UB 610×178×92 vs H-600x200x10x15-92.5
UB 610×178×92 is an UB section from the UK Blue Book (SCI P363); H-600x200x10x15-92.5 is the closest equivalent in the European (Continental) range. H-600x200x10x15-92.5 carries more bending: 2576 cm³ of plastic modulus against 2510 cm³, 2.6% more. They weigh essentially the same, 92.2 kg/m and 92.5 kg/m. Both are about 600 mm deep, so either fits the same construction zone.
| Property | UB 610×178×92 UB | H-600x200x10x15-92.5 MB & MC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass | 92.2 kg/m | 92.5 kg/m | -0.3% |
| Depth | 603 mm | 596 mm | +1.2% |
| Width | 178.8 mm | 199 mm | -10.2% |
| Web thickness | 10.9 mm | 10 mm | +9.0% |
| Flange thickness | 15 mm | 15 mm | same |
| Area | 117 cm² | 118 cm² | -0.8% |
| Second moment, major (Iy) | 64,600 cm⁴ | 66,640 cm⁴ | -3.1% |
| Plastic modulus, major (Wpl,y) | 2,510 cm³ | 2,576 cm³ | -2.6% |
| Elastic modulus, major (Wel,y) | 2,140 cm³ | 2,236 cm³ | -4.3% |
| Second moment, minor (Iz) | 1,440 cm⁴ | 1,976 cm⁴ | -27.1% |
| Plastic modulus, minor (Wpl,z) | 258 cm³ | 312 cm³ | -17.3% |
| Radius of gyration, minor (iz) | 3.5 cm | 4.1 cm | -14.6% |
| Torsion constant (It) | 71 cm⁴ | 69.2 cm⁴ | +2.6% |
UB 610×178×92 to BS EN 10365:2017; H-600x200x10x15-92.5 to Continental Steel. Difference is expressed relative to H-600x200x10x15-92.5.
How to choose between them
On stiffness, H-600x200x10x15-92.5 has the larger second moment of area: 66,640 cm⁴ against 64,600 cm⁴, a difference of 3.1%. 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, H-600x200x10x15-92.5 is the more efficient section: 27.8 against 27.2 cm³ per kg/m, 2.2% 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: H-600x200x10x15-92.5 has 312 cm³ of minor-axis plastic modulus against 258 cm³, 17.3% 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. UB sections are specified to BS EN 10365:2017 and MB & MC to 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, H-600x200x10x15-92.5 is the stronger section and UB 610×178×92 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.