W 16X67 vs HE 450 AA
W 16X67 is an W section from the American AISC Shapes Database; HE 450 AA is the closest equivalent in the European (Continental) range. HE 450 AA carries more bending: 2180 cm³ of plastic modulus against 2130.3 cm³, 2.3% more. They weigh essentially the same, 99.7 kg/m and 99.7 kg/m. HE 450 AA is deeper, 425 mm against 414 mm, which matters where the floor zone is tight.
| Property | W 16X67 W | HE 450 AA HE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass | 99.7 kg/m | 99.7 kg/m | same |
| Depth | 414 mm | 425 mm | -2.6% |
| Width | 259.1 mm | 300 mm | -13.6% |
| Web thickness | 10 mm | 10 mm | same |
| Flange thickness | 16.9 mm | 13.5 mm | +25.2% |
| Area | 126.5 cm² | 127 cm² | -0.4% |
| Second moment, major (Iy) | 39,708 cm⁴ | 41,900 cm⁴ | -5.2% |
| Plastic modulus, major (Wpl,y) | 2,130.3 cm³ | 2,180 cm³ | -2.3% |
| Elastic modulus, major (Wel,y) | 1,917.3 cm³ | 1,970 cm³ | -2.7% |
| Second moment, minor (Iz) | 4,953 cm⁴ | 6,090 cm⁴ | -18.7% |
| Plastic modulus, minor (Wpl,z) | 581.74 cm³ | 624 cm³ | -6.8% |
| Radius of gyration, minor (iz) | 6.25 cm | 6.92 cm | -9.7% |
| Torsion constant (It) | 99.48 cm⁴ | 91.4 cm⁴ | +8.8% |
W 16X67 to AISC Shapes Database v16.0; HE 450 AA to EN 10365 · Continental Steel. Difference is expressed relative to HE 450 AA.
How to choose between them
On stiffness, HE 450 AA has the larger second moment of area: 41,900 cm⁴ against 39,708 cm⁴, a difference of 5.2%. 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 of steel, HE 450 AA is the more efficient section: 21.9 against 21.4 cm³ per kg/m, 2.3% better. Over a floor of repeated beams that difference is real tonnage, though it is often outweighed by whichever section the fabricator can actually source.
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, HE 450 AA is the stronger section and HE 450 AA is the lighter one; where those are the same section, it is the clear choice, and where they are not, decide on whether your design is governed by capacity or by tonnage.