W 14X74 vs HE 360 A
W 14X74 is an W section from the American AISC Shapes Database; HE 360 A is the closest equivalent in the European (Continental) range. They are close to interchangeable in bending: 2064.8 cm³ against 2090 cm³ of plastic modulus, a difference of 1.2%. They weigh essentially the same, 110.1 kg/m and 112 kg/m. W 14X74 is deeper, 360.7 mm against 350 mm, which matters where the floor zone is tight.
| Property | W 14X74 W | HE 360 A HE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass | 110.1 kg/m | 112 kg/m | -1.7% |
| Depth | 360.7 mm | 350 mm | +3.1% |
| Width | 256.5 mm | 300 mm | -14.5% |
| Web thickness | 11.4 mm | 10 mm | +14.0% |
| Flange thickness | 19.9 mm | 17.5 mm | +13.7% |
| Area | 140.6 cm² | 143 cm² | -1.7% |
| Second moment, major (Iy) | 33,090 cm⁴ | 33,100 cm⁴ | same |
| Plastic modulus, major (Wpl,y) | 2,064.8 cm³ | 2,090 cm³ | -1.2% |
| Elastic modulus, major (Wel,y) | 1,835.4 cm³ | 1,890 cm³ | -2.9% |
| Second moment, minor (Iz) | 5,578 cm⁴ | 7,890 cm⁴ | -29.3% |
| Plastic modulus, minor (Wpl,z) | 663.68 cm³ | 802 cm³ | -17.2% |
| Radius of gyration, minor (iz) | 6.3 cm | 7.43 cm | -15.2% |
| Torsion constant (It) | 161.1 cm⁴ | 153 cm⁴ | +5.3% |
W 14X74 to AISC Shapes Database v16.0; HE 360 A to EN 10365 · Continental Steel. Difference is expressed relative to HE 360 A.
How to choose between them
On stiffness, HE 360 A has the larger second moment of area: 33,100 cm⁴ against 33,090 cm⁴, a difference of 0.0%. This matters more often than the strength comparison, because on normal floor spans deflection rather than bending capacity sets the beam size - so if the two are close on modulus but apart on inertia, the stiffer one is usually the better answer even when it is not the stronger one.
Measured as bending capacity per kilogram, the two are equally efficient (18.8 against 18.7 cm³ per kg/m), so on a pure steel-tonnage basis there is nothing to choose between them. The decision comes down to availability, connection detailing and what the rest of the frame uses.
The two diverge much more about the minor axis: HE 360 A has 802 cm³ of minor-axis plastic modulus against 663.68 cm³, 17.2% more. If the member sees any minor-axis bending, or if it is unrestrained over a long length and lateral-torsional buckling governs, that gap decides the comparison even though the major-axis numbers looked equivalent.
These come from different catalogues, so treat the swap as a design change rather than a like-for-like substitution. W sections are specified to AISC Shapes Database v16.0 and HE to EN 10365 · Continental Steel; the steel grades, tolerances and available lengths differ, connection details and bolt gauges are set out differently, and the two are rarely both stocked in the same market. Check availability before changing a section on a drawing to save a marginal amount of weight.
In short, these two are genuine equivalents. Pick whichever your supplier stocks and the rest of the frame already uses.