What is an H-Beam?
H-beams are shaped like an H. H-beam is a structural beam made of rolled steel. It is incredibly strong. It gets its name because it looks like a capital H over its cross section.
What is an I-Beam?
An l -beam is shaped like an I. The I beam consists of two horizontal planes, known as flanges, connected by one vertical component, or the web. I-beam has tapered edges and it gets its name from the fact that it looks like a capital I when you see it from its cross section. With an I-beam, the height of the cross section is higher than the width of its flange.
Weight
H-beam: The H-beam is often a lot heavier than the I-beam, which means it can take more force.
I-beam: With some buildings where weight and force on a wall may pose a structural issue, the I-beam may be better since it is often lighter.
Center Web
H-beam: An H-beam has a thicker center web, which means it is often stronger.
I-beam: An I-beam often has a thinner center web, which means it is often not able to take as much force as an h-beam.
Built-Up
H-beam: An H-beam can possibly be built up which means it can be built up to any size or height.
I-beam: An I-beam can only be built up as much as the manufacturer's milling equipment allows.
Spans
H-beam: H-beams can be used for spans up to 330 feet.
I-beam: An I-beam may be used for spans of between 33 and 100 feet.
Flanges
H-beam: H-beams have top and bottom flanges that stick out further from the web than the flanges on I-beams.
I-beam: I-beams have top and bottom flanges, and they are shorter and not as wide as H-beams.
