Universal Columns
Australia / New Zealand · AS/NZS 3679.1 (designed to AS 4100)
Universal Columns (UC) are hot-rolled steel I-sections whose flange width is close to their depth, giving a roughly square profile. That balance produces similar stiffness about both axes, which is what a compression member needs to resist buckling in any direction.
UCs are used as columns and posts, and as beams where lateral stability or minor-axis capacity matters more than raw bending efficiency. For pure bending where depth is available, a Universal Beam carries more load per kilogram.
Reading the size: A UC is named by nominal depth then mass per metre: "310UC96.8" is about 310 mm deep and weighs 96.8 kg/m.
Properties are indicative - verify against the governing standard before professional use.
Universal Columns sizes (12)
| Designation | Profile | Mass kg/m | Depth mm | Width mm | tw mm | tf mm | Area mm² | Ix mm⁴ | Zx mm³ | Sx mm³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100UC14.8 | 14.8 | 97 | 99 | 5 | 7.01 | 1,890 | 3,180,000 | 66,500 | 74,500 | |
| 150UC23.4 | 23.4 | 152 | 152 | 6.1 | 6.83 | 2,980 | 12,600,000 | 166,000 | 184,000 | |
| 150UC30.0 | 30 | 158 | 153 | 6.6 | 9.37 | 3,860 | 17,600,000 | 222,000 | 247,000 | |
| 150UC37.2 | 37.2 | 162 | 154 | 8.1 | 11.5 | 4,730 | 22,200,000 | 274,000 | 310,000 | |
| 200UC46.2 | 46.2 | 203 | 203 | 7.3 | 11 | 5,900 | 45,900,000 | 451,000 | 497,000 | |
| 200UC52.2 | 52.2 | 206 | 204 | 8 | 12.5 | 6,660 | 52,800,000 | 512,000 | 568,000 | |
| 200UC59.5 | 59.5 | 210 | 205 | 9.3 | 14.2 | 7,620 | 61,300,000 | 584,000 | 652,000 | |
| 250UC72.9 | 72.9 | 254 | 254 | 8.6 | 14.2 | 9,290 | 114,000,000 | 897,000 | 989,000 | |
| 250UC89.5 | 89.5 | 260 | 256 | 10.7 | 17.3 | 11,400 | 143,000,000 | 1,100,000 | 1,230,000 | |
| 310UC96.8 | 96.8 | 308 | 305 | 9.9 | 15.4 | 12,400 | 222,000,000 | 1,450,000 | 1,590,000 | |
| 310UC118 | 118 | 315 | 307 | 11.9 | 18.7 | 15,000 | 277,000,000 | 1,760,000 | 1,950,000 | |
| 310UC158 | 158 | 327 | 311 | 15.7 | 25 | 20,100 | 388,000,000 | 2,370,000 | 2,680,000 |
tw web thickness · tf flange thickness · Ix second moment of area · Zx elastic / Sx plastic section modulus, major axis. Open any size for the full table, an SI / imperial toggle and a scaled cross-section.
Frequently asked
- What is a Universal Column?
- A Universal Column (UC) is a hot-rolled steel I-section with flange width close to its depth, giving balanced major- and minor-axis stiffness suited to axial compression. It is the standard column section.
- Can a Universal Column be used as a beam?
- Yes. A UC works well as a beam where lateral-torsional stability or minor-axis bending matters, though a Universal Beam of the same mass carries more major-axis bending where depth is available.
- Why are UCs roughly square?
- Near-equal depth and width give similar stiffness about both axes, so the column resists buckling about its weak axis nearly as well as its strong axis - the controlling case for compression members.
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