HEA 550 vs HEB 550
- HEA 550 is 17 % lighter than HEB 550 (166.2 vs 199.4 kg/m).
- HEB 550 has 22 % higher strong-axis stiffness Iy.
- HEB 550 has 21 % higher weak-axis stiffness Iz, which governs columns and lateral stability.
- HEB 550 has 21 % higher plastic bending resistance (Wpl,y).
- Per kilogram of steel, both are similarly efficient in bending (Iy/G ≈ 679 cm⁴ per kg/m).
| Property | HEA 550 | HEB 550 |
|---|---|---|
| Height h [mm] | 540 | 550 |
| Flange width b [mm] | 300 | 300 |
| Web thickness tw [mm] | 12.5 | 15.0 |
| Flange thickness tf [mm] | 24.0 | 29.0 |
| Area A [cm²] | 211.8 | 254.1 |
| Mass G [kg/m] | 166.2 | 199.4 |
| Moment of inertia Iy [cm⁴] | 111 900 | 136 700 |
| Elastic modulus Wel,y [cm³] | 4 146 | 4 971 |
| Plastic modulus Wpl,y [cm³] | 4 622 | 5 591 |
| Moment of inertia Iz [cm⁴] | 10 820 | 13 080 |
| Radius of gyration iy [mm] | 229.9 | 232.0 |
| Radius of gyration iz [mm] | 71.5 | 71.7 |
| Torsion constant It [cm⁴] | 360.6 | 612.3 |
| Warping constant Iw [×10³ cm⁶] | 7 103.1 | 8 743.9 |
Highlighted value = the favourable one (higher stiffness/modulus, lower mass). Full property sets on the profile pages.