WT 5X22.5 vs Tee 254×127×37
WT 5X22.5 is an WT section from the American AISC Shapes Database; Tee 254×127×37 is the closest equivalent in the UK Blue Book (SCI P363). WT 5X22.5 carries more bending: 76.2 cm³ of plastic modulus against 74 cm³, 3.0% more. WT 5X22.5 is the lighter of the two at 33.5 kg/m against 36.5 kg/m, a saving of 8.2% on steel weight. Both are about 128 mm deep, so either fits the same construction zone.
| Property | WT 5X22.5 WT | Tee 254×127×37 Tees (from UC) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass | 33.5 kg/m | 36.5 kg/m | -8.2% |
| Depth | 128.3 mm | 127 mm | +1.0% |
| Width | 203.7 mm | 254.6 mm | -20.0% |
| Web thickness | 8.9 mm | 8.6 mm | +3.5% |
| Flange thickness | 15.7 mm | 14.2 mm | +10.6% |
| Area | 42.8 cm² | 46.5 cm² | -8.0% |
| Second moment, major (Iy) | 424.6 cm⁴ | 417 cm⁴ | +1.8% |
| Plastic modulus, major (Wpl,y) | 76.2 cm³ | 74 cm³ | +3.0% |
| Elastic modulus, major (Wel,y) | 40.476 cm³ | 39.2 cm³ | +3.3% |
| Second moment, minor (Iz) | 1,111 cm⁴ | 1,950 cm⁴ | -43.0% |
| Plastic modulus, minor (Wpl,z) | 165.51 cm³ | 233 cm³ | -29.0% |
| Radius of gyration, minor (iz) | 5.11 cm | 6.48 cm | -21.1% |
| Torsion constant (It) | 31.34 cm⁴ | 28.8 cm⁴ | +8.8% |
WT 5X22.5 to AISC Shapes Database v16.0; Tee 254×127×37 to BS EN 10365:2017. Difference is expressed relative to Tee 254×127×37.
How to choose between them
On stiffness, WT 5X22.5 has the larger second moment of area: 424.6 cm⁴ against 417 cm⁴, a difference of 1.8%. 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 of steel, WT 5X22.5 is the more efficient section: 2.3 against 2.0 cm³ per kg/m, 12.2% better. Over a floor of repeated beams that difference is real tonnage, though it is often outweighed by whichever section the fabricator can actually source.
The two diverge much more about the minor axis: Tee 254×127×37 has 233 cm³ of minor-axis plastic modulus against 165.51 cm³, 29.0% 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. WT sections are specified to AISC Shapes Database v16.0 and Tees (from UC) to BS EN 10365:2017; 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 8.2% weight.
In short, WT 5X22.5 is the stronger section and WT 5X22.5 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.