Canadian Steel Beam Sizes — W Shapes, HSS & G40.21 Grades

Complete reference for Canadian W shapes, HSS sections, and angle sections per the CISC Handbook of Steel Construction (11th Edition). Dimensions, weights, section properties for the most commonly specified Canadian structural steel sections. All values sourced from CISC Handbook 11th Edition and CSA G40.21.

Quick access: Check beam capacity → | CSA S16 design guide → | Full section database →

Canadian Section Families

Canadian steel construction uses hot-rolled sections per ASTM A6/A6M and CSA G40.21. Section designations follow the metric convention with mass per metre in kg/m:

Canada uses the same W-shape production as the United States (rolled to ASTM A6 tolerances) but grades them to CSA G40.21. A W310x39 section is produced on the same mill as a W12x26 but certified to different material standards.

W Shapes — Common Beam Sections

The 20 most commonly specified W shapes in Canadian construction per CISC Handbook 11th Edition. Weights are in kg/m. Section properties in mm units. CSA G40.21 Grade 350W is the default beam grade.

Source: CISC Handbook of Steel Construction, 11th Edition (2016). All W shapes per ASTM A6/A6M dimensional tolerances. For imperial section properties, refer to the AISC Steel Construction Manual.

W Shapes — Column Sections

W shapes with nearly equal depth and flange width for column applications. CSA S16-19 Clause 13.3 governs compression resistance.

Columns benefit from W shapes with rx/ry ratios near 1.0, indicating nearly equal buckling resistance about both axes. W310x97 (rx/ry = 0.99) is a standard column section in Canadian multi-storey construction.

W-Shape Metric/Imperial Cross-Reference

Canadian W shapes (kg/m designation) and US W shapes (lb/ft designation) are the same physical sections. This table provides the most common conversions:

Conversion: 1 kg/m = 0.6720 lb/ft. Mass in kg/m = weight in lb/ft ÷ 1.488. The US designation may vary slightly due to rounding differences between metric and imperial versions of the same mill section.

HSS — Hollow Structural Sections

Canadian HSS sections per CSA G40.21, produced to CSA G40.20/G40.21 Class C (cold-formed) or Class H (hot-formed). The default specification is Class C to CAN/CSA-G40.20.

HSS (Square) — Common Structural Sizes

HSS (Rectangle) — Common Structural Sizes

Source: CISC Handbook 11th Edition. Steel grade for HSS is typically CSA G40.21 350W Class C (cold-formed). Class H (hot-formed) available for thicker sections.

Canadian Angle Sections

Commonly used equal and unequal leg angles in Canadian steel framing and truss construction. Designated by leg size × leg size × thickness.

Equal Leg Angles

Unequal Leg Angles

Source: CISC Handbook 11th Edition. For bolted connections, verify net area per CSA S16 Cl. 12.3 and account for staggered hole patterns per Cl. 22.3.

WWF — Welded Wide Flange Sections

Welded Wide Flange (WWF) sections are built-up plate girders used for heavy beam and column applications where rolled W shapes do not provide sufficient capacity. They are fabricated by welding three plates (two flanges and one web) together and are available in a wide range of depths and weights per CISC Handbook Part 1.

WWF sections are designed as plate girders per CSA S16-19 Clauses 14.1-14.4. The web slenderness ratio h/w typically governs the design, with transverse stiffeners required when h/w exceeds 190/sqrt(Fy). WWF design involves checking flexure (Cl. 14.3), shear (Cl. 14.4), and combined bending and shear (Cl. 14.5). These sections require special consideration for local buckling (Cl. 14.2) and are typically specified as Grade 350W or 400W for heavy transfer girders.

CSA G40.21 Steel Grades

Canadian structural steel grades per CSA G40.21. The number is the minimum yield strength in MPa. Grade suffix letters denote weldability and toughness:

Grade Designation Key

• W: Weldable — guaranteed weldability with CEV limits
• A: Atmospheric corrosion-resistant (weathering steel)
• T: Toughness — Charpy V-notch at specified temperature, generally -45°C for northern applications
• AT: Weathering + tough — combined atmospheric resistance and low-temperature toughness

Yield Strength by Thickness

Per CSA G40.21, yield strength reduces for thicker sections:

Always verify the thickness bracket when specifying Grade 350W for thick plates or heavy columns. A 50 mm plate in 350W has fy = 340 MPa, not 350 MPa.

Charpy Requirements for Canadian Climate

Canadian construction requires special attention to low-temperature toughness. CSA S16-19 Clause 27 specifies Charpy requirements based on the minimum service temperature:

The 350WT grade is the default for exposed steelwork north of 60°N latitude and for bridges in all Canadian climate zones per CSA S6 (Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code).

Design to CSA S16-19

All steel member design for Canadian projects should follow CSA S16-19 (Design of Steel Structures). Key references:

• CSA S16-19 — Design of Steel Structures (Limit States Design)
• CISC Handbook of Steel Construction, 11th Edition — Section properties, design tables, connection details
• CSA G40.20/G40.21 — General Requirements for Rolled or Welded Structural Quality Steel
• NBCC 2020 — National Building Code of Canada (loads and load combinations)
• CSA S6-19 — Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code

CSA S16-19 uses limit states design with resistance factors:

• phi = 0.90 (flexure, shear, compression — most checks)
• phi = 0.85 (bearing, net section fracture)
• phi_b = 0.80 (bolts in bearing-type connections)
• phi_w = 0.67 (fillet welds)

Key formula differences from AISC 360:

• Flexure (Cl. 13.6): Mr = phi _ Z _ Fy <= phi _ M_p for Class 1&2; Mr = phi _ S * Fy for Class 3
• LTB (Cl. 13.6.5): omega_2 factor accounts for moment gradient more simply than AISC's C_b
• Compression (Cl. 13.3): Uses a single column curve (n = 1.34) rather than AISC's two curves
• Bolts (Cl. 13.12): Vr = 0.60 _ phi_b _ 0.70 _ A_b _ F_u for A325M bolts, threads intercepted
• Welds (Cl. 13.13): Vr = 0.67 _ phi_w _ A_w * X_u where X_u is the electrode strength

CSA S16 vs Other Codes

CSA S16-19 is broadly similar to AISC 360 in approach — both use North American section shapes and similar limit states philosophy — but the resistance factors, classification limits, and specific formulae differ. Do not assume equivalence.

CSA S16 Beam Design Worked Example

Problem: Select a W-shape beam for a 9 m simple span supporting a uniform dead load of 8 kN/m and a uniform live load of 12 kN/m. The beam is laterally braced at 3 m intervals. Steel grade: CSA G40.21 350W.

Step 1 — Factored load (NBCC 2020):

wu = 1.4 × D + 1.6 × L = 1.4 × 8 + 1.6 × 12 = 11.2 + 19.2 = 30.4 kN/m

Step 2 — Maximum moment:

Mf = wu × L² / 8 = 30.4 × 9² / 8 = 30.4 × 81 / 8 = 307.8 kN·m

Step 3 — Required section modulus (assuming Class 2 section):

Mr = phi × Z × Fy ≥ Mf → Z_req = Mf / (phi × Fy) = 307.8 × 10⁶ / (0.90 × 350) = 977 × 10³ mm³

Try W460x74 (Zx = 1,460 × 10³ mm³, Ix = 333 × 10⁶ mm⁴):

Mr = 0.90 × 1460 × 10³ × 350 = 459.9 kN·m > 307.8 kN·m ✓

Step 4 — Check lateral-torsional buckling (Cl. 13.6.5):

Unbraced length Lu = 3 m. For W460x74, LTB check per omega_2 method:

omega_2 = 1.0 (uniform loading, simple supports). The unbraced segment moment is uniform.

Mu = omega_2 × phi × M_u(LTB). For W460x74 with L = 3 m, the elastic LTB moment:

Mo = (pi/Lu) × sqrt(E × Iy × G × J + (pi × E / Lu)² × Iy × Cw)

Iy = 17.5 × 10⁶ mm⁴, J = 312 × 10³ mm⁴, Cw = 418 × 10⁹ mm⁶

Mo ≈ 1,800 kN·m >> Mr, so LTB does not govern for 3 m bracing.

Step 5 — Shear check (Cl. 13.7):

Vf = wu × L / 2 = 30.4 × 9 / 2 = 136.8 kN

Vr = phi × Aw × Fs where Aw = d × tw = 457 × 9.0 = 4,113 mm²

For W460x74, h/w = (457 − 2 × 14.5) / 9.0 = 428 / 9.0 = 47.6 < 440/sqrt(Fy) = 440/sqrt(350) = 23.5 × 2 = 47.0 mm

Since h/w > 440/sqrt(Fy), the shear resistance is governed by buckling:

Vr = phi × 0.66 × Fy × Aw = 0.90 × 0.66 × 350 × 4113 = 855 kN > 136.8 kN ✓

Step 6 — Deflection check (service load):

ws = D + L = 8 + 12 = 20 kN/m (unfactored)

Delta = 5 × ws × L⁴ / (384 × E × I) = 5 × 20 × 9000⁴ / (384 × 200,000 × 333 × 10⁶)

= 5 × 20 × 6.56 × 10¹⁵ / (384 × 200,000 × 333 × 10⁶)

= 6.56 × 10¹⁷ / 2.56 × 10¹³ = 25.6 mm

Span/deflection ratio = 9000 / 25.6 = 352 > 300 ✓ (acceptable for floors per NBCC)

Selection: W460x74 (G40.21 350W) — governed by flexural strength, with adequate shear capacity and deflection control. Equivalent US designation: W18x50.

CISC Handbook — The Definitive Source

The CISC Handbook of Steel Construction (11th Edition, 2016) is the definitive source for Canadian section properties. Available from the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (cisc-icca.ca). Key content:

• Part 1: Dimensions and properties of structural steel sections (W, HSS, C, MC, L, WT, WWF, S shapes)
• Part 3: Column load tables for W and HSS sections
• Part 4: Beam load tables for W and C sections
• Part 5: Connection design tables (bolts, welds, shear tabs, end plates)
• Part 6: Tension member tables, base plate tables

The CISC Handbook uses metric (SI) units throughout. Section properties follow the naming convention: mass per metre in kg/m for W shapes, and SI dimensions for HSS (e.g., HSS 203x203x9.5).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert a US W-shape designation to Canadian metric? Multiply the US weight in lb/ft by 1.488 to get kg/m. For example, W12x26 (26 lb/ft) = 26 × 1.488 = 38.7 kg/m → W310x39 (nearest Canadian metric designation). The depth conversion: US depth in inches × 25.4 = depth in mm (rounded to nearest 10 mm). W12 = 12 × 25.4 = 305 mm → 310 mm. Note that not all Canadian W shapes have a direct US equivalent — lighter sections like W150x13 and W200x22 are used primarily in Canada and may not appear in the AISC manual.

What is the difference between Class 2 and Class 3 sections in CSA S16? Class 2 sections can develop the plastic moment resistance (Mr = phi × Z × Fy) and have at least 3% rotation capacity before local buckling. Class 3 sections are limited to the yield moment (Mr = phi × S × Fy) because the compression flange or web is too slender to sustain plastic strains without local buckling. The classification limits depend on the width-to-thickness ratio of the flange and web elements: for Class 2 flanges, b/2tf ≤ 170/sqrt(Fy); for Class 3, b/2tf ≤ 200/sqrt(Fy). For webs: Class 2 h/w ≤ 1,700/sqrt(Fy); Class 3 h/w ≤ 1,900/sqrt(Fy). Most W-shapes used as beams (W310x39, W460x74, W530x82) are Class 2 in bending. Sections with very slender elements (some lighter W-shapes, HSS with thin walls) may be Class 3 or Class 4, requiring reduced moment capacity.

Related Pages

• Steel Beam Sizes — W, UB, IPE, HEA — Full international section comparison
• UK Steel Beam Sizes — UB, UC, PFC — UK sections per SCI Blue Book
• Indian Steel Beam Sizes — ISMB, ISHB, ISMC, ISA — IS 808 sections
• Steel Grades — A36, A572, A992, 350 Grade — Cross-standard grade reference
• Beam Capacity Calculator — Free multi-code beam capacity calculator
• CSA S16 Code Overview — Canadian steel design code guide
• Load Combinations — CSA S16 & NBCC — Canadian load combination calculator

This page is for educational reference. All section data is sourced from the CISC Handbook of Steel Construction, 11th Edition, and CSA G40.21. Verify dimensions and properties against the current handbook edition and mill certificates before procurement or design. Results are PRELIMINARY — NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION without independent PE/SE verification.