W12x210 Section Properties — Wide Flange

W12x210 Section Properties

Complete geometric properties for the W12x210 (Wide Flange) per AISC Steel Construction Manual, 16th Edition. This section weighs 210.0 lb/ft. Wide flange shapes are the most commonly used structural steel members in building construction. They have an I-shaped cross section with parallel flanges and are designated by their nominal depth and weight per foot.

Property Value Unit
Depth 14.7 in
Flange Width 12.79 in
Flange Thickness 1.9 in
Web Thickness 1.18 in
Cross-Sectional Area 61.8 in²
Moment of Inertia (x-axis) 2140 in⁴
Moment of Inertia (y-axis) 664 in⁴
Elastic Section Modulus (x-axis) 292 in³
Elastic Section Modulus (y-axis) 104 in³
Plastic Section Modulus (x-axis) 348 in³
Plastic Section Modulus (y-axis) 160 in³
Radius of Gyration (x-axis) 5.89 in
Radius of Gyration (y-axis) 3.28 in
Torsional Constant 64.7 in⁴

About Wide Flange Shapes

Wide flange shapes are the most commonly used structural steel members in building construction. They have an I-shaped cross section with parallel flanges and are designated by their nominal depth and weight per foot.

How to Use This Data

The properties listed above are used in structural engineering calculations including:

  • Moment of Inertia (I) — used to calculate deflection and stiffness. Higher I = less deflection under load.
  • Section Modulus (S) — used to calculate bending stress. σ = M/S, where M is the bending moment.
  • Plastic Section Modulus (Z) — used in LRFD design to calculate plastic moment capacity. Mp = Fy × Z.
  • Radius of Gyration (r) — used in column buckling calculations. Higher r = more resistance to buckling.
  • Torsional Constant (J) — used to calculate torsional resistance and lateral-torsional buckling.
  • Area (A) — used to calculate axial capacity and self-weight.

Use our interactive Section Properties Calculator to compare shapes, calculate composite sections, or look up any AISC shape. For beam design, try our Beam Calculator or Wood Beam Designer.


Data source: AISC Steel Construction Manual, 16th Edition. All dimensions in inches, areas in square inches, moments of inertia in in⁴, section moduli in in³. Values are for design reference — always verify against the current edition of the AISC Manual for final design.

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