What is the difference between I-beam and H-beam?

As the name implies, I-beam is a kind of “I” shaped section steel, with the inner surface of the upper and lower flanges inclined, usually 1:6, so that the flange is thin outside and thick inside. Therefore, the cross-sectional characteristics of I-beams on the two main planes are very different, and it is difficult to give full play to the strength characteristics of steel in application. Whether the I-beam is ordinary steel or light steel, due to the relatively high and narrow cross-sectional size, the moment of inertia of the two main sleeves of the cross section is quite different. Therefore, it can generally only be used directly for members that are bent in the web plane or to form a lattice load-bearing member. It is not suitable for axially compressed members or members that are bent perpendicular to the web plane.
H-beam is an economical cutting profile. Due to the reasonable cross-sectional shape, the steel can be made more effective and the bearing capacity can be improved. Unlike ordinary I-beams, H-beams have widened wings, and the inner and outer surfaces are usually parallel, which is convenient for connection with high-strength bolts and other components.
H-beam is a profile widely used in steel structure buildings. It is different from I-beams.
1. The inner surface of the H-beam flange has no inclination, and the upper and lower surfaces are parallel.
2. The inner sides of the two outer edges of the H-beam have no inclination and are straight.
3. The cross-sectional characteristics of the H-beam are significantly better than those of traditional I-beams, channel steels and angle steels.
4. The H-beam is an economical cross-sectional profile with a more optimized cross-sectional area distribution and a more reasonable strength-to-weight ratio. It is named because its cross section is the same as the English letter “H”. This makes the welding and splicing of H-beams simpler than that of I-beams, and has better mechanical properties per unit weight, which can save a lot of materials and construction time.