HEM280: A Heavy Wide-Flange Section in the European H Beam Range
HEM280 is a hot rolled structural H beam with parallel flange faces, taken from the heavy HE M series of the European wide-flange family. Its thick flange and compact depth make it the natural answer whenever a short span has to carry a very large bending moment, for example transfer beams, crane gantries and heavily loaded building columns. The profile is shaped from a single heated billet between rolls, so web and flange stay metallurgically continuous and no welding, bolting or built-up fabrication is needed to create the section.
| Section property | HEM280 value |
|---|---|
| Overall height (H) | 310 mm |
| Flange width (B) | 288 mm |
| Web thickness (t1) | 18.5 mm |
| Flange thickness (t2) | 33 mm |
| Flange faces | Parallel |
Because the flange is wider and thicker than the web, the section carries bending stress almost entirely in the flanges while the web transfers shear, which is exactly the distribution a design engineer wants in a heavy column or a short-span transfer member.
S355JR and S355J2: What the EN 10025-2 Designation Tells You
S355JR and S355J2 are both non-alloy structural steels covered by EN 10025-2. The number 355 is the minimum yield strength in megapascals that applies to the thinnest material, and the letters JR and J2 describe the Charpy V-notch impact requirement. Both sub-grades must absorb at least 27 J, but S355JR is tested at +20 degC while S355J2 is tested at -20 degC. That single difference decides the order: S355JR suits general building and industrial work in temperate conditions, while S355J2 becomes the normal choice for cold-climate structures, low-temperature service and any design where resistance to brittle fracture has to be documented.
Chemical Composition of the Beam Steel
Carbon (C): 0.22 % maximum
Manganese (Mn): 1.60 % maximum
Phosphorus (P): 0.035 % maximum
Sulfur (S): 0.035 % maximum
Low carbon together with controlled manganese produces a ferrite-pearlite structure that welds easily with ordinary carbon-manganese consumables and keeps the heat-affected zone tough. The tight phosphorus and sulfur limits reduce the risk of hot cracking during welding and of lamellar tearing when thick flanges are welded in a restrained joint.
Mechanical Properties and Why Thickness Matters
| Nominal thickness | Minimum yield strength | Tensile strength | Charpy impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 16 mm | 355 MPa | 470 - 630 MPa | 27 J at +20 degC (JR) |
| 16 to 40 mm | 345 MPa | 470 - 630 MPa | 27 J at -20 degC (J2) |
The yield strength of an S355 H beam falls as the section gets heavier, because thicker material cools more slowly after rolling and develops a coarser grain. A HEM280 flange is 33 mm thick, so the 16 to 40 mm band applies and the design yield strength is 345 MPa rather than 355 MPa. Tensile strength stays in the 470 to 630 MPa window for both JR and J2, which gives a healthy yield-to-tensile ratio and a long plastic plateau before fracture.
Where HEM280 H Beams Are Used
Heavy columns in multi-storey, industrial and warehouse buildings
Transfer and header beams carrying the load of several floors
Crane runway girders and machine base frames
Bridge falsework, port handling structures and offshore supports, usually in S355J2
Heavy frames that must resist impact or seismic action without brittle failure
HEM280 beams are cut with band saws or thermal processes, drilled on CNC lines, and welded with carbon-manganese electrodes or wires that match the parent metal. Dimensional and shape tolerances for hot rolled H sections such as height, flange width, squareness and straightness are governed by EN 10034, and hot rolled delivery condition under EN 10025-2 means the material is supplied as rolled without further heat treatment. Each rolled length carries a heat number that traces the batch back to its mill test data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the difference between S355JR and S355J2 H beam steel?
Both grades belong to EN 10025-2 and share the same minimum yield strength of 355 MPa for thin material. S355JR must absorb at least 27 J at +20 degC, while S355J2 must absorb the same energy at -20 degC, so J2 is ordered for cold climates and low-temperature service.
Q: What are the dimensions of HEM280?
A standard HEM280 H beam is 310 mm high with a 288 mm flange width, an 18.5 mm web thickness and a 33 mm flange thickness, and the flange faces are parallel.
Q: Which yield strength applies to a 33 mm flange?
The 16 to 40 mm thickness band applies, so the minimum yield strength is 345 MPa rather than the 355 MPa value used for sections 16 mm thick and thinner.
Q: Is S355JR H beam steel easy to weld?
Yes. With carbon held at or below 0.22 % and manganese at or below 1.60 %, the steel is a low-carbon structural grade that welds with ordinary carbon-manganese consumables under normal fabrication controls.
Q: How much impact energy does the steel provide?
The Charpy V-notch requirement is a minimum absorbed energy of 27 J for both sub-grades; the test temperature is +20 degC for S355JR and -20 degC for S355J2.
Q: Can HEM280 beams be supplied in special lengths?
Rolled lengths are cut to the ordered dimension in the fabrication shop or at the mill. Very long single-piece beams are limited by the handling and transport envelope rather than by the rolling process itself.