380PFC Parallel Flange Channel
AS/NZS 3679.1Grade 300The 380PFC is a parallel flange channel to AS/NZS 3679.1. It is 380 mm deep with a 100 mm wide flange, has a mass of 55.2 kg/m and a gross area of 7034 mm². Its major-axis second moment of area is Ix = 152 × 10⁶ mm⁴ and in Grade 300 (fy = 280 MPa) its section moment capacity is φMsx = 238.4 kNm. Download its free DXF drawing (a true-scale CAD outline) below, or print the dimensioned drawing sheet.
Also written as: 380 PFC
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Dimensions
| Symbol | Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| d | Depth of section | 380 | mm |
| bf | Flange width | 100 | mm |
| tf | Flange thickness | 17.5 | mm |
| tw | Web thickness | 10.0 | mm |
| r1 | Root radius | 14.0 | mm |
| d1 | Clear web depth (d − 2tf) | 345 | mm |
Section properties
| Symbol | Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| m | Mass per metre (nominal) | 55.2 | kg/m |
| Ag | Gross cross-section area | 7034 | mm² |
| Ix | Second moment of area about x-axis | 152 | 10⁶ mm⁴ |
| Zx | Elastic section modulus, x-axis | 798 | 10³ mm³ |
| Sx | Plastic section modulus, x-axis | 946 | 10³ mm³ |
| rx | Radius of gyration, x-axis | 146.9 | mm |
| Iy | Second moment of area about y-axis | 6.48 | 10⁶ mm⁴ |
| Zyr | Elastic section modulus, y-axis (flange toe) | 89.4 | 10³ mm³ |
| Zyl | Elastic section modulus, y-axis (web back) | 236 | 10³ mm³ |
| Sy | Plastic section modulus, y-axis | 161 | 10³ mm³ |
| ry | Radius of gyration, y-axis | 30.4 | mm |
| xc | Centroid from back of web | 27.5 | mm |
| xo | Shear centre from back of web (outside) | 29.8 | mm |
| J | Torsion constant | 472 | 10³ mm⁴ |
| Iw | Warping constant | 148 | 10⁹ mm⁶ |
| As | External surface area per metre | 1.128 | m²/m |
| As/t | External surface area per tonne | 20.4 | m²/t |
Axes: x-x (major) and y-y (minor) through the centroid. xc locates the centroid and xo the shear centre (SC).
Design capacities to AS 4100
| Symbol | Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steel grade | 300 (AS/NZS 3679.1) | ||
| fy | Yield stress used | 280 | MPa |
| fu | Tensile strength | 440 | MPa |
| kf | Form factor (Cl. 6.2.2) | 1.000 | |
| Section class, x-axis (Cl. 5.2) | Compact | ||
| Zex | Effective section modulus, x-axis | 946 | 10³ mm³ |
| φMsx | Section moment capacity, x-axis | 238.4 | kNm |
| Section class, y-axis | Compact | ||
| Zey | Effective section modulus, y-axis | 134 | 10³ mm³ |
| φMsy | Section moment capacity, y-axis | 33.8 | kNm |
| φNs | Section compression capacity (Cl. 6.2.1) | 1773 | kN |
| φNt | Tension capacity, gross section (Cl. 7.2, kt=1, An=Ag) | 1773 | kN |
| φVv | Shear capacity (Cl. 5.11) | 575 | kN |
| αb | Compression member section constant (Table 6.3.3) | 0.5 |
| Le (m) | φMbx (kNm) | φNcx (kN) | φNcy (kN) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | 238 | 1773 | 1738 |
| 1 | 230 | 1773 | 1581 |
| 1.5 | 212 | 1773 | 1408 |
| 2 | 192 | 1764 | 1209 |
| 2.5 | 173 | 1732 | 1001 |
| 3 | 155 | 1700 | 815 |
| 3.5 | 140 | 1668 | 662 |
| 4 | 127 | 1636 | 543 |
| 5 | 106 | 1570 | 378 |
| 6 | 89.8 | 1501 | 276 |
| 7 | 78.0 | 1427 | 209 |
| 8 | 68.8 | 1349 | 164 |
| 9 | 61.5 | 1266 | 132 |
| 10 | 55.5 | 1181 | 108 |
| 12 | 46.5 | 1009 | 76.2 |
φMbx: AS 4100 Cl. 5.6.1.1 with αm = 1.0; Le = ktklkrL. φNc: Cl. 6.3.3, pin-ended effective length Le = keL, concentric load. PFC φMbx assumes load through the shear centre. Loads applied to the web cause additional torsion. φNc applies to channels braced about the minor principal axis. Otherwise check flexural-torsional buckling (AS 4100 Cl. 6.3.3, using AS/NZS 4600 with a 0.85 reduction).
Check it for a span and loads with the beam calculator.
For restraint types, ktklkr and αm, use the lateral restraint calculator.
Instant check only. Effective lengths and moment modification factors must be determined by the designer in accordance with AS 4100 Cl. 4.6, 5.6.3 and 6.3.2. Not a substitute for a qualified engineer: see the disclaimer.
Alternatives with similar bending capacity
Sections from other families with a plastic modulus Sx within −8% / +25% of the 380PFC, lightest first.
| Section | Type | Mass (kg/m) | Sx (10³ mm³) | Ix (10⁶ mm⁴) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 360UB50.7 | Universal Beam | 50.7 | 898 | 142 |
| 410UB53.7 | Universal Beam | 53.7 | 1058 | 188 |
| 360UB56.7 | Universal Beam | 56.7 | 1014 | 162 |
| 406.4x6.4CHS | Circular Hollow Section | 63.1 | 1024 | 161 |
| 400x200x8.0RHS | Rectangular Hollow Section | 71.6 | 1173 | 190 |
| 350x250x8.0RHS | Rectangular Hollow Section | 71.6 | 1092 | 160 |
Other parallel flange channels
Relevant Australian Standards
- AS/NZS 3679.1:2016 Structural steel – Part 1: Hot-rolled bars and sections
Specifies chemical composition, mechanical properties and tolerances for hot-rolled universal beams and columns, channels, angles, flats and bars in Grades 300 and 350. - AS 4100:2020 Steel structures
The Australian design Standard for steel members and connections. Covers section classification (Section 5), member moment capacity including lateral-torsional buckling (5.6), shear (5.11), axial compression (Section 6), tension (Section 7) and combined actions (Section 8). - AS/NZS 5131:2016 Structural steelwork – Fabrication and erection
Fabrication, erection, tolerances, inspection and construction categories (CC1–CC4) for structural steelwork. - AS/NZS 2312.1:2014 & 2312.2:2014 Guide to the protection of structural steel against atmospheric corrosion
Part 1 covers protective paint coatings and Part 2 hot-dip galvanizing; both use the external surface areas given on each section page.
See all Australian Standards for structural steel.
Properties are calculated from nominal dimensions, including root and toe radii, as described in notation & method. Mass is the nominal catalogue mass; the calculated mass at 7850 kg/m³ is 55.22 kg/m. Verify against current manufacturer literature before use in design. Spotted an error? Report it.