Most widely used section
Two flanges held apart by a web
Essentially parallel inner and outer flange surfaces
Section designation
W 24 x 55
Weight in pounds/per foot
Nominal depth in full inches
Nominal depths from 4-inch to 44 inch
Weights available from 9 lb/ft to 800 lb/ft

W 14 x 730 W 14 x 90
Actual depth is
22.4 inches
Actual depth is
14 inches
All shapes from W14 x 90 to W 14 x 730 have flat (T) part of web of 10 inches.
All these shapes can be stacked on each other

Major axis
Flange
Web
Weak axis
Designation

Actual depth
Cross-sectional area

WebThickness
Flange
Properties

End of fillet transition between web and flange
Flat portion of web
Spacing between rows of bolts in flange

Moment of Inertia (I), elastic section modulus (S), radius of gyration (r), plastic section modulus (Z) for strong and weak axes
Weight per foot
Flange and web stability parameters

Not classified in ASTM 6 as W-, S- or HP- shapes
Same properties (A, d, t w
, b f
, etc) as W- shapes
Can have sloped inside flange or other features

16-2/3% slope on inner flange surface
Relatively narrow flanges and thicker webs when compared to W shapes
Section designation
S24x121 Weight per foot
Nominal depth
Use is less common because of lower moment of inertia, tapered flanges and low lateral stiffness

Narrow flange
Note: slope on inside of flange

Nominal depth is same as actual depth
Section designation
C15x50
Weight in pounds per foot
Actual depth
MC – Miscellaneous channel – Other than 2 on 12 slope on inner flange

Actual depth
Property for design
Property for detailing

For a single angle major axes do not correspond to x and y axes
Section designation
Short leg length
Thickness of both legs
Long leg length
Equal leg and unequal leg angles available
Angles are best used in pairs as LLBB (Long-legback-to-back) or SLBB (Short-leg-back-to-back).

Location of elastic centroid
Location of plastic centroid
X axis properties
Designation

Y axis properties
Minor (weak) axis for a single angle

WT -, MT- and ST- are obtained by shearing or thermalcut from parent shape of W, M and S respectively
Two WT 22 x 131 can be made by cutting a W 44 x 262
Nominal depths and weights of a WT is exactly half of the parent shape
Off-center cuts can be done but properties not listed in
Manual
Used for top and bottom chords of trusses and diagonal bracing in buildings

Stem, not web

Rectangular, Square or Round HSS
Welded or Seamless
Welded HSS made by welding sheet steel
Seamless made by extrusion of solid round bars
Outside longer dimension
HSS 10 x 4 x 3/8
Wall thickness
Outside shorter dimension
Section Designation

Outside Longer
Dimension
Strong axis structural properties
Actual Wall Thickness
Outside Shorter
Dimension
Design Wall Thickness = 0.93 x Actual Wall
Thickness

Weak axis structural properties

Equal outside dimensions
Structural properties for strong and weak axes

Nominal versus design thickness
Diameter over design thickness

Nominal wall thickness
Standard, x-strong and xx-strong designations

Major axes are now x and y
X axis properties may be obtained from x axis properties of single angle
Y axis properties depend on separation between backs angles and whether LLBB or SLBB

Long legs back-to-back
Short legs back-to-back
Radius of gyration for compression members
Separation due to gusset plates

Designated as 2C or 2MC
2C15x50
Y axis properties depend on back-to-back separation
X axis properties can be obtained from x axis properties of single channel

Y axis properties depend on back-to-back distance (gusset plate thicknesses) between individual channels

W shape
Channel
Weight
Suitable for Crane Girders
Moment of
Inertia, I xx

Nominal wall thickness

Steel
Types
Preferred Specification
Limited availability

Plates > 8 inch width
Bars < 8 inch width
Thickness in inches