W 30X211 vs HE 800 M
W 30X211 is an W section from the American AISC Shapes Database; HE 800 M is the closest equivalent in the European (Continental) range. They are close to interchangeable in bending: 12306.7 cm³ against 12500 cm³ of plastic modulus, a difference of 1.5%. They weigh essentially the same, 314 kg/m and 317 kg/m. HE 800 M is deeper, 814 mm against 784.9 mm, which matters where the floor zone is tight.
| Property | W 30X211 W | HE 800 M HE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass | 314 kg/m | 317 kg/m | -0.9% |
| Depth | 784.9 mm | 814 mm | -3.6% |
| Width | 383.5 mm | 303 mm | +26.6% |
| Web thickness | 19.7 mm | 21 mm | -6.2% |
| Flange thickness | 33.5 mm | 40 mm | -16.3% |
| Area | 401.9 cm² | 404 cm² | -0.5% |
| Second moment, major (Iy) | 428,718 cm⁴ | 443,000 cm⁴ | -3.2% |
| Plastic modulus, major (Wpl,y) | 12,306.7 cm³ | 12,500 cm³ | -1.5% |
| Elastic modulus, major (Wel,y) | 10,897.4 cm³ | 10,900 cm³ | same |
| Second moment, minor (Iz) | 31,509 cm⁴ | 18,600 cm⁴ | +69.4% |
| Plastic modulus, minor (Wpl,z) | 2,540 cm³ | 1,930 cm³ | +31.6% |
| Radius of gyration, minor (iz) | 8.86 cm | 6.79 cm | +30.5% |
| Torsion constant (It) | 1,182 cm⁴ | 1,660 cm⁴ | -28.8% |
W 30X211 to AISC Shapes Database v16.0; HE 800 M to EN 10365 · Continental Steel. Difference is expressed relative to HE 800 M.
How to choose between them
On stiffness, HE 800 M has the larger second moment of area: 443,000 cm⁴ against 428,718 cm⁴, a difference of 3.2%. 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, the two are equally efficient (39.2 against 39.4 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: W 30X211 has 2540 cm³ of minor-axis plastic modulus against 1930 cm³, 31.6% 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.