In construction, steel beams are an essential component to provide structural integrity. By providing a safe load path for the weight of the structure, the load can safely be distributed down to the foundations of the building.
Various structural steel beam types exist to cater for the different load types and stressors the beam may be subjected to.
Here at Metreel, we supply a variety of material handling equipment that may be useful when lifting, lowering and repositioning heavy loads such as beams.
Keep reading to discover some of the most common beam types including their key uses and differentiators.
I-Beam
As you’ll discover with some beam types, the letter which comes in front of the name refers to the shape of the beam—at least in terms of the I-beam and H-beam.
Resembling the letter ‘I’ when laid on its side, an I-beam is one of the most common beam types.
The central portion of an I-beam is tall and narrow, which makes an I-beam ideal for small-scale projects. In addition, projects where space-saving is critical meaning heavier or wider beams would be unsuitable.
As a lightweight beam, an I-beam is not able to withstand as much force as a H-beam. Therefore, depending on the structural requirements of the project, a stronger beam may be required.
An I-beam has a narrow flange width which also means this beam type is less resistant to torsion.
H-Beam
Resembling the letter H, an H-beam has a square side profile of equal height and width.
The H shape provides a better distribution of the load weight, meaning an H-beam can handle both lateral and vertical forces.
Compared to the I-beam and W-beam, a H-beam is much shorter.
Where the H-beam excels is its superior strength, meaning it is often used for heavy-duty projects such as beams for foundations, heavy-duty support columns or when constructing high-rise buildings.
A consideration of the H-beam is that it’s much heavier than other beam types. As a result, it is also generally more expensive to use.
S-Beam
The S-beam is where things get more intricate, as the name doesn’t refer to the shape of the beam, but rather a difference in the flanges which are tapered on an S-beam.
Specifically, S-beams have a 1:10 inclination with a thicker cross-section towards the centre where the flange (horizontal) meets the web (vertical).
Also known as the ‘American Standard S-beam’, the tapered flanges result in increased strengthening. This makes their usage incredibly varied in construction, as well as harsher applications. In addition, S-beams are often used when retrofitting a building to comply with specific building standards.
Compared with W-beams and H-beams, S-beams are considered less efficient in load handling. Furthermore, their flange variation can make connection details more complex.
W-Beam
Finally, we have the W-beam which is also known as the wide flange beam due to having broader parallel flanges.
When looking at a side view of a W-beam, it looks very similar to an S-beam, bar the lack of tapering. However, this difference in flanges also means the W-beam provides greater stability making it ideal for load-bearing applications such as bridges, industrial buildings or high-rise construction projects.
Similar to other beams that offer superior strength to withstand heavy loads and wide spans, the W-beam is both heavier and more expensive. That said, it does perform extremely well in terms of bending and compression.
Metreel – Discover Our Material Handling Equipment
We hope the above overview of the different beam types has proved useful.
If your business does any kind of lifting, then Metreel may be able to help improve efficiency and safety through our vast range of material handling products.
Discover our cranes, hoists, monorails and much more by taking a look around our website. Here, you’ll also find our various product specifications to guide you.
Or, if you have any questions about Metreel material handling solutions please give us a call on 0115 932 7010 or drop us a message and we’ll be in touch shortly.