H-beam vs I-beam: Major Differences | H-beam and I-beam Size Chart

Both H-beam and I-beams are structural steel materials used widely in the construction industry by civil engineering professionals. By a novice, both these members may seem to be similar. The horizontal elements of the I and H beam are known as flanges, while the vertical element is called as the “web”. The web resists shear forces, and the flanges are designed to resist most of the bending moment that the beam experiences.

In general, The design of both I-beam and H-beam is governed by any of the following criteria:

• deflection: The target criteria should be to minimize deformation
• vibration: the stiffness and mass should be decided based on vibration tendency.
• bending failure by yielding
• bending failure by lateral torsional buckling
• bending failure by local buckling
• local yield due to the high magnitude of concentrated loads.
• shear failure
• buckling or yielding of components

However, both are quite different from one another. In this article, We will explore the main differences between I-beam and H-beam.

What is an H-beam?

H-beam is an incredibly strong structural steel member. As the cross-section of this beam resembles the capital letter “H”, it is known as H-beam. Fig. 1 shows a typical example of an H-beam.

H-beams have an equal thickness in the two parallel flanges without any taper on the inside surface. Depending on the height and flange width; H-beams are classified into three categories. They are

• Wide Flange Series H-beam
• Medium Flange Series H-beam and
• Narrow Flange Series H-beam.

H-beam Size Chart

Typical H-beam size and weight chart is provided in the table below: Refer to Fig. 2

H beam size and weight chart: Wide Flange Series (HW)
Grade	Size of the Section (in mm)					Cross-Sectional Area	Weight	Member Designation
	H	B	t1	t2	r	cm2	kg/m
100 X 100	100	100	6	8	10	21.9	17.19	100x100x6x8
125 X 125	125	125	6.5	9	10	30.31	23.79	125x125x6.5×9
150 X 150	150	150	7	10	13	40.55	31.83	150x150x7x10
175 X 175	175	175	7.5	11	13	51.43	40.37	175x175x7.5×11
200 X 200	200	200	8	12	16	64.28	50.46	200x200x8x12
	200	204	12	12	16	72.28	56.74	200x204x12x12
250 X 250	250	250	9	14	16	92.18	72.36	250x250x9x14
	250	255	14	14	16	104.68	82.17	250x255x14x14
H beam size and weight chart: Medium Flange Series (HM)
150 X 100	148	100	6	9	13	27.25	21.39	148x100x6x9
200 X 150	194	150	6	9	16	39.76	31.21	194x150x6x9
250 X 175	244	175	7	11	16	56.24	44.15	244x175x7x11
300 X 200	294	200	8	12	20	73.03	57.33	294x200x8x12
H beam size and weight chart: Narrow Flange Series (HN)
175 X 90	175	90	5	8	10	23.21	18.22	175x90x5x8
200 X 100	198	99	4.5	7	13	23.59	18.52	198x99x4.5×7
	200	100	5.5	8	13	27.57	21.64	200x100x5.5×8
250 X 125	248	124	5	8	13	32.89	25.82	248x124x5x8
	250	125	6	9	13	37.87	29.73	250x125x6x9

What is an I-beam?

I-beams are also structural steel members but their cross sections resemble the capital letter “I”. Consisting of two flanges and one web, an I-beam has a slope on the inner surface of the flanges. Depending on the use, I-beam sections are available in a range of weights, flange widths, sections, depths, and web thicknesses. Fig. 3 below shows a typical example of I-beams.

I-beam Size Chart

I-beam size charts for some common structural sections are provided below:

Designation	Dimensions
	Depth – H – (mm)	Width – B – (mm)	Web Thickness – d – (mm)	Cross-Sectional Area (cm2)	Weight (kg/m)
UB 127 x 76 x 13	127	76	4	16.5	13
UB 152 x 89 x 16	152.4	88.7	4.5	20.3	16
UB 178 x 102 x 19	177.8	101.2	4.8	24.3	19
UB 203 x 102 x 23	203.2	101.8	5.4	29.4	23.1
UB 203 x 133 x 25	203.2	133.2	5.7	32	25.1
UB 203 x 133 x 30	206.8	133.9	6.4	38.2	30
UB 254 x 102 x 22	254	101.6	5.7	28	22
UB 254 x 102 x 25	257.2	101.9	6	32	25.2
UB 254 x 102 x 28	260.4	102.2	6.3	36.1	28.3
UB 254 x 146 x 31	251.4	146.1	6	39.7	31.1
UB 254 x 146 x 37	256	146.4	6.3	47.2	37
UB 254 x 146 x 43	259.6	147.3	7.2	54.8	43
UB 305 x 102 x 25	305.1	101.6	5.8	31.6	24.8
UB 305 x 102 x 28	308.7	101.8	6	35.9	28.2
UB 305 x 102 x 33	312.7	102.4	6.6	41.8	32.8
UB 305 x 127 x 37	304.4	123.4	7.1	47.2	37
UB 305 x 127 x 42	307.2	124.3	8	53.4	41.9
UB 305 x 127 x 48	311	125.3	9	61.2	48.1
UB 305 x 165 x 40	303.4	165	6	51.3	40.3
UB 305 x 165 x 46	306.6	165.7	6.7	58.8	46.1
UB 305 x 165 x 54	310.4	166.9	7.9	68.8	54
UB 356 x 127 x 33	349	125.4	6	42.1	33.1
UB 356 x 127 x 39	353.4	126	6.6	49.8	39.1
UB 356 x 171 x 45	351.4	171.1	7	57.3	45
UB 356 x 171 x 51	355	171.5	7.4	64.9	51
UB 356 x 171 x 57	358	172.2	8.1	72.6	57
UB 356 x 171 x 67	363.4	173.2	9.1	85.5	67.1
UB 406 x 140 x 39	398	141.8	6.4	49.7	39
UB 406 x 140 x 46	403.2	142.2	6.8	58.6	46
UB 406 x 178 x 54	402.6	177.7	7.7	69	54.1
UB 406 x 178 x 60	406.4	177.9	7.9	76.5	60.1
UB 406 x 178 x 67	409.4	178.8	8.8	85.5	67.1
UB 406 x 178 x 74	412.8	179.5	9.5	94.5	74.2
UB 457 x 152 x 52	449.8	152.4	7.6	66.6	52.3
UB 457 x 152 x 60	454.6	152.9	8.1	76.2	59.8
UB 457 x 152 x 67	458	153.8	9	85.6	67.2
UB 457 x 152 x 74	462	154.4	9.6	94.5	74.2
UB 457 x 152 x 82	465.8	155.3	10.5	104.5	82.1
UB 457 x 191 x 67	453.4	189.9	8.5	85.5	67.1
UB 457 x 191 x 74	457	190.4	9	94.6	74.3
UB 457 x 191 x 82	460	191.3	9.9	104.5	82
UB 457 x 191 x 89	463.4	191.9	10.5	113.8	89.3
UB 457 x 191 x 98	467.2	192.8	11.4	125.3	98.3

Common Beam Standards

Common standards that govern the shape and tolerances of structural beam sections are:

• AISC Manual
• IS 808
• ASTM A6,
• DIN 1025
• BS 4-1
• AS/NZS 3679.1
• EN 10024
• EN 10034
• EN 10162

H-beam vs I-beam: Difference between H-beam and I-beam

H-beam vs I-beam: Dimensions and Weight

• An H-beam has a significantly thicker web than an I-beam.
• An I-beam normally has a slope of 1:6 to 1: 10 in the flange whereas the H-beam has a uniform flange.
• An H-beam is heavier as compared to an I-beam.
• The distance of the flanges can be widened as per requirement for an H-beam section but the same is fixed for the I-beam.
• The moment of inertia is different for both beams.
• In an I-beam, the size of the web is greater than the size of the flange whereas in an H-beam it may not be true.

H-beam vs I-beam: Mechanical Properties

• The cross-section of the I-beam is poor against twisting as compared to H-beam.
• In general, H-beams are more rigid and can carry more load as compared to I-beams.
• H-beams are used as columns while I-beams are used as beams.

H-beam vs I-beam: Manufacturing

• An I-beam is manufactured as a single piece throughout, but an H-beam is normally manufactured by welding 3 pieces of metal.
• An H-beam can be produced to any desired size and height whereas the production of I-beams is limited by the milling machine capacity.