W-beam steel, whether standard or light, due to its relatively high and narrow cross-sectional dimensions, has a significant difference in moment of inertia between the two principal axes. Therefore, it is only suitable for members that bend within the web plane or for those used in truss-like structural components. It is not suitable for axially compressed members or for members with bending perpendicular to the web plane, which greatly limits its application range. W-beam steel is widely used in construction and other metal structures.

Standard I-beams and light I-beams have a relatively high and narrow cross-sectional size, resulting in a significant difference in the moment of inertia of the two main axes. This limits their application scope greatly. The selection of I-beams should be based on the requirements of the design drawings.

When selecting I-beams for structural design, it is essential to consider their mechanical, chemical, weldability, and structural dimensions to choose the appropriate I-beams for use.