W16x57 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W16x57 is an American wide-flange beam 16.4 inches (416.6 mm) deep with a 7.12 in (180.8 mm) flange, weighing 57 pounds per foot (84.8 kg/m) — that is what the "57" in the designation means. All values below are the standard AISC published section properties used in US structural design, with metric equivalents alongside.
Typical uses: floor and roof framing, columns, headers, and general steel construction. For a quick stiffness check, see the deflection example below or open the beam calculator with your own span and load.
Dimensions
| Depth d | 16.4 in (416.6 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 7.12 in (180.8 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 0.43 in (10.9 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 0.715 in (18.2 mm) |
Weight & Cross-Section
| Weight per foot | 57 lb/ft (84.8 kg/m) |
| 20 ft bar | 1,140 lb |
| 40 ft bar | 2,280 lb |
| Area A | 16.8 in² (108.4 cm²) |
Section Properties (strong / weak axis)
| Moment of inertia Ix | 758 in⁴ (31,550 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 92.2 in³ (1,511 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 6.72 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 43.1 in⁴ (1,794 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 12.1 in³ (198 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 1.6 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W16x50 | 16.3 × 7.07 | 50 | 659 | 81 | −12 % | −13 % |
| W16x57 (this page) | 16.4 × 7.12 | 57 | 758 | 92.2 | — | — |
| W16x67 | 16.3 × 10.2 | 67 | 954 | 117 | +18 % | +26 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W16x57 spanning 26 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.29 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 758 in⁴). The L/360 serviceability limit for this span is 0.87 in — the shape passes this quick check.
Calculate with your own span and load →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a W16x57 beam weigh?
W16x57 weighs 57 pounds per foot (84.8 kg/m). The number after the "x" in the designation is always the weight in lb/ft. A 20 ft bar weighs 1,140 lb and a 40 ft bar 2,280 lb.
What are the dimensions of a W16x57?
W16x57 is 16.4 in (416.6 mm) deep with a 7.12 in (180.8 mm) wide flange. The web is 0.43 in thick and the flanges are 0.72 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W16 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W16x57 in mm?
W16x57 is 416.6 mm deep with a 180.8 mm wide flange; the web is 10.9 mm and the flange 18.2 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 31,550 cm⁴, Sx = 1,511 cm³.
How much does a W16x57 weigh in kg?
84.8 kg per meter. A 6 m bar weighs 509 kg and a 12 m bar 1,018 kg — handy when ordering US shapes from metric suppliers.
What is the moment of inertia of a W16x57?
About the strong axis, Ix = 758 in⁴ (31,550 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 92.2 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 43.1 in⁴ and Sy = 12.1 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W16x57 or W16x67 — what does one size up change?
W16x67 is about 18% heavier (67 vs 57 lb/ft) but about 26% stiffer (Ix 954 vs 758 in⁴). Going one step up within the same depth group is usually the cheapest way to cut deflection.
Values are entered from the governing standard’s published tables and cross-checked programmatically against its mass and section formulas before publication. Spotted an error? Write to advertising@metalabout.net — verified corrections ship within days. About