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🏗️ Enhanced Beam Load & Cost Calculator
Estimate structural requirements and material cost using region‑specific data and industry standards
Material Comparison Guide
Compare strength, cost and typical applications of steel, wood and concrete beams to make an informed choice. Select a tab above to perform detailed calculations.
High strength‑to‑weight ratio, long spans; requires corrosion and fire protection.
Renewable and easy to work with; best for residential or light commercial spans.
Excellent in compression; heavy and requires reinforcement for tension.
Calculation Results
🏛️ Design Standards & Codes
Choose the appropriate design code when performing calculations. AISC 360 provides requirements for structural steel【329700802406255†L151-L159】, the NDS governs wood construction and is referenced by the 2024 IBC【920550383051470†L86-L90】, and ACI 318 establishes building code requirements for structural concrete【131578298798633†L135-L140】.
Beam Load Calculator — What It Does & How It Works
Move from idea to a sensible preliminary beam size in minutes—balanced across span, loads, serviceability, and cost awareness.
What this calculator is for
The Beam Load Calculator gives you rapid preliminary sizing of steel, wood, and reinforced-concrete beams for a simply supported span under a uniform load. It runs a bending check, a serviceability (deflection) check, proposes a recommended size, and estimates material quantities and cost using editable, region-aware unit rates.
How it works
Under the hood, the calculator models a simply supported beam with a uniform line load. Peak bending occurs at midspan and is evaluated along with elastic deflection. From these, it derives a required stiffness/section and selects a practical size that meets both strength and deflection.
Core steps (simplified)
- Loads → Bending: For UDL \( w \) over span \( L \), peak moment \( M_{max} \approx wL^2/8 \).
- Prelim strength sizing: Estimate required section modulus \( S_{req} \approx M_{max}/F_b \) (steel/wood) or a flexural depth (concrete).
- Deflection check: Compare elastic deflection against your selected limit (e.g., L/360 for floors).
- Recommendation: Propose a standard section (e.g., W-shape, nominal lumber, or depth/width for RC) meeting both checks.
- Quantities & Cost: Compute weight/volume and apply your rates to keep decisions economical.
What you’ll enter
Quick workflow
- Select material, set span and UDL.
- Pick a deflection limit (try L/360 for floors, L/240 for general).
- Choose region and adjust unit rates if you have vendor quotes.
- Run the calc → review moment, required stiffness, recommended size, deflection PASS/FAIL, and cost.
- Try what‑ifs (span, grade/strength, limit) and compare materials to converge on a practical prelim.
Assumptions & limits
- Model: simply supported beam + uniform line load (UDL). Point loads, partial UDL, continuous spans, and cantilevers are outside scope.
- “Recommended size” is a starting point—verify with full code checks (combined actions, shear, LTB for steel, detailing, fire, connections).
- Elastic properties use typical defaults by material; use project‑specific values when known.
- Costs are material‑only unless you include protection/coatings/formwork, transport, or install.
Design standards in the dropdown
These standards frame the engineer’s final checks (the calculator aligns assumptions but does not replace full design):
FAQs
Why does span dominate beam depth?
Which deflection limit should I choose?
Does the calculator design connections?
Can I rely on the recommended size as final?
Need a deeper check?
Export your prelim and sit with your designer to run full code checks (strength, stability, detailing, and serviceability) before procurement.
