Category
Structural calculators
Beam deflection, loads, moments and serviceability checks for the daily decisions of architects, engineers and contractors. Material presets cover structural steel, aluminum, normal-weight concrete and dimensional softwood. Inputs accept imperial (lb, in, ksi) and metric (kN, mm, GPa) — a single toggle in the header converts everything in place.
All Structural calculators
Reading deflection results
Maximum deflection (δ) is reported in inches and millimetres alongside the span-to-deflection ratio L/δ. The ratio is what governs serviceability: a typical live-load limit is L/360 (i.e. δ ≤ L / 360), and a total-load limit is L/240. Our tools flag results green for L/δ ≥ 360, yellow for 240 – 360, and red below 240, with a clear caveat that this is a guideline — not a substitute for the actual load combinations and limits in the governing code (typically IBC and ASCE 7 in the U.S.).
Material modulus presets we use
- Structural steel:
E = 29,000 ksi (200 GPa) - Aluminum 6061:
E = 10,000 ksi (69 GPa) - Normal-weight concrete:
E ≈ 3,600 ksi (25 GPa) - Douglas Fir-Larch (No. 2):
E ≈ 1,700 ksi (12 GPa)
You can override any of these in the input. For pre-fabricated sections, our preset library covers common W-shapes (W8×10, W10×12, W12×16, W14×22), and lets you compute I from a rectangular section (b · h³ / 12) or a round solid (π · d⁴ / 64).
What these calculators don’t replace
A licensed structural engineer must review the final design. These tools are sized for fast checks and design exploration — they do not consider lateral-torsional buckling, shear deformation, connection design, second-order effects, or any load combinations beyond a single applied load.