Formwork Beam Load Tables (S150, S225, H20)

Beam typesS150, S225, H20

Spans covered1.5 m – 6 m

Deflection limitL/300 – L/360

MaterialAluminum & engineered timber

Beam types we supply

Slab formwork in the UAE typically uses one of three primary beam types laid across U-head jacks on cuplock shoring towers:

S150 aluminum beam — extruded aluminum I-beam, ~150 mm deep, ~3.9 kg/m. Light, fast, durable.
S225 aluminum beam — heavier extruded section, ~225 mm deep, ~5.6 kg/m. Longer spans / heavier slabs.
H20 timber beam — engineered solid timber I-beam, 200 mm deep, ~5.5 kg/m. Lower cost, easy to cut on site, less durable than aluminum.

Aluminum S150 beam — load table

Allowable uniformly distributed load (UDL) for the S150 extruded aluminum beam, simply supported, with L/360 deflection limit.

Span	UDL allowable	Max moment	Max shear
1.5 m	12.0 kN/m	3.4 kN·m	9.0 kN
2.0 m	9.5 kN/m	4.8 kN·m	9.5 kN
2.5 m	7.0 kN/m	5.5 kN·m	8.8 kN
3.0 m	5.0 kN/m	5.6 kN·m	7.5 kN
3.5 m	3.6 kN/m	5.5 kN·m	6.3 kN
4.0 m	2.7 kN/m	5.4 kN·m	5.4 kN

Aluminum S225 beam — load table

S225 is the heavier section used where S150 runs out of capacity — particularly on long spans between U-heads or under thick slabs.

Span	UDL allowable	Max moment	Max shear
2.0 m	17.5 kN/m	8.8 kN·m	17.5 kN
2.5 m	14.0 kN/m	10.9 kN·m	17.5 kN
3.0 m	11.5 kN/m	13.0 kN·m	17.3 kN
3.5 m	9.0 kN/m	13.8 kN·m	15.8 kN
4.0 m	7.0 kN/m	14.0 kN·m	14.0 kN
4.5 m	5.5 kN/m	13.9 kN·m	12.4 kN
5.0 m	4.5 kN/m	14.1 kN·m	11.3 kN
6.0 m	3.0 kN/m	13.5 kN·m	9.0 kN

H20 timber beam — load table

H20 is a 200 mm deep engineered timber I-beam used widely in low-rise UAE construction for slab formwork. Allowable UDL, simply supported, L/300 deflection limit.

Span	UDL allowable	Max moment
1.5 m	14.0 kN/m	3.9 kN·m
2.0 m	10.0 kN/m	5.0 kN·m
2.5 m	7.0 kN/m	5.5 kN·m
3.0 m	5.0 kN/m	5.6 kN·m
3.5 m	3.6 kN/m	5.5 kN·m
4.0 m	2.7 kN/m	5.4 kN·m

About these values. Tables are indicative for preliminary design only and use industry-typical safety factors. Final selection for a specific project should be checked against the beam manufacturer's certified load tables and your project's design loads, by a competent design engineer.

Slab thickness vs beam spacing

Quick reference for typical residential and commercial RC slabs. Values assume 25 kN/m³ wet concrete, 1.5 kN/m² construction live load, and standard plywood deck spanning between secondary beams. Always check against your project loads.

Slab thickness	Self-weight	Recommended secondary spacing	Primary beam
150 mm	3.75 kN/m²	H20 @ 500 mm c/c	S150 across U-heads
200 mm	5.00 kN/m²	H20 @ 450 mm c/c	S150 across U-heads
250 mm	6.25 kN/m²	H20 @ 400 mm c/c	S150 / S225 depending on span
300 mm	7.50 kN/m²	H20 @ 350 mm c/c	S225 across U-heads
400 mm	10.00 kN/m²	H20 @ 300 mm c/c	S225 (tight standards grid)

Choosing between aluminum and timber

Aluminum (S150 / S225)

Pros: Light, fast to handle, dimensionally stable, durable across hundreds of pours, no decay risk
Cons: Higher capital cost, dents are permanent and reduce capacity, requires checking on each return

H20 timber

Pros: Lower capital cost, can be cut on site to length, easier to nail/screw deck plywood to
Cons: Heavier, lower cycle count (~50–80 typical pours depending on care), absorbs water, decays if stored in humidity

Need this in your project documentation?

Our engineering team prepares stamped drawings and load checks for UAE projects.

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