Beam deflection calculator
Mid-span deflection for a simply supported beam under a uniform load. Uses the standard 5wL⁴ / (384·E·I) formula. Includes the L/360 (interior finish) and L/240 (general live load) IBC serviceability checks. Sanity-check only — a stamped design is your structural engineer’s job.
For a simply supported beam with a uniformly distributed load w (force per unit length) over span L, the maximum mid-span deflection is δ = 5wL⁴ / (384·E·I). We hold I and E in consistent units (in⁴ and psi), convert your input span from ft to in, and your input load from plf to pli.
Presets cover the most common shapes pulled in commercial framing: W12×26 + W14×30 steel, 2x10 + 2x12 DF-L #2 wood, and a generic Glulam 6.75x12. For anything unusual, override I and E directly.
Beam math over text — same answer, no spreadsheet.
Forward is a phone number your field crew + PMs text. The bot runs beam deflection, steel section weight, bolt allowable shear, plus the NEC / IBC / IMC / IPC calcs you normally pull a book for. It also reads RFIs, drawings, submittals, change orders, and daily logs from Procore + Autodesk + OneDrive.