Steel Section Properties Database

Search section properties (A, Ix, Zx, r, mass/length) for common steel shapes. Data is reference-only; verify with supplier tables.

This page is a reference layer for the calculators on steelcalculator.app. Reference pages are intentionally text-heavy and structured: they define terminology, explain how data is meant to be used, and provide QA notes (rounding, axis conventions, units) so that the information can be audited.

The goal is to make the page link-worthy and crawlable. Even if the interactive UI does not run, the core reference text should still help a reader understand what the table means and what it does not mean.

What this reference is (and is not)

This reference is:

A curated summary of common steel section properties data concepts used in everyday structural workflows.
A way to keep calculator inputs consistent across pages (so the same term means the same thing).
A documentation artifact that you can cite in internal notes for terminology, not as a legal authority.

This reference is not:

An authoritative replacement for the governing standard or the supplier’s certified tables.
A guarantee that a specific product or grade is available in your market.
A substitute for project-specific engineering judgment and verification.

When precision matters (procurement, certification, stamped design), the correct source of truth is the official standard and/or the supplier mill tables for the product you are actually using.

How to use this page with the calculators

The intended workflow is:

Use this page to resolve definitions (what does a term mean?) and units (what unit should I enter?).
Copy the relevant value into the calculator, being careful about axis and sign conventions.
Run the calculator and then validate at least one result with an independent method.
Document the source of the value in your own notes (for example: “Fy assumed from grade reference table; verify with MTR”).

A common failure mode is to copy a value without copying the context: thickness range, unit system, axis definition, or edition of a table. This page aims to prevent that by making the context explicit.

Units, rounding, and axis conventions

Reference data is only as useful as its conventions:

Units: confirm whether a value is presented in metric (mm, MPa, kN) or imperial (in, ksi, kips). If both are displayed, confirm which is canonical.
Rounding: tables often round to a sensible display precision. That is fine for screening, but can cause small mismatches when you compare to a full-precision calculation.
Axis naming: “major” and “minor” axis conventions vary by region and by catalog. Always confirm which axis corresponds to Ix/Iy and which axis the calculator expects.

These are not theoretical concerns: most “wrong” calculator outputs are traceable back to a unit or axis mismatch rather than to the equation itself.

Data provenance and QA (what to document)

If you are maintaining the site data, a robust provenance process includes:

Source identification: record exactly which catalog/standard/edition the data came from.
Transform log: if data is converted (e.g., inch → mm) or re-labeled, record the conversion constant and the mapping rules.
Spot checks: verify a sample of entries against the source, including edge cases (smallest and largest sections/grades).
Regression tests: run unit tests to ensure data parsing changes do not silently change values.

This page itself does not certify data; it documents how the data should be treated by users and by the implementation.

FAQ

Can I use these values for final design?
Use the page as a reference for terminology and preliminary inputs. For final design, verify values from authoritative sources (published standards, supplier mill tables, certified test reports).

Why might my values differ from a supplier catalog?
Catalogs vary by region, edition, rounding, and product series. Always match the exact series and supplier.

Does this page reproduce copyrighted tables?
It should avoid reproducing proprietary tables verbatim when those tables are copyrighted. Instead, provide explanatory text and point users to official sources.

How should I document a value I copied from here?
Record the page URL, the unit system, and any context (thickness range, axis, edition). Then verify against the project’s authoritative source.

What about conversions between MPa and ksi?
Conversions are deterministic but rounding choices can differ. Keep full precision internally and round only for display.

Why do axis conventions matter so much?
The major and minor axes can swap between catalogs; using the wrong axis can produce a large error in deflection or buckling screening.

Is availability implied by this reference?
No. Availability depends on your supplier and market. Treat the reference as conceptual and confirm procurement early.

Where do I go for verification guidance?
Use the verification guide and the calculation note template; they help you document assumptions and cross-check results.

Disclaimer (educational use only)

This page is provided for general technical information and educational use only. It does not constitute professional engineering advice, a design service, or a substitute for an independent review by a qualified structural engineer. Any calculations, outputs, examples, and workflows discussed here are simplified descriptions intended to support understanding and preliminary estimation.

All real-world structural design depends on project-specific factors (loads, combinations, stability, detailing, fabrication, erection, tolerances, site conditions, and the governing standard and project specification). You are responsible for verifying inputs, validating results with an independent method, checking constructability and code compliance, and obtaining professional sign-off where required.

The site operator provides the content “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the operator disclaims liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of, or reliance on, this page or any linked tools.