IPE 160 beam: weight per metre and dimensions
IPE 160 weighs 15.8 kg per metre. A 6 m bar is 94.8 kg, a 12 m bar 189.6 kg, and a tonne is about 63.3 m of this section. Nominal values to EN 10365: depth 160 mm, flange width 82 mm.
Another length or a whole order: the beam weight calculator opens with IPE 160 already selected.
IPE 160 dimensions
| Dimension | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Depth | h | 160 mm |
| Flange width | b | 82 mm |
| Web thickness | tw | 5 mm |
| Flange thickness | tf | 7.4 mm |
| Root radius | r | 9 mm |
| Cross-section area | A | 20.1 cm² |
| Mass per metre | G | 15.8 kg/m |
A delivered bar may differ from these nominal values within the rolling tolerances of EN 10034; invoicing goes by the mill certificate, not by the table.
IPE 160 weight by length
| Length, m | Mass, kg |
|---|---|
| 1 | 15.8 |
| 2 | 31.6 |
| 3 | 47.4 |
| 4 | 63.2 |
| 5 | 79 |
| 6 | 94.8 |
| 8 | 126.4 |
| 10 | 158 |
| 12 | 189.6 |
Steel cost is mass times the price per kilogram: at a price C per kg a 12 m bar costs 189.6 × C and a 6 m bar 94.8 × C. Cutting, drilling and painting are priced separately; paint goes by surface area, not by weight.
IPE 160 section properties
| Property | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Second moment of area, major axis | Iy | 869.2 cm⁴ |
| Elastic section modulus, major axis | Wel,y | 108.6 cm³ |
| Radius of gyration, major axis | iy | 6.58 cm |
| Second moment of area, minor axis | Iz | 68.31 cm⁴ |
| Elastic section modulus, minor axis | Wel,z | 16.66 cm³ |
Iy governs deflection, Wel,y bending stress, iy the slenderness of a strut. Iy / Iz = 12.7: in vertical bending the section is 12.7 times stiffer than sideways. Source: ArcelorMittal catalogue “Sections and Merchant Bars” (2023), each value checked against a second, independent table. These are inputs for a check to EN 1993-1-1, not a load capacity.
IPE 160 next to neighbouring sizes
| Section | h, mm | b, mm | kg/m | Iy, cm⁴ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPE 140 | 140 | 73 | 12.9 | 541.2 |
| IPE 160 | 160 | 82 | 15.8 | 869.2 |
| IPE 180 | 180 | 91 | 18.8 | 1316 |
| HEA 160 | 152 | 160 | 30.4 | 1672 |
| HEB 160 | 160 | 160 | 42.6 | 2491 |
| UPN 160 | 160 | 65 | 18.8 | 925 |
Against IPE 160 at the same number: HEA 160 — mass ×1.9, Iy ×1.9; HEB 160 — mass ×2.7, Iy ×2.9; UPN 160 — mass ×1.2, Iy ×1.1. One size up, IPE 180 adds 19 % mass and 51 % Iy.
Other sizes
- IPE beams: IPE 100 · IPE 120 · IPE 140 · IPE 160 · IPE 180 · IPE 200 · IPE 220 · IPE 240 · IPE 270 · IPE 300
- HEA beams: HEA 100 · HEA 120 · HEA 140 · HEA 160 · HEA 180 · HEA 200 · HEA 220 · HEA 240 · HEA 260 · HEA 280 · HEA 300
- HEB beams: HEB 100 · HEB 120 · HEB 140 · HEB 160 · HEB 180 · HEB 200 · HEB 220 · HEB 240 · HEB 260 · HEB 280 · HEB 300
- UPN channels: UPN 100 · UPN 120 · UPN 140 · UPN 160 · UPN 180 · UPN 200 · UPN 220 · UPN 240 · UPN 260 · UPN 280 · UPN 300
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 6 m and a 12 m IPE 160 weigh?
IPE 160 weighs 15.8 kg/m, so a 6 m bar is 94.8 kg and a 12 m bar 189.6 kg. Ten 12 m bars come to 1896 kg.
Which is heavier: IPE 160, HEA 160, HEB 160 or UPN 160?
Per metre: HEB 160 — 42.6 kg/m (h 160 mm); HEA 160 — 30.4 kg/m (h 152 mm); UPN 160 — 18.8 kg/m (h 160 mm); IPE 160 — 15.8 kg/m (h 160 mm). The wide-flange HE sections carry load in both planes and go into columns; IPE is the lighter floor beam for bending in one plane.
What does 160 mean in IPE 160?
The nominal depth in millimetres: IPE 160 is 160 mm deep with a 82 mm flange. The letters give the series: IPE, an I-beam with narrow parallel flanges.
How many metres of IPE 160 are in a tonne?
63.3 m: 1000 kg / 15.8 kg/m. That is about 10.5 bars of 6 m or 5.3 bars of 12 m.
Does S235 or S355 steel change the weight of IPE 160?
No. The table mass is the cross-section area times the density of steel, 7850 kg/m³: 20.1 cm² × 0.785 = 15.78 kg/m. The grade to EN 10025-2 sets strength, not density. A real bar differs from nominal only within the rolling tolerances of EN 10034.
Updated: