Cold-Formed Steel Design Calculator

The SkyCiv Cold-Formed Steel Design Software assist structural engineers in determining member capacities and performing limit state design in accordance with the selected design code. The tools support all standard AS/NZS and AISI cold-formed steel sections, and also allow for custom standards and steel grades to be designed using the Direct Strength Method (DSM). This method typically results in approximately 10% higher member capacities compared to the Effective Width Method (EWM).

Versions of the Cold-Formed Steel Design Calculator are available for:

  • Australia and New Zealand – AS/NZS 4600:2018
  • United States, Canada, and Mexico – AISI S100-16 (North American Specification)

This is a preview of our full version cold-formed steel design software, which also includes the following premium features when you subscribe to either our Quick Design Module or SkyCiv Professional:

  • Premium: Integration with SkyCiv's analysis software for more comprehensive analysis.
  • Premium: Full results, no lockouts.
  • Premium: Full reporting capabilities and analysis of sections.
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About the Cold-Formed Steel Design Calculator

Which cross-sections are supported?

The cold-formed steel design software by SkyCiv supports a diverse range of cold-formed steel sections and grades from the SkyCiv Australian, New-Zealand and AISI Section Library. It adheres to AS/NZS 4600:2018 and AISI S100-16 standards, providing an efficient tool for structural design and analysis.

AS/NZS 4600:2018

The calculator includes support for the following standard cold-formed steel section types commonly used in Australia and New Zealand:

  • Channels
  • Lipped Channels
  • Double Lipped Channels
  • Lipped Z Sections
  • Hat Sections

AISI S100-16

The calculator supports the majority of steel sections in the AISI Cold-Formed Steel Design manual, listed below:

  • C-Sections with Lips (I-1, I-2)
  • C-Sections without Lips (I-3)
  • Z-Sections with Lips (I-4)
  • Z-Sections without Lips (I-5)
  • Hat Sections (I-8)

What design checks are carried out?

The cold-formed steel calculator performs a comprehensive range of section and member capacity checks.

In accordance with AS/NZS 4600:2018:

  • Section Symmetry - Clause 2.1.1
  • Compression Capacity - Clause 2.3.1
  • Tension and Biaxial Bending Capacity - Clause 3.2
  • Lateral-Torsional Buckling - Clause 3.3.2
  • Local and Distortional Buckling - Clause 3.3.3
  • Shear Moment Compression / Tension Factor - Clause 3.3.3.2.1
  • Member Pre-Qualification - Table 7.1
  • Capacity Factors - Clause 7.2
  • Section Moment Capacity - Clause 7.2.1
  • Member Moment Capacity - Clause 7.2.2
  • Shear Capacity - Clause 7.2.3
  • Unequal End Moment Factor - Clause D2.1.1
  • Moment Compression Face Factors - Clause D2.1.1.2

In accordance with AISI S100-16:

  • Tension Strength - Appendix 1.1.1(a) and Section E3.1
  • Compression Strength - Section E2 / E3 / E4 and Appendix 2
  • Distortional Buckling - Section E4 and F4
  • Flexure Strength - Section F2 / F3 / F4 and Appendix 2
  • Shear Strength - Section G2.1 and G5
  • Combined Tensile Axial Load and Bending - Section H1.1
  • Combined Compressive Axial Load and Bending - Section H1.1
  • Combined Bending and Shear - Section H2

Light gauge steel vs cold formed steel

Light gauge steel (LGS) and cold-formed steel (CFS) are both terms for steel that is shaped at room temperature (cold-formed) without heat, relying on mechanical processes to achieve strength and shape. These steel sections are produced with a cold-rolling process that uses rollers to transform steel sheets into various profiles with different thicknesses. Light gauge steel (LGS) typically refers to thinner (typically less than 3mm or 0.12 in) steel sections often used for non-load-bearing elements in structures such as framing and partitions. In contrast, Cold Formed Steel (CFS) is used in more complex profiles like C-sections, Z-sections, and Hat-sections that are found in common structural members such as purlins, girts, and framing elements.

What can the cold-formed steel design software be used for?

The cold-formed steel software can be used to design a wide range of cold-formed steel structural beams, columns and members. This includes the design of the following in accordance with AS/NZS 4600 or AISI S100-16:

  • Purlins
  • Girts
  • Z-section beams
  • Steel Wall Studs
  • CFS tracks
  • Complex cold-formed framing and structural partition systems

Additionally, the tools support the design of other cold-formed steel profiles, such as C-sections (both plain and lipped) and Hat-sections ensuring compliance with the relevant standards for a variety of structural applications.

AS 4600 section symmetry

Clause 2.1.1 of AS/NZS 4600:2018 defines section symmetry, classifying sections as doubly, point, singly (monosymmetric) or non (asymmetric), which impacts their structural behaviour under loads. The figure below visually illustrates these classifications, highlighting how section geometry influences buckling resistance and load distribution.

as4600n section symmetry diagram

What shapes and material grades are supported by the Cold-Formed Steel Design Calculator?

The Cold-Formed Steel Design Calculator supports a wide range of standard and manufacturer-specific cold-formed steel shapes and material grades, in accordance with the relevant regional design codes.

AS/NZS 4600:2018 – Australia and New Zealand

This version includes extensive support for cold-formed steel sections used across Australian and New Zealand manufacturers. Supported manufacturers include:

  • Lysaght
  • Enduroframe
  • FrameCAD
  • Metalcraft
  • Metroll
  • Millform
  • Steeline
  • Stramit
  • Stratco
  • Studco

The calculator includes a comprehensive library of the following cold-formed steel shapes:

  • Channels
  • Channels (Lipped)
  • Double Channels (Lipped)
  • Z-Sections (Lipped)
  • Topspan (Hat)
  • Cee
  • U
  • MC Purlins
  • MZ Purlins
  • MS Tophats (Lipped)
  • Megaspan C Purlin
  • Megaspan Z Purlin
  • Extreme C Purlins
  • Extreme Z  Purlins
  • Exacta Cee
  • Exacta Zee
  • Deflection Head Track
  • Steel Stud

The following material standards are available, each offering various material grades, and custom grades are also supported:

  • AS/NZS 1163
  • AS 1397
  • AS/NZS 1594
  • AS/NZS 1595
  • AS/NZS 3678

AISI S100-16 – United States, Canada, and Mexico

This version supports all standard AISI cold-formed steel sections in accordance with the North American Specification (AISI S100-16).

The calculator includes a comprehensive library of the following cold-formed steel shapes:

  • C-Sections W Lips (I-1)
  • C-Sections W Lips (I-2)
  • C-Sections WO Lips (I-3)
  • Z-Sections W Lips (I-4)
  • Z-Sections WO Lips (I-5)
  • Hat Sections (I-8)

The following material standards are available, each offering various material grades, and custom grades are also supported:

  • Gr. 33
  • Gr. 37
  • Gr. 40
  • Gr. 50
  • Gr. 55
  • Gr. 60
  • Gr. 70
  • Gr. 80

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