W 24X94 vs HE 650 AA
W 24X94 is an W section from the American AISC Shapes Database; HE 650 AA is the closest equivalent in the European (Continental) range. They are close to interchangeable in bending: 4162.3 cm³ against 4160 cm³ of plastic modulus, a difference of 0.1%. They weigh essentially the same, 139.9 kg/m and 138 kg/m. Both are about 619 mm deep, so either fits the same construction zone.
| Property | W 24X94 W | HE 650 AA HE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass | 139.9 kg/m | 138 kg/m | +1.4% |
| Depth | 617.2 mm | 620 mm | -0.5% |
| Width | 230.4 mm | 300 mm | -23.2% |
| Web thickness | 13.1 mm | 12.5 mm | +4.8% |
| Flange thickness | 22.2 mm | 16 mm | +38.7% |
| Area | 178.7 cm² | 176 cm² | +1.5% |
| Second moment, major (Iy) | 112,382 cm⁴ | 114,000 cm⁴ | -1.4% |
| Plastic modulus, major (Wpl,y) | 4,162.3 cm³ | 4,160 cm³ | +0.1% |
| Elastic modulus, major (Wel,y) | 3,637.9 cm³ | 3,680 cm³ | -1.1% |
| Second moment, minor (Iz) | 4,537 cm⁴ | 7,220 cm⁴ | -37.2% |
| Plastic modulus, minor (Wpl,z) | 614.51 cm³ | 751 cm³ | -18.2% |
| Radius of gyration, minor (iz) | 5.03 cm | 6.41 cm | -21.5% |
| Torsion constant (It) | 218.9 cm⁴ | 158 cm⁴ | +38.5% |
W 24X94 to AISC Shapes Database v16.0; HE 650 AA to EN 10365 · Continental Steel. Difference is expressed relative to HE 650 AA.
How to choose between them
On stiffness, HE 650 AA has the larger second moment of area: 114,000 cm⁴ against 112,382 cm⁴, a difference of 1.4%. 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 (29.8 against 30.1 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 650 AA has 751 cm³ of minor-axis plastic modulus against 614.51 cm³, 18.2% 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.