W 40X199 vs HE 1000 B
W 40X199 is an W section from the American AISC Shapes Database; HE 1000 B is the closest equivalent in the European (Continental) range. HE 1000 B carries more bending: 14900 cm³ of plastic modulus against 14240.4 cm³, 4.4% more. W 40X199 is the lighter of the two at 296.1 kg/m against 314 kg/m, a saving of 5.7% on steel weight. Both are about 992 mm deep, so either fits the same construction zone.
| Property | W 40X199 W | HE 1000 B HE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass | 296.1 kg/m | 314 kg/m | -5.7% |
| Depth | 983 mm | 1000 mm | -1.7% |
| Width | 401.3 mm | 300 mm | +33.8% |
| Web thickness | 16.5 mm | 19 mm | -13.2% |
| Flange thickness | 27.2 mm | 36 mm | -24.4% |
| Area | 379.4 cm² | 400 cm² | -5.2% |
| Second moment, major (Iy) | 620,185 cm⁴ | 645,000 cm⁴ | -3.8% |
| Plastic modulus, major (Wpl,y) | 14,240.4 cm³ | 14,900 cm³ | -4.4% |
| Elastic modulus, major (Wel,y) | 12,618 cm³ | 12,900 cm³ | -2.2% |
| Second moment, minor (Iz) | 28,928 cm⁴ | 16,300 cm⁴ | +77.5% |
| Plastic modulus, minor (Wpl,z) | 2,245 cm³ | 1,720 cm³ | +30.5% |
| Radius of gyration, minor (iz) | 8.76 cm | 6.38 cm | +37.3% |
| Torsion constant (It) | 761.7 cm⁴ | 1,270 cm⁴ | -40.0% |
W 40X199 to AISC Shapes Database v16.0; HE 1000 B to EN 10365 · Continental Steel. Difference is expressed relative to HE 1000 B.
How to choose between them
On stiffness, HE 1000 B has the larger second moment of area: 645,000 cm⁴ against 620,185 cm⁴, a difference of 3.8%. 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 (48.1 against 47.5 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 40X199 has 2245 cm³ of minor-axis plastic modulus against 1720 cm³, 30.5% 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 5.7% weight.
In short, HE 1000 B is the stronger section and W 40X199 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.