Shopping and Using Steel I-beams

Steel beams are a very important part of building when you are planning to use steel as the base of a structure. There are a lot of different options that you have when you are ready to buy steel beams at Wasatch Steel, and knowing how to shop for them and use them properly in your next construction project can keep your project moving.

Shopping for an I-beam

An I-beam can go by many different names:

• I-beam because it looks like a capital “I” from one angle
• H-beam because it also looks like a capital “H” when it is on its side
• W-beam, which stands for “wide flange”
• Universal Beam because of its universal application for construction
• Rolled Steel Joint
• Double-T, again because it resembles two capital “T” letters put together 

The breakdown of the I-beam includes the two horizontal elements, which form the top and bottom of the “I”, and are referred to commonly as flanges. The vertical part that spans between the two flanges is called the web. When you are shopping to purchase an I-beam, you are looking at three different dimensions: the width of the flanges, plus the depth (length) and thickness of the web. Steel I-beams at Wasatch Steel can be made from rolling (hot rolling, cold rolling, or extrusion), or they can be made from welding the flanges and the web. It’s important to know which you are getting when you are ready to purchase, so you get the one that is better suited for your application.

Using Steel I-Beams
The benefit of a steel beam is that the design can protect against both shear forces and bending. The web of the beam is what can protect against the shear forces, while the flanges are efficient at protecting against bending.

Because of the way they are built, steel I-beams are especially effective at spanning distances, for example when you are constructing a large building, creating a road, walkway, or other transportation application, or building platforms that need to be structurally sound. They are often used a reinforcement for concrete, and when used together these two materials make a very strong combination.

To find the right size of I-beams, you need to know several different things about the project, such as how you plan to use it, what size you need, and what kind of reinforcement is appropriate. There are tables that can provide you with information about available sizes to help you get the right beams, but there is more than just the size. You also need to know:

• Deflection (minimizing deformation)
• Vibration (preventing vibrations in sensitive construction projects)
• Yield stress and lateral torsional buckling (preventing bending failure from either of these issues)
• Local yield (for concentrated loads)
• Shear failure

To find the I-beams that you need, visit Wasatch Steel and check out the selection at the steel supermarket. If you don’t see what you need, you can even get custom sizes for your specific project.