European Column Capacity Calculator — EN 1993-1-1

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Design per EN 1993-1-1 Clause 6.2 and 6.3

Check the compressive resistance and flexural buckling of European steel columns per Eurocode 3. The calculator supports HEA, HEB, IPE sections with S235–S460 steel grades.

Supported Sections and Grades

• HEA sections — HEA 100 to HEA 1000, ideal for medium-load columns
• HEB sections — HEB 100 to HEB 1000, heavier column sections
• IPE sections — IPE 80 to IPE 750, lighter column sections
• Steel grades — S235, S275, S355, S460

Design Checks Performed

• Section classification — Class 1, 2, or 3 per EN 1993-1-1 Table 5.2 (compression)
• Cross-section compression resistance — Nc,Rd = A × fy / γM0 per Clause 6.2.4
• Flexural buckling resistance — Nb,Rd = χ × A × fy / γM1 per Clause 6.3.1
• Buckling curves — a0, a, b, c, d per EN 1993-1-1 Table 6.2 based on section and axis
• Combined compression and bending — Clause 6.3.3 interaction for NEd + My,Ed + Mz,Ed

Worked Example

Problem: Check an HEB 200 column in S355 steel with a 4.0 m effective length and a factored axial load of 1200 kN.

Solution:

• Section: HEB 200, S355 (fy = 355 MPa)
• Area A = 7810 mm², radius of gyration iy = 86.7 mm
• Cross-section resistance: Nc,Rd = 7810 × 355 / 1.0 = 2772 kN
• Slenderness: λ̄ = (4000/86.7) / (93.9 × √(235/355)) = 0.63
• Buckling curve: b (h/b = 1.0, tf = 19 mm) → χ = 0.82
• Buckling resistance: Nb,Rd = 0.82 × 7810 × 355 / 1.0 = 2273 kN
• Utilisation: 1200/2273 = 0.53 (53%) — OK

Result: HEB 200 in S355 is adequate. Buckling governs at 53% utilisation.

Related Resources

• European Column Buckling Guide
• European Steel Grades
• European Column K-Factor Guide
• European Beam Design Guide

FAQ

What buckling curves does the calculator use? EN 1993-1-1 provides five buckling curves (a0, a, b, c, d). The calculator selects the appropriate curve based on the section type, axis (major/minor), flange thickness, and steel grade per Table 6.2.

How is the non-dimensional slenderness calculated? λ̄ = (Lcr / i) / (π × √(E / fy)) where Lcr is the buckling length, i is the radius of gyration, and λ1 = 93.9ε with ε = √(235/fy).

Does the calculator check combined axial compression and bending? Yes. The interaction formula per Clause 6.3.3 accounts for both major and minor axis bending with the appropriate interaction factors kyy, kyz, kzy, and kzz from Annex B.