IPE vs HEA vs HEB Beams: Differences, Uses and How to Choose
IPE, HEA and HEB beams compared: shape, flange width, weight, strength, typical uses as beams or columns, and a size and weight table for common profiles.
Saudi Steel Work Editorial Team · · 3 min read
Short answer: IPE beams are narrow-flange I-sections that are efficient in bending, so they suit floor beams and rafters. HEA and HEB are wide-flange H-sections with flanges as wide as (or close to) the depth, making them better as columns. HEB is heavier and stronger than HEA of the same nominal size.
IPE, HEA and HEB are European standard hot-rolled I and H sections, widely used in Saudi Arabia alongside British and American profiles. Choosing the right family affects weight, cost and structural performance.
Shape differences
- IPE — I-section with parallel flanges, depth much greater than flange width. Efficient for bending about the strong axis.
- HEA — wide-flange H-section, light series. Flange width roughly equal to depth for most sizes.
- HEB — wide-flange H-section, medium-heavy series with thicker flanges and web than HEA.
- HEM — the heaviest series, used for heavy columns.
Weight comparison (nominal kg/m)
| Size | IPE | HEA | HEB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 | 22.4 | 42.3 | 61.3 |
| 240 | 30.7 | 60.3 | 83.2 |
| 300 | 42.2 | 88.3 | 117 |
Values are nominal from standard section tables; always check the mill's published table. You can estimate total weights with our steel weight calculator.
When to use which
IPE
- Floor beams and secondary beams
- Roof rafters and purlins in heavier structures
- Lintels and mezzanine beams
HEA
- Columns in light to medium structures
- Beams where depth is limited
- Crane runway beams (with checks)
HEB / HEM
- Heavily loaded columns
- Transfer beams with depth restrictions
- Industrial structures with heavy equipment
Why wide flanges help columns
Columns resist buckling about both axes. Wide flanges increase the minor-axis stiffness, which IPE sections lack. That is why H-sections dominate as columns while IPE dominates as beams.
Equivalents in other standards
British universal beams (UB) correspond broadly to IPE-type use, and universal columns (UC) to HE-type use; American W-shapes cover both. They are not dimensionally identical — see UB vs UC and types of structural steel sections.
Grades
All three are commonly supplied in S275JR and S355JR/J0/J2 to EN 10025-2. See S275 vs S355.
Need beams or columns? See our structural steel sections range or request a quote.