LVL Beam Calculator

Inputs

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Simple-span distance between supports.
ft
Actual LVL ply thickness/width in beam orientation. Common North American LVL plies are 1.75 in wide.
in
Identical plies assumed to act together. Connection design between plies is not checked.
plies
Actual beam depth. Use the manufacturer actual depth, not just the nominal callout.
in
Unfactored or service live load applied uniformly along the span.
lb/ft
Uniform dead load along the span, including supported framing and any beam self-weight allowance you want included.
lb/ft
Use the LVL product value appropriate to deflection calculations.
Mpsi
Adjusted allowable bending stress for the actual product, duration, depth and service condition.
ksi
Adjusted allowable horizontal shear stress for the actual LVL product.
ksi
For L/360, enter 360. This limit is compared against live-load deflection only.
For L/240, enter 240. This limit is compared against live plus dead load deflection.

Results

Default result
Edit inputs
Governing utilization(U_max)
0.4444
Pass

Governing check: bending stress.

Highest of bending, shear, live deflection and total deflection utilization.

Also computed

Required depth(d_req)8.617in

Max of bending, shear, live-deflection and total-deflection required depths.

Minimum rectangular depth for the entered width, load and limits before selecting the next LVL size.

Allowable total line load(w_allow)990.2lb/ft

Controls total uniform load from bending, shear and total-deflection checks.

Minimum of bending, shear and total-deflection uniform-load capacities.

Allowable live line load(w_L,allow)837.5lb/ft

Live uniform load that reaches the live L/n deflection limit.

Live-load limit from the L/n live deflection check only.

Total line load(w)440lb/ft

Bending utilization(U_b)0.4444

Shear utilization(U_v)0.3343

Method notes 4 notes
  • Assumes 2 identical LVL plies acting together as a simply supported rectangular beam with uniform live and dead line loads.
  • Bending uses M = w*L^2/8 and fb = M/S; shear uses V = w*L/2 and fv = 1.5*V/(b*d); deflection uses delta = 5*w*L^4/(384*E*I).
  • Use manufacturer/code-adjusted E, Fb and Fv values for the product, depth, duration, wet service, temperature, bracing and other project conditions.
  • Bearing length, lateral-torsional stability, vibration, holes, notches, point loads, continuous spans, shear deflection and multiple-ply fastener schedules are not included.

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