W 6X16 vs HE 160 AA
W 6X16 is an W section from the American AISC Shapes Database; HE 160 AA is the closest equivalent in the European (Continental) range. They are close to interchangeable in bending: 191.73 cm³ against 190 cm³ of plastic modulus, a difference of 0.9%. They weigh essentially the same, 23.8 kg/m and 23.8 kg/m. W 6X16 is deeper, 159.5 mm against 148 mm, which matters where the floor zone is tight.
| Property | W 6X16 W | HE 160 AA HE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass | 23.8 kg/m | 23.8 kg/m | same |
| Depth | 159.5 mm | 148 mm | +7.8% |
| Width | 102.4 mm | 160 mm | -36.0% |
| Web thickness | 6.6 mm | 4.5 mm | +46.7% |
| Flange thickness | 10.3 mm | 7 mm | +47.1% |
| Area | 30.6 cm² | 30.4 cm² | +0.7% |
| Second moment, major (Iy) | 1,336 cm⁴ | 1,280 cm⁴ | +4.4% |
| Plastic modulus, major (Wpl,y) | 191.73 cm³ | 190 cm³ | +0.9% |
| Elastic modulus, major (Wel,y) | 167.15 cm³ | 173 cm³ | -3.4% |
| Second moment, minor (Iz) | 184.4 cm⁴ | 479 cm⁴ | -61.5% |
| Plastic modulus, minor (Wpl,z) | 55.552 cm³ | 91.4 cm³ | -39.2% |
| Radius of gyration, minor (iz) | 2.46 cm | 3.97 cm | -38.0% |
| Torsion constant (It) | 9.28 cm⁴ | 6.43 cm⁴ | +44.3% |
W 6X16 to AISC Shapes Database v16.0; HE 160 AA to EN 10365 · Continental Steel. Difference is expressed relative to HE 160 AA.
How to choose between them
On stiffness, W 6X16 has the larger second moment of area: 1,336 cm⁴ against 1,280 cm⁴, a difference of 4.4%. 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 (8.1 against 8.0 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 160 AA has 91.4 cm³ of minor-axis plastic modulus against 55.552 cm³, 39.2% 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.