HE 600 A vs IPE V 600
HE 600 A is an HE section from the European (Continental) range; IPE V 600 is the closest equivalent in the European (Continental) range. They are close to interchangeable in bending: 5350 cm³ against 5320 cm³ of plastic modulus, a difference of 0.6%. HE 600 A is the lighter of the two at 178 kg/m against 184 kg/m, a saving of 3.3% on steel weight. IPE V 600 is deeper, 618 mm against 590 mm, which matters where the floor zone is tight.
| Property | HE 600 A HE | IPE V 600 IPE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass | 178 kg/m | 184 kg/m | -3.3% |
| Depth | 590 mm | 618 mm | -4.5% |
| Width | 300 mm | 228 mm | +31.6% |
| Web thickness | 13 mm | 18 mm | -27.8% |
| Flange thickness | 25 mm | 28 mm | -10.7% |
| Area | 226 cm² | 234 cm² | -3.4% |
| Second moment, major (Iy) | 141,000 cm⁴ | 142,000 cm⁴ | -0.7% |
| Plastic modulus, major (Wpl,y) | 5,350 cm³ | 5,320 cm³ | +0.6% |
| Elastic modulus, major (Wel,y) | 4,790 cm³ | 4,580 cm³ | +4.6% |
| Second moment, minor (Iz) | 11,300 cm⁴ | 5,570 cm⁴ | +102.9% |
| Plastic modulus, minor (Wpl,z) | 1,160 cm³ | 780 cm³ | +48.7% |
| Radius of gyration, minor (iz) | 7.05 cm | 4.88 cm | +44.5% |
| Torsion constant (It) | 407 cm⁴ | 506 cm⁴ | -19.6% |
HE 600 A to EN 10365 · Continental Steel; IPE V 600 to EN 10365 · Continental Steel. Difference is expressed relative to IPE V 600.
How to choose between them
On stiffness, IPE V 600 has the larger second moment of area: 142,000 cm⁴ against 141,000 cm⁴, a difference of 0.7%. 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, HE 600 A is the more efficient section: 30.1 against 28.9 cm³ per kg/m, 4.0% 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: HE 600 A has 1160 cm³ of minor-axis plastic modulus against 780 cm³, 48.7% 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.
In short, HE 600 A is the stronger section and HE 600 A 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.