ʻO ke kila i kaola, inā maʻamau a māmā paha, he ʻano kiʻekiʻe a haiki ka nui o ke keʻa, no laila, ʻokoʻa loa ka manawa o ka inertia o nā koʻi nui ʻelua o ka ʻāpana keʻa, no laila hiki ke hoʻohana pololei ʻia no nā lālā i kulou i loko. ka mokulele o kona pā pūnaewele a i ʻole i haku ʻia me nā lālā latike.ʻAʻole kūpono ia no nā lālā compression axial a i ʻole nā ​​lālā i kūlou i ka mokulele e kū pono ana i ka pūnaewele, e kaupalena ana i kā lākou noi.
ʻO ke kila i ka lāʻau i hoʻokaʻawale ʻia i ke kila maʻamau i ka lāʻau, ke kila māmā i ka lāʻau a me ke kila flange ākea i ka lāʻau.kila i kaola me ka laula laula, ua maheleia na auwae waena a me na lihilihi liiki e like me ke kiʻekiʻe lākiō o na lau a me ka pūnaewele.ʻO nā kikoʻī o nā mea ʻelua ma mua he 10-60, ʻo ia hoʻi, ʻo ke kiʻekiʻe e pili ana he 10 cm—60 cm.Ma ke kiʻekiʻe hoʻokahi, loaʻa i ke kila māmā i ka lepa haiki, pūnaewele lahilahi a me ke kaumaha māmā.ʻO ke kila I beam me ka laula ākea, ʻike ʻia hoʻi ʻo ke kila H, ʻike ʻia e nā wāwae like ʻole a ʻaʻohe inclination i loko o nā wāwae.No ke kila ʻāpana waiwai a ua ʻōwili ʻia ma luna o ka wili wili honua ʻehā kiʻekiʻe, no laila ua kapa ʻia ʻo ia ʻo "universal steel i beam".