Steel Pipe Columns - Allowable Loads

Allowable concentric loads for steel pipe columns

Standard Steel Pipe

Nominal Pipe Diameter (inches)	Wall Thickness (inches)	Effective Length of Column (feet)
		6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20
		Allowable Concentric Loads 10³ (lb_f)
3	0.216	38	34	28	22	16	12	10
3 1/2	0.226	48	44	38	32	25	19	15	12
4	0.237	59	54	49	43	36	29	23	19
5	0.257	83	78	73	68	61	55	47	39
6	0.280	110	106	101	95	89	82	75	67
8	0.322	171	166	161	155	149	142	135	127
10	0.365	246	241	235	229	223	216	209	201
12	0.375	303	299	293	288	282	275	268	261

1 lb_f (Pound force) = 4.45 N = 0.45 kp

Extra Strong Steel Pipe

Nominal Pipe Diameter (inches)	Wall Thickness (inches)	Effective Length of Column (feet)
		6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20
		Allowable Concentric Loads 10³ (lb_f)
3	0.300	52	45	37	28	21	16	12
3 1/2	0.318	66	59	51	43	33	25	20	16
4	0.337	81	75	67	59	49	39	31	25
5	0.375	118	111	103	95	86	76	65	54
6	0.432	166	159	151	142	132	122	111	99
8	0.500	259	251	243	234	224	214	203	191
10	0.500	332	325	318	309	301	291	281	271
12	0.500	400	394	387	379	371	363	353	344

Note that the effective column length depends on the column configuration. The values above is valid for columns with rotation free and translation fixed in both ends.

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