There is no universal load-span table covering every UK and European beam. A UB designation, an IPE designation and a historic RSJ label describe different product families. Earlier numerical tables without a traceable design basis have been withdrawn from this page.
Product data and design tables answer different questions
A product table lists geometry, mass and section properties. A design table reports resistance or permitted loading under stated conditions. Confusing the two can turn a correct dimension into an unsupported safety claim.
Our shared reference reproduces selected geometry and inertia from British Steel’s UB datasheet. It does not cover IPE or HE sections and does not permit substituting a similar-depth European section.
Information to retain with a load table
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Exact section and steel grade | Similar labels can refer to different geometry and resistance |
| Support and lateral restraint | Restraint assumptions affect stability |
| Span definition | Clear opening and support-centre span are different measurements |
| Loading pattern and units | A point force is not a full-span line load |
| Design basis and combinations | Service loads cannot be compared indiscriminately with design resistance |
| Deflection criterion | Movement criteria depend on the supported construction |
Keep the table’s footnotes with any excerpt. A cropped screenshot containing just a row and a span can omit the conditions that make the result meaningful.
Cross-border projects
Identify the building’s jurisdiction separately from the supplier’s country. Product availability does not establish compliance with local building requirements. Approved Document A is guidance for England; it is not one set of rules for every UK or European project.
Structural work requires a chartered structural engineer and the applicable Building Control approval. This educational article has not received an independent engineering review.