Types of beams

• MS beams – mild steel I-beams and H-beams for general structures.
• ISMB (medium beam), ISLB (light beam) and ISWB (wide flange beam) – tapered-flange sections to IS 808, the traditional Indian beam series.
• Parallel flange beams and columns – NPB, WPB and similar sections to IS 12778, with flanges of constant thickness for easier connections.
• Wide flange (W) beams – ASTM A6 sections, designated by nominal depth and weight per foot, for projects designed to US standards.
• IPE and HE (HEA, HEB, HEM) – European I- and H-sections to EN 10365.
• Joists and H-piles – on enquiry.

Standards and sizes

Mild steel grades

Yield strength reduces for thicker sections as given in each standard. The sub-grade letter in IS 2062 and EN 10025 indicates impact testing (for example BR or J2), which matters for structures in cold climates or under dynamic loads.

ASTM A992 is the usual grade for wide flange beams in US building construction, with a minimum yield strength of 345 MPa.

I-beam or H-beam?

I-beams such as ISMB and IPE have flanges narrower than the depth and are efficient in bending about one axis, so they are used as floor beams, rafters and girders. H-sections – wide flange columns such as HEB and parallel flange columns – have flanges nearly as wide as the depth and are stronger in both directions and in buckling, so they are used as columns and heavy pile sections. Parallel flange sections are increasingly preferred over tapered-flange ISMB beams because bolted and welded connections are simpler.

Stainless steel beams

Stainless steel beams are used where structures must resist corrosion without coating – in chemical and food plants, offshore and coastal structures, and architectural work. They are usually laser fused or fabricated from plate to the required section in 304L, 316L or duplex steel. Please send the section size, grade and quantity, and we will confirm availability.

Fabrication and protection

Beams are cut, drilled or coped, and welded or bolted into frames. For durability, mild steel beams are shot blasted and primed, painted with a coating system suited to the environment, or hot-dip galvanised. In fire-rated buildings, beams may be protected with intumescent coatings or encasement. When connecting beams to stainless or galvanised parts, consider galvanic compatibility.

Applications

Beams are used for industrial buildings and sheds, pipe racks, equipment structures and platforms, mezzanine floors, crane girders, bridges and walkways, columns and portal frames, foundations and piling. Related sections are on our channels and angles pages, base plates on our plates page, and all products on the products page.

Weight, handling and storage

Beams are sold by weight or by length. Theoretical weight per metre is calculated from the cross-section and the density – 7.85 g/cm³ for mild steel and about 7.9–8.0 g/cm³ for stainless steel – and can be checked with our weight calculator. Actual weights vary with rolling tolerances, so invoiced weights are based on the weighed or calculated figures agreed with the order. Bundles are sized for safe handling by crane or forklift.

Store structural sections off the ground on timber bearers, under cover where possible, and keep stainless steel apart from mild steel to avoid contamination and rust staining. Galvanised sections should be stacked with spacers so that rainwater can drain, preventing white rust.

Section properties

Each beam section has published properties – depth, flange width, web and flange thickness, mass per metre, cross-sectional area, moments of inertia, section moduli and radii of gyration – in IS 808, IS 12778, ASTM A6 and EN 10365 tables and steel design handbooks. Structural engineers select the section from these properties and the design code, such as IS 800 or AISC 360. Please order by the exact section designation shown on the drawings.

Quality checks

Before dispatch, beams are checked against the order for grade, size, length and quantity, and the heat numbers on the material are matched to the mill test certificates. Straightness and surface condition are inspected visually, and dimensions are checked against the tolerances of the product standard. For project orders, material can be marked with item or tag numbers, colour coded by grade, and packed by delivery area to make site receiving easier. Third-party inspection by the buyer's nominated agency can be arranged at our premises.

Documents and ordering

All structural sections are supplied with mill test certificates (MTC) showing heat number, chemistry and mechanical properties, and third-party inspection is available on request. Sections are bundled and tagged with grade, size and heat number; stainless sections are packed with protection to keep them separate from carbon steel and free of surface contamination.

Please give the section designation, grade, length, finish, quantity and any inspection requirement.