A brief introduction to C, Z and U-shaped steel

C-shaped steel definition: C-shaped steel is automatically processed and formed by C-shaped steel forming machine

Processing process: material discharge ①-leveling ②-forming ③-setting ④-straightening ⑤-length measurement ⑥-punching tie rod round hole ⑦-punching elliptical connection hole ⑧-forming and cutting ⑨

C-shaped steel specification category: C-shaped Steel purlins are divided into five specifications of 80, 100, 120, 140, and 160 according to different heights. The length can be determined according to the engineering design, but considering the conditions such as transportation and installation, the total length generally does not exceed 12 meters.

Scope of application: C-shaped steelis widely used in purlins and wall beams of steel structure buildings, and can also be combined into lightweight roof Trusses, brackets and other building components. In addition, it can also be used for columns, beams and arms in mechanical light industry manufacturing.

Z-shaped steel definition: Z-shaped steel is a common cold-bent thin-walled steel with a thickness generally between 1.6-3.0mm and a cross-sectional height of 120-350mm. The processing material is hot-rolled (spray-painted) and galvanized. Processing standards are implemented according to GB50018-2002. Z-shaped steel is usually used in large steel structure workshops. Processing length and holes are produced according to processing requirements.

Main uses of Z-shaped steel: cold-bent Z-shaped steel has the advantages of adjustable specifications and large compressive strength. It is widely used in automobiles, railway vehicles, building doors and windows, transportation, shelves, electrical cabinets, highway guardrails, building steel structures, containers, steel formwork and scaffolding, solar brackets, shipbuilding, bridges, transmission towers, Steel Sheet piles, cable trays, agricultural machinery, furniture, warehousing, rails, keel steel, vegetable greenhouses, pipeline brackets, municipal construction and other fields.

Definition of U-shaped steel: U-shaped steel is a kind of steel with a cross section like the English letter "U".

Main features: U-shaped steel has the characteristics of high pressure resistance, long support time, easy installation and not easy deformation.

Names of U-shaped steel varieties: cold-bent U-shaped steel, large-size U-shaped steel, automobile-specific U-shaped steel, hot-dip galvanized U-shaped steel and other open cold-bent steel.

There are four main types of U-shaped steel: 18U, 25U, 29U, and 36U. The first two are products from the 1960s and are waist-positioned.

In addition to the above four types of U-shaped steel, the 40U type is newly added in GB/T 4697-2008.

Main uses: Mainly used for mine tunnels, secondary support of mine tunnels, and support support of mountain tunnels. As the main steel for manufacturing retractable metal supports for tunnels, U-shaped steel is widely used at home and abroad.

First, the angle of Z-shaped steel and C-shaped steel is different, C-shaped steel is 90 degrees and Z-shaped steel is less than 90 degrees, so it is necessary to combine the knowledge of force and consider the angle of the purlin when the roof of the slope is affirmed.
2. Compared with the Z-shaped steel section, the mechanical properties of the strong and weak shafts are quite different, and the adjacency with the steel frame is mostly bolt hinging, so it must be considered according to the simple support.
Therefore, from the perspective of stress state, structure and calculation effect, the latter is more fair, and in addition to the necessary disposal of doors and windows openings and other special nodes, Z-shaped steel cross-section should be preferred.
3. When the roof slope is small, the flexural section modulus of Z-shaped steel purlin is slightly greater than that of C-shaped steel purlin, but the difference is not large, when the roof slope increases, the use rate of bending section modulus of Z-shaped purlin symmetrical to vertical bias increases.
Therefore, Z-shaped purlins are used for roofs with large slopes.

First of all, the angles of C-beams and Z-beams are different. The angle of the C-beam is 90 degrees, while the angle of the Z-beam is less than 90 degrees. This means that when designing roofing purlins, if the slope is large, the use of Z-shaped steel can make better use of its bending properties.
Mechanical properties
From the perspective of mechanical properties, the cross-sectional strength and stiffness of C-shaped steel and Z-shaped steel are different. The mechanical properties of the strong shaft and the weak shaft of the C-shaped steel are quite different, while the Z-shaped steel is relatively uniform. In addition, the connection between the C-shaped steel and the steel frame is mostly bolted and hinged, and the calculation needs to be considered according to the simple support. Therefore, from the perspective of force state, structure and calculation results, Z-shaped steel is more reasonable.
Roof slope
In the case of small roof slope, the bending section modulus of Z-shaped steel purlin is slightly greater than that of C-shaped steel purlin, but the difference is not large. However, with the increase of roof slope, the utilization rate of the modulus of the bending section symmetrical to the Z-shaped purlin in the vertical direction also increases. Therefore, Z-shaped purlins are particularly suitable for roofs with large slopes.
Wall applications
For walls, it doesn't make much difference whether you choose C-beam or Z-beam. If you want purlins to be made into continuous members, then Z-shaped purlins may be more suitable for you because they are more convenient to overlap.

In general, C-beams and Z-beams have their own advantages and disadvantages. When the roof slope is large, the bending performance of Z-shaped steel is better; When applied on the wall, there is not much difference between the two.