The Most Common Types of Steel Sections

Steel sections are a key component in steel fabrication owing to their extremely versatile properties. These properties enable steel sections to be manufactured in an array of shapes and, therefore, give engineers many factors to consider when choosing sections for their projects, including weight, size and profile. Throughout this post, we will look at the most common types of steel sections and their properties.

What Are Steel Sections?

Steel sections have a few different names. In the UK, they are called sections; across Europe, they are known as profiles, but other parts of the world might refer to them as steel shapes.

Structural steel sections are typically produced by ‘hot rolling’, where the steel is heated between two large rollers. During this process, the steel sections will be rolled into the shape required for the application. For example, Masteel provides hot rolled steel for shipbuilding purposes because of its high yield strength, high quality and manufactured under the specifications for Structural Steel for Ships (ASTM A131).

The sections are available as circular hollow sections, open sections, beams and more. In the following section, we will outline the most common types of steel sections.

Most Common Types of Steel Sections

Angles: To form an L-shaped angle, two steel legs are put together at a 90-degree angle. These beams can be manufactured in various sizes and lengths, so, for example, the steel legs do not have to be of equal lengths.

Angles are mainly used in floor systems in residential buildings, mining and infrastructure applications.

Beams: In the UK, Universal Beams (UB) are the required specification for structural steel beams. They are manufactured specifically for the UK market. However, I Sections are used continentally and come under the names of rolled beams, IPE beams or I Sections.

Channels: Steel channels are hot-rolled structures that can be used in different structural applications, from building infrastructure to vehicle parts. They come in three types: Parallel Flange Channels (PFC), C-shaped or U-shaped.
Columns: Columns are the counterparts to steel beams and play a vital role in supporting the structural integrity of a building. They are high-resistant and can withstand extremely heavy loads.

Hollow Structural Sections: Also referred to as HSS, open structural sections are welded tubes used in buildings and other manufactured applications. These have a hollow cross-section and can be made in rectangular, round and square shapes.

Plates: Steel plates are often used to construct container ships, ferries and cruise liners. They are used to add additional strength or reinforce infrastructure in various applications.

Masteel’s Products

Masteel provides a range of steel products to companies worldwide, and in terms of shipbuilding, here are a few of our most sought-after products.

• Steel Shipbuilding Plate
• Steel Sections
• Structural Steel Angles

Our shipbuilding steels AH36 and DH36 meet the ASTM A131 Part 4 specifications and can be used for several products, such as those mentioned above.

Contact Us

Should you require a quote, expert knowledge or any further information about our steel sections, please do not hesitate to contact us today.