Different Steel Shapes

The majority of structural steel used in architectural structures are hot-rolled. They are produced in different grades which represent the yield-strength of steel. In the U.S., the “American Society for Testing and Materials” (ASTM) standardizes the different grades of steel. One common grade of steel is A996 ("A" stands for ASTM), which has a yield strength of 50ksi. Most wide flange sections (I-shapes) are made of this type of the steel. Also, A36, which has a yield strength of 36ksi is commonly used for various steel shapes. For hollow structural sections (HSS), which are commonly used in spatial structures, A500 with yield strengths of 42 and 46ksi are used. There are several standard steel shapes used in the construction of architectural structures. The organization that produces the standard for these shapes and their design in the U.S. is the “American Institute of Steel Construction” (AISC).

The most common shapes used in building construction are Wide Flange (W-flange), Channels (C-shape), Angles (L-shape), and Hollow Structural Sections (HSS). The designation and the cross-sectional properties of these shapes are as follows:

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