Steel · Columns & beam-columns
Compression member: PFC channel calculator
Channel strut with properties computed from d, bf, tf, tw and capacity about both axes.
Standard: AS 4100 Cl 6.3 (αb = 0.5)
Inputs in the worked example
The live calculator starts with these values; change any of them and every result, check and diagram updates instantly.
| Input | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Depth | 200 | mm |
| Flange width | 75 | mm |
| Flange thickness | 12 | mm |
| Web thickness | 6 | mm |
| fy | 300 | MPa |
| le about x | 4 | m |
| le about y | 2 | m |
| Design compression | 400 | kN |
Worked example — results
| Result | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 2,856 | mm² |
| Ix | 18,652,288 | mm⁴ |
| Centroid from web back | 24.74 | mm |
| Iy | 1,639,084 | mm⁴ |
| rx | 80.81 | mm |
| ry | 23.96 | mm |
| kf (web λey 45) | 1.00 | |
| φNs | 771.1 | kN |
| λn = (le/r)√kf √(fy/250) | 54.22 | |
| αa | 20.55 | |
| λ = λn + αa·αb | 64.50 | |
| η | 0.166 | |
| ξ | 1.64 | |
| Slenderness reduction αc | 0.782 | |
| λn = (le/r)√kf √(fy/250) | 91.45 | |
| αa | 18.16 | |
| λ = λn + αa·αb | 100.5 | |
| η | 0.284 | |
| ξ | 1.01 | |
| Slenderness reduction αc | 0.537 | |
| φNc | 414.4 | kN |
- ✓ N* ≤ φNc
Method, formulas and assumptions
- Area = 2*75*12+(200-2*12)*6 = 2856 mm²
- Ix = (75*200^3-(75-6)*(200-2*12)^3)/12 = 1.865e+7 mm⁴
- Centroid from web back = (2*75^2*12/2+(200-2*12)*6^2/2)/2856 = 24.744 mm
- Iy = 2*(12*75^3/12+75*12*(75/2-24.744)^2)+(200-2*12)*6^3/12+(200-2*12)*6*(24.744-6/2)^2 = 1.639e+6 mm⁴
- rx = SQRT(1.865e+7/2856) = 80.814 mm
- ry = SQRT(1.639e+6/2856) = 23.956 mm
- kf (web λey 45) = IF((200-2*12)/6*SQRT(300/250)<=45,1,(2*75*12+45*6^2/SQRT(300/250))/2856) = 1
- φNs = 0.9*1*2856*300/1000 = 771.12 kN
- λn = (le/r)√kf √(fy/250) = 4*1000/80.814*SQRT(1)*SQRT(300/250) = 54.221
- αa = 2100*(54.221-13.5)/(54.221^2-15.3*54.221+2050) = 20.555
- λ = λn + αa·αb = 54.221+20.555*0.5 = 64.498
- η = MAX(0,0.00326*(64.498-13.5)) = 0.16625
- ξ = ((64.498/90)^2+1+0.16625)/(2*(64.498/90)^2) = 1.6354
- Slenderness reduction αc = MIN(1,1.6354*(1-SQRT(1-(90/(1.6354*64.498))^2))) = 0.7825
- λn = (le/r)√kf √(fy/250) = 2*1000/23.956*SQRT(1)*SQRT(300/250) = 91.453
- αa = 2100*(91.453-13.5)/(91.453^2-15.3*91.453+2050) = 18.16
- λ = λn + αa·αb = 91.453+18.16*0.5 = 100.53
- η = MAX(0,0.00326*(100.53-13.5)) = 0.28373
- ξ = ((100.53/90)^2+1+0.28373)/(2*(100.53/90)^2) = 1.0144
- Slenderness reduction αc = MIN(1,1.0144*(1-SQRT(1-(90/(1.0144*100.53))^2))) = 0.53734
- φNc = MIN(0.7825,0.53734)*771.12 = 414.35 kN
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For preliminary design and education. Check every result against the current standard and your own engineering judgement before use.