At a temperature of 1,100° F (593° C), how much can a 100-foot (30-m)-long structural steel beam elongate?

The elongation of a structural steel beam due to temperature increase can be calculated using the coefficient of thermal expansion for steel, which is approximately 0.0000065 per degree Fahrenheit (°F). To determine how much a 100-foot (30-meter) long steel beam will elongate at 1,100° F, you first need to calculate the temperature rise, which is the difference between the beam's starting temperature (typically ambient) and 1,100° F.

If we assume an initial temperature of 70° F (approximately room temperature), the temperature increase is 1,100° F - 70° F = 1,030° F. Using the formula for linear expansion, you can find the change in length as follows:

Change in length = Original length × Coefficient of thermal expansion × Temperature change.

Inserting the values:

Change in length = 100 feet × 0.0000065 × 1,030° F.

Calculating this gives:

Change in length = 100 × 0.0000065 × 1,030 = 0.6695 feet, or about 8 inches.

However, to align with practical engineering references, the elongation closely approximates