Structural Channel Sizes At Bushwick Metals
Across Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana run four lanes of traffic over the world’s longest overwater bridge at 24 miles long. It’s a classic example of a beam bridge, a simple style that uses beams across a flat surface.
The largest structural channel sizes are used to support bridge decks like that of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. These prove ideal for certain construction projects thanks to being lighter and more flexible than I-beams or H-beams, which are too rigid to absorb much flex from weather or other forces.
Let’s take a look at structural channels, how they’re sized, and how they’re used in modern construction.
About Structural Channel Beams
Channel beams look like a squared-off “C”, giving it the C-channel name to distinguish it from I, H, or W beams, which have flanges extending from both sides of the beam. C-channels come in a range of sizes and thicknesses, which makes them useful in several ways.
These can be found in construction since the wide, flat side is ideal for attaching to items and providing support. They are made from hot-rolled steel. The channel has sharply angled outer edges and radius corners on the inner surface.
Along with bridges, channels also find their way into the frames and bracing of walls and roofs in construction. In industrial settings, they’re used for truck trailers and conveyor systems, among other uses.
The letter in a beam name indicates the shape of the beam. The description of a specific beam starts with the letter, then a number that tells the height of the beam. The second number tells the weight per foot of the beam.
All the sizes and shapes come from dimensional standards adopted by the Association of American Steel Manufacturers.
Steel Grades for Channel Beams
Structural channels tend to be made of ASTM A36 grade industrial steel and come in stock lengths from 20 to 60 feet.
A36 channel is a low-carbon structural steel used in a variety of applications, like trailers and structural support. This type of steel is easily machined to create the many different sizes needed to support these applications.
A572-50 is a high-strength, low-alloy steel more commonly used for riveted or welded construction like you see in a girder bridge. A588 is also high-strength and low-alloy steel that’s used in welded applications where corrosion resistance is a key factor in building.
Structural Channel Sizes
When buying structural channel steel beams, there are several different measurements used in determining different sizes. The main number runs from 3” to 15” and details the channel depth or height of the channel. Flange width gives the width of the horizontal parts of the beam or legs make the top and bottom sections of the “C”.
Web thickness tells you how thick the metal is in the center section of the channel. Steel channel weights range from 3.5 pounds to as much as 50 pounds, telling you the weight per foot of the particular grade.
Below are the various sizes we offer:
3 in – 3.50 lb – 0.132 in – 1.372 in
3 in – 4.10 lb – 0.170 in – 1.410 in
3 in – 5.00 lb – 0.258 in – 1.498 in
4 in – 5.40 lb – 0.184 in – 1.584 in
4 in – 4.50 lb – 0.125 in – 1.584 in
3 in – 6.00 lb – 0.356 in – 1.596 in
4 in – 6.25 lb – 0.247 in – 1.647 in
4 in – 7.25 lb – 0.321 in – 1.721 in
5 in – 6.70 lb – 0.190 in – 1.750 in
5 in – 9.00 lb – 0.325 in – 1.885 in
6 in – 10.50 lb – 0.314 in – 2.034 in
7 in – 9.80 lb – 0.210 in – 2.090 in
6 in – 13.00 lb – 0.437 in – 2.157 in
7 in – 12.25 lb – 0.314 in – 2.194 in
8 in – 11.50 lb – 0.220 in – 2.260 in
7 in – 14.75 lb – 0.419 in – 2.299 in
8 in – 13.75 lb – 0.303 in – 2.343 in
9 in – 13.40 lb – 0.233 in – 2.433 in
9 in – 15.00 lb – 0.285 in – 2.485 in
8 in – 18.75 lb – 0.487 in – 2.527 in
10 in – 15.30 lb – 0.240 in – 2.600 in
9 in – 20.00 lb – 0.448 in – 2.648 in
10 in – 20.00 lb – 0.379 in – 2.739 in
10 in – 25.00 lb – 0.526 in – 2.886 in
12 in – 20.70 lb – 0.282 in – 2.942 in
10 in – 30.00 lb – 0.673 in – 3.033 in
12 in – 25.00 lb – 0.387 in – 3.047 in
12 in – 30.00 lb – 0.510 in – 3.170 in
15 in – 33.90 lb – 0.400 in – 3.400 in
15 in – 40.00 lb – 0.520 in – 3.520 in
15 in – 50.00 lb – 0.716 in – 3.716 in
