IPE vs HEA vs UB — Steel Section Comparison Guide

Choosing between IPE, HEA, HEB, UB, and W-shape steel sections is one of the most common decisions in structural design. Engineers who work across regions, specify imported steel, or compare international designs need to understand how these section families differ in geometry, capacity, and availability. This guide provides comparison tables with real property values, selection criteria for beams and columns, and a practical equivalence guide. Browse all profiles in our free section database.

What you will learn

• The origin and naming conventions for each section family
• Comparison tables with actual Ix, Zx, and mass/m values
• How to select equivalent sections across families
• When to use IPE vs HEA/HEB vs UB vs W-shapes
• Common mistakes when substituting between families
• Material grade mapping across standards

Copyright and standards notice

This site does not reproduce copyrighted section tables verbatim. Section properties discussed here are representative values for educational comparison. Always consult the official published product standard (EN 10365, BS 4-1, ASTM A6) and producer documentation for authoritative dimensions.

Section family overview

Naming conventions:

• IPE/HEA/HEB: number = nominal depth in mm (IPE 300 is approximately 300 mm deep)
• UB/UC: serial size in mm + mass in kg/m (310 UB 40.4 = 310 mm serial depth, 40.4 kg/m)
• W-shape: nominal depth in inches + weight in lb/ft (W12x26 = 12 inches deep, 26 lb/ft)

Comparison table — 300 mm depth class

These sections all have approximately 300 mm depth, making them natural candidates for comparison:

Key observations:

• IPE 300 and 310 UB 40.4 are remarkably similar — nearly identical Ix and Zx at almost the same mass. This is why these two families are often compared directly.
• HEA 300 provides 2.2x the moment of inertia of IPE 300, but at 2.1x the mass. The efficiency gain is marginal — HEA sections are not beam-optimized.
• HEB 300 provides 3.0x the Ix of IPE 300, but at 2.8x the mass. HEB is even less efficient for pure bending.
• W12x26 is slightly lighter than IPE 300 with very similar properties — American sections tend to be optimized for mass.

Comparison table — 200 mm depth class

Comparison table — 500 mm depth class

At larger depths, IPE sections become increasingly efficient relative to HEA/HEB. IPE 500 provides 482 x 10^6 mm^4 at only 90.7 kg/m, while HEA 500 needs 155 kg/m (71% heavier) for 80% more Ix.

Practical equivalence guide

When substituting sections between families, match on the structural property that governs your design, not on depth:

For beams (flexure governs):

For columns (axial + weak-axis governs):

The takeaway: For beams, IPE and UB sections are roughly interchangeable at similar mass. For columns, HEA/HEB sections have significantly better weak-axis properties than equivalent-depth UB or IPE sections.

When to use each family

Use IPE when:

• Strong-axis bending dominates (simply supported beams, purlins, floor beams)
• You want maximum depth-to-weight efficiency
• Lateral restraint is provided (reducing LTB concerns)
• Working to EN 1993 with European fabricators

Use HEA/HEB when:

• Columns with significant axial load or biaxial bending
• Short-span beams where depth is restricted
• Members needing good weak-axis properties for lateral-torsional buckling resistance
• Working to EN 1993 where wider flanges simplify bolted connections

Use UB when:

• Working to AS 4100 or BS EN 1993 with UK National Annex
• Local fabricators stock UB sections (UK, Australia, NZ, South Africa)
• Standard beam applications — UB sections cover a wide range of depths

Use W-shapes when:

• Working to AISC 360 or CSA S16
• North American fabricators and supply chains
• Extensive AISC design guide support available

Material grade mapping

Section family and material grade are coupled. When switching families, update your material specification:

Important: S355 steel (Fy = 355 MPa) is not equivalent to ASTM A992 (Fy = 345 MPa) even though they appear similar. The Fu values also differ (510 vs 450 MPa), which affects connection design. Always verify the material specification when substituting sections.

Connection detailing implications

Switching section families affects more than just member capacity:

• Flange width determines bolt gauge. An IPE 300 with 150 mm flanges limits you to a single bolt column per flange. An HEA 300 with 300 mm flanges allows two bolt columns, which changes your connection capacity and detailing.

• Web thickness affects weld size. Thinner webs (typical of IPE and UB) may require smaller fillet welds to avoid melting the web edge. HEB sections with thicker webs allow larger weld sizes.

• Root radius affects bolt clearance. European sections have larger fillet radii than some UB sections. This affects bolt positioning and access for tensioning equipment.

• Column-to-beam proportions affect moment connection design. When using HEA columns with IPE beams (common in European practice), the wide column flange simplifies endplate connections. Using UC columns with UB beams achieves the same benefit in British practice.

Worked example: selecting an equivalent beam

Problem: A floor beam designed as IPE 360 (Ix = 162.7 x 10^6 mm^4, Zx = 1019 x 10^3 mm^3, mass = 57.1 kg/m) needs to be substituted with a UB section for an Australian project.

Step 1: Identify the governing property. For a floor beam with a deflection limit, Ix governs. For a strength-governed beam, Zx governs. Assume deflection governs.

Step 2: Search the UB catalogue for Ix close to 162.7 x 10^6 mm^4:

• 360 UB 44.7: Ix = 121.0 — too low
• 360 UB 50.7: Ix = 142.0 — still low
• 410 UB 53.7: Ix = 188.0 — slightly over, acceptable

Step 3: Check the mass comparison:

• IPE 360: 57.1 kg/m
• 410 UB 53.7: 53.7 kg/m (6% lighter, with 15% more Ix)

Step 4: Verify connection compatibility. The 410 UB has a wider flange (178 mm vs 170 mm) and is deeper (403 mm vs 360 mm). Floor-to-floor height and connection details may need adjustment.

Conclusion: 410 UB 53.7 is a suitable substitute, offering slightly more stiffness at lower mass. But it is deeper, which may affect floor buildup.

Look up any section: Section Properties Database -- search and compare across all families.

Common mistakes when substituting sections

1. Matching by depth instead of by property. An IPE 300 and an HEA 300 have similar depths but completely different properties. Always match on Ix, Zx, or whatever property governs.

2. Forgetting to update the material grade. Switching from IPE (S355) to UB (Grade 300) changes both Fy and Fu. Re-check all capacity calculations with the correct material properties.

3. Ignoring availability. Specifying HEB sections for an Australian project or UB sections for a German fabricator creates procurement delays and cost overruns. Confirm availability with your fabricator first.

4. Mixing families on one project. Using IPE beams with UC columns on the same project complicates procurement, connection detailing, and inspection. Stick to one family unless there is a compelling structural reason.

5. Overlooking connection width. A wider section requires wider gusset plates, wider endplates, and potentially different bolt layouts. The connection cost often exceeds the member cost savings from optimizing the section.

6. Assuming all section databases are current. Section ranges are periodically updated by producers. An older catalogue may list sections that are no longer produced, or may miss newer, more efficient sections.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I directly substitute IPE 300 for 310 UB 40.4? Structurally, they are very close (Ix and Zx within 3%). But you must verify: (a) material grade compatibility, (b) connection detail fit, (c) local availability, and (d) code compliance with the applicable design standard.

Which family is most efficient for beams? IPE and UB sections are the most mass-efficient for strong-axis bending because they have high depth-to-width ratios. For a given Zx, they will generally be lighter than HEA, HEB, or UC sections.

Are HEB sections always heavier than HEA? Yes. For the same nominal depth, HEB has thicker flanges and webs, resulting in 30-40% higher mass and proportionally higher section properties.

Why do S355 IPE sections not match ASTM A992 W-shapes? Different yield strengths (355 vs 345 MPa), different ultimate strengths (510 vs 450 MPa), and different dimensional tolerances. The capacity calculations will produce different results even for similar-looking sections.

How do I find the lightest section for my design? Use our section properties database to sort all families by Zx (for bending) or Ix (for deflection), then select the lightest section that exceeds your demand. Filter by family if availability constrains your choice.

Key Takeaways

• IPE and UB are natural equivalents for beam applications — similar mass and properties at comparable depths.
• HEA/HEB are column-oriented sections with superior weak-axis properties but higher mass per unit of strong-axis capacity.
• Always match on the governing structural property (Ix for deflection, Zx for strength), never on depth alone.
• Material grades differ between families — S355, Grade 300, and A992 are not interchangeable. Update your capacity checks when switching.
• Connection detailing changes with section family — flange width, web thickness, and root radius all affect bolt layouts and weld sizes.
• Confirm local availability before finalizing any section from a non-local family.

Run This Calculation

Section Properties Database — look up and compare IPE, HEA, HEB, UB, UC, and W-shape properties side by side.

Beam Capacity Calculator — moment, shear, and deflection checks for any section per EN 1993, AISC 360, AS 4100, and CSA S16.

Moment of Inertia Calculator — compute Ix, Iy, Sx, Zx for standard and custom cross-sections.

Further Reading

• W-shape beam sizes — dimensions, Sx, Ix, Zx properties
• HSS section properties — RHS, SHS, CHS reference
• Steel beam load tables — allowable uniform load by span
• How far can a steel beam span? — span guide
• Steel Fy and Fu reference — yield and tensile strength by grade
• Steel grades reference — S235, S355, A992, Grade 300
• EN 1993 code notes
• Beam design workflow
• How to verify calculator results
• Section comparison reference
• Steel weight calculator

Disclaimer (educational use only)

This page is provided for general technical information and educational use only. It does not constitute professional engineering advice, a design service, or a substitute for an independent review by a qualified structural engineer. Any comparisons, descriptions, and workflows discussed here are simplified descriptions intended to support understanding and preliminary estimation.

All real-world structural design depends on project-specific factors (loads, combinations, stability, detailing, fabrication, erection, tolerances, site conditions, and the governing standard and project specification). You are responsible for verifying inputs, validating results with an independent method, checking constructability and code compliance, and obtaining professional sign-off where required.

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