)"
        },
        {
          "value": "metric",
          "label": "Metric"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "span",
      "label": "Simply supported clear span",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 13.123359580052492,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0.03280839895013123,
      "max": 3280839895013.123,
      "suffix": "ft",
      "unitConversion": {
        "factor": 0.3048,
        "offset": 0,
        "inverse": false,
        "metric": "m",
        "imperial": "ft",
        "canonicalMin": 0.01,
        "canonicalMax": 1000000000000
      },
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "uniformLoad",
      "label": "Specified total uniform load",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 685.2176585679176,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 68521765856791.76,
      "suffix": "lb/ft",
      "unitConversion": {
        "factor": 0.014593902937206363,
        "offset": 0,
        "inverse": false,
        "metric": "kN/m",
        "imperial": "lb/ft",
        "canonicalMin": 0,
        "canonicalMax": 1000000000000
      },
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "elasticModulus",
      "label": "Material elastic modulus",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 29007.547546041846,
      "required": true,
      "min": 145.03773773020922,
      "max": 145037.73773020922,
      "suffix": "ksi",
      "unitConversion": {
        "factor": 0.006894757293168361,
        "offset": 0,
        "inverse": false,
        "metric": "GPa",
        "imperial": "ksi",
        "canonicalMin": 1,
        "canonicalMax": 1000
      },
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "sectionModulus",
      "label": "Section modulus about bending axis",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 30.511872047366143,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0.00006102374409473229,
      "max": 61023744094.73229,
      "suffix": "in³",
      "unitConversion": {
        "factor": 16.387064,
        "offset": 0,
        "inverse": false,
        "metric": "cm³",
        "imperial": "in³",
        "canonicalMin": 0.001,
        "canonicalMax": 1000000000000
      },
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "secondMoment",
      "label": "Second moment of area about bending axis",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 240.25096100288303,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0.0000240250961002883,
      "max": 24025096100.288303,
      "suffix": "in⁴",
      "unitConversion": {
        "factor": 41.62314256,
        "offset": 0,
        "inverse": false,
        "metric": "cm⁴",
        "imperial": "in⁴",
        "canonicalMin": 0.001,
        "canonicalMax": 1000000000000
      },
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "unitRate",
      "label": "Material price per length unit",
      "type": "money",
      "defaultValue": 0,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 304800000000,
      "help": "Zero means unpriced, not free. Enter a current, scoped supplier quote. Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence.",
      "prefix": "USD",
      "suffix": "/ft",
      "unitConversion": {
        "factor": 0.3048,
        "offset": 0,
        "inverse": true,
        "metric": "m",
        "imperial": "ft",
        "canonicalMin": 0,
        "canonicalMax": 1000000000000
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "laborCost",
      "label": "Total labor allowance",
      "type": "money",
      "defaultValue": 0,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 1000000000000,
      "step": 0.01,
      "prefix": "USD",
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "deliveryCost",
      "label": "Delivery allowance",
      "type": "money",
      "defaultValue": 0,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 1000000000000,
      "step": 0.01,
      "prefix": "USD",
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "otherCost",
      "label": "Other fixed costs",
      "type": "money",
      "defaultValue": 0,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 1000000000000,
      "step": 0.01,
      "prefix": "USD",
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "costMultiplier",
      "label": "Material/labor multiplier",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 1,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0.1,
      "max": 10,
      "step": 0.01,
      "help": "Use a verified regional index only when supplied. 1 is an unadjusted scenario, not a researched index. Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "spreadPercent",
      "label": "Low/high sensitivity around the entered total",
      "type": "percent",
      "defaultValue": 15,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 100,
      "step": 0.1,
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "taxRate",
      "label": "Explicit tax allowance",
      "type": "percent",
      "defaultValue": 0,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 100,
      "step": 0.1,
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "moment",
      "label": "Maximum bending moment",
      "format": "number",
      "digits": 2,
      "unit": "moment"
    },
    {
      "id": "reaction",
      "label": "Reaction at each simple support",
      "format": "number",
      "digits": 2,
      "unit": "force"
    },
    {
      "id": "stress",
      "label": "Elastic bending stress",
      "format": "number",
      "digits": 2,
      "unit": "stress"
    },
    {
      "id": "deflection",
      "label": "Elastic midspan deflection",
      "format": "number",
      "digits": 2,
      "unit": "smallLength"
    },
    {
      "id": "materialCost",
      "label": "Material cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "digits": 2,
      "currency": "USD"
    },
    {
      "id": "laborCost",
      "label": "Labor allowance",
      "format": "currency",
      "digits": 2,
      "currency": "USD"
    },
    {
      "id": "deliveryCost",
      "label": "Delivery allowance",
      "format": "currency",
      "digits": 2,
      "currency": "USD"
    },
    {
      "id": "otherCost",
      "label": "Other specified costs",
      "format": "currency",
      "digits": 2,
      "currency": "USD"
    },
    {
      "id": "tax",
      "label": "Entered tax allowance",
      "format": "currency",
      "digits": 2,
      "currency": "USD"
    },
    {
      "id": "low",
      "label": "Low cost scenario",
      "format": "currency",
      "digits": 2,
      "currency": "USD"
    },
    {
      "id": "mid",
      "label": "Middle cost scenario",
      "format": "currency",
      "digits": 2,
      "primary": true,
      "currency": "USD"
    },
    {
      "id": "high",
      "label": "High cost scenario",
      "format": "currency",
      "digits": 2,
      "currency": "USD"
    }
  ],
  "formula": {
    "expression": "M = wL²/8; V = wL/2; elastic stress = M/Z; deflection = 5wL⁴/(384EI).",
    "note": "Inputs are converted to canonical units before evaluating this stated formula."
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "label": "Illustrative defaults; required verification checks remain unconfirmed",
      "inputs": {
        "unitSystem": "imperial",
        "span": 13.123359580052492,
        "uniformLoad": 685.2176585679176,
        "elasticModulus": 29007.547546041846,
        "sectionModulus": 30.511872047366143,
        "secondMoment": 240.25096100288303,
        "unitRate": 0,
        "laborCost": 0,
        "deliveryCost": 0,
        "otherCost": 0,
        "costMultiplier": 1,
        "spreadPercent": 15,
        "taxRate": 0
      }
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "label": "NIST unit conversion guidance",
      "url": "https://www.nist.gov/pml/special-publication-811"
    },
    {
      "label": "DOE insulation overview",
      "url": "https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/weatherize/insulation"
    }
  ],
  "publicSlug": "steel-beam",
  "namespace": "us",
  "countries": [
    "us",
    "ca",
    "uk",
    "ie"
  ]
}