Difference Between H Beam And I Beam

H-beams and I-beams are beams made from structural steels that are widely used in construction applications. Due to the high strength and ease of construction they impart, they are often used to build houses, bridges, large trailers, etc.

The main difference between H-beams and I-beams is their cross-section. Both have a common horizontal part called the "flange" and a vertical part called the "web". The web resists shear stress, while the flange can take most of the bending moment on the steel beam.

Features Of H Beam

H-beams are steel beams made of rolled steel in the shape of the letter "H". They are manufactured as combined units. Flanges are welded to the web to form an H-section. H -beams are also known as wide flange beams.

Compared with I-beam, the web thickness of H-beam is larger. This added thickness provides strength to the H-beam.

The flanges of H-beams are of equal thickness and parallel to each other. They are longer, wider and heavier than I-beams.

The cross section of H- beam is more optimized than that of I-beam, and it has a reasonable strength-to-weight ratio, that is, higher strength per unit area. They have a larger surface area in cross section and therefore higher strength.

H-beam achieves a greater moment of inertia and higher lateral stiffness. Therefore, they have better bending resistance than engineering beams.

H-beams are used for spans up to 330 feet and can be built to any size and height.

H-beams are heavier than I-beams.H-beam sections can withstand direct and tensile loads. Its wide cross -section enables it to withstand torsional loads.

Features Of I Beam

I-beam is a steel beam made by milling or rolling an I-beam. It is made from a single piece of metal or aluminum throughout the unit.

The web of I-beam is thinner than that of H-beam.

I-beam adopts a tapered design with a 1:10 inclination angle, which has better bearing capacity. They are thinner than H-beam flanges.

I-beams are usually deeper in height than in width, which makes them resistant to local buckling.

The moment of inertia of I-beam is smaller than that of H-beam, which makes its bending efficiency lower.

I-beams are used for spans from 33 to 100 feet.

Compared with H-beam, I-beam is light in weight.

I-beams withstand direct and tensile loads. However, due to their small cross-section, they cannot withstand torsional loads.

Application Of H Beam And I Beam

Compared to I-beams, H-beams have better mechanical properties and are therefore considered an economical construction option. Generally, I-beams are used as beams, and H-beams are used as load-bearing columns.

H-beams are used as load-bearing columns in commercial buildings for platforms, bridges, etc. Wide flange beams are commonly used in residential projects.

I-beams are suitable for making supporting frames and columns for elevators, trailers, tram tracks, hoists, steel structures and bridges.