An I-beam is a standard structural steel shape serving as the essential framework for the construction industry. Structural beams are designed with horizontal flanges and a long vertical section called a web, and the material connecting the web to the flanges is called the fillet.
The flanges at the top and bottom of the beam prevent bending, and the web resists blunt force. These components can withstand a maximum bending load with a minimum amount of material while creating the basis of support for high-bearing loads.
I-beams have depth (the distance from top to bottom), width (the flange length), and thickness, referring to the flange and web thickness dimensions.
The mostly-iron I-beam is considered the universal beam because it can support various loads, making it the most common beam in metal structures.
