W 30X292 vs HE 800 x 444
W 30X292 is an W section from the American AISC Shapes Database; HE 800 x 444 is the closest equivalent in the European (Continental) range. They are close to interchangeable in bending: 17370.3 cm³ against 17600 cm³ of plastic modulus, a difference of 1.3%. W 30X292 is the lighter of the two at 434.5 kg/m against 444 kg/m, a saving of 2.1% on steel weight. HE 800 x 444 is deeper, 842 mm against 812.8 mm, which matters where the floor zone is tight.
| Property | W 30X292 W | HE 800 x 444 HE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass | 434.5 kg/m | 444 kg/m | -2.1% |
| Depth | 812.8 mm | 842 mm | -3.5% |
| Width | 388.6 mm | 313 mm | +24.2% |
| Web thickness | 25.9 mm | 30 mm | -13.7% |
| Flange thickness | 47 mm | 54 mm | -13.0% |
| Area | 554.8 cm² | 566 cm² | -2.0% |
| Second moment, major (Iy) | 620,185 cm⁴ | 634,000 cm⁴ | -2.2% |
| Plastic modulus, major (Wpl,y) | 17,370.3 cm³ | 17,600 cm³ | -1.3% |
| Elastic modulus, major (Wel,y) | 15,240 cm³ | 15,100 cm³ | +0.9% |
| Second moment, minor (Iz) | 45,785 cm⁴ | 27,800 cm⁴ | +64.7% |
| Plastic modulus, minor (Wpl,z) | 3,654.3 cm³ | 2,830 cm³ | +29.1% |
| Radius of gyration, minor (iz) | 9.09 cm | 7.01 cm | +29.7% |
| Torsion constant (It) | 3,130 cm⁴ | 4,160 cm⁴ | -24.8% |
W 30X292 to AISC Shapes Database v16.0; HE 800 x 444 to EN 10365 · Continental Steel. Difference is expressed relative to HE 800 x 444.
How to choose between them
On stiffness, HE 800 x 444 has the larger second moment of area: 634,000 cm⁴ against 620,185 cm⁴, a difference of 2.2%. 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 (40.0 against 39.6 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 30X292 has 3654.3 cm³ of minor-axis plastic modulus against 2830 cm³, 29.1% 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 2.1% weight.
In short, HE 800 x 444 is the stronger section and W 30X292 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.