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Beam Deflection Calculator
Estimate elastic beam deflection for common point and uniform loads, compare supports and view the deflection curve.
How do you estimate beam deflection?
Choose a simply supported beam or a cantilever, then a centered point load or a uniform load across the full span. Enter the span, load, elastic modulus and second moment of area. The calculator uses textbook small-deflection beam equations and shows the maximum displacement and its location.
Frequently asked questions
How do you estimate beam deflection?
Choose a simply supported beam or a cantilever, then a centered point load or a uniform load across the full span. Enter the span, load, elastic modulus and second moment of area. The calculator uses textbook small-deflection beam equations and shows the maximum displacement and its location.
Are my beam inputs uploaded?
No. All arithmetic and the chart run in this browser; your values are not uploaded or saved by this tool.
Which beam cases does this calculator include?
It covers a simply supported beam or cantilever with either a centered point load or a uniform load across the full span. Other support conditions, off-center point loads, multiple loads and changing cross-sections are outside its scope.
What is the second moment of area?
The second moment of area I describes cross-section geometry about a bending axis. It is not mass moment of inertia. Use the value for the correct axis and keep its units consistent with the selected unit field.
Can I use this result to approve a beam?
No. This educational estimate omits many structural checks, including shear, strength, stability, connections, load combinations and local codes. A qualified structural engineer must assess a real design.