Tests of Large Columns With H-Shaped Sections (Classic Reprint)

Understanding how large H-shaped steel columns behave under real testing conditions can improve design decisions. This book presents two major series of tests on heavy structural columns, comparing riveted fabricated sections with solid rolled ones and linking their performance to material properties.

The study combines detailed testing procedures with a rich set of coupon analyses. It shows how the yield point of the steel, measured under controlled speeds, relates to column strength across a range of slenderness. Readers gain insight into end constraints, loading effects, and the limitations of standard mill tests for predicting column behavior.

• Two extensive test Series: first with 39 columns, then a second with 30 more, plus hundreds of tensile coupons.


• Discussion of how material properties and section type influence column strength and efficiency.


• Examination of how yield points from coupon tests align with full-column performance.


• Analysis of discrepancies, measurement methods, and practical implications for design.

Ideal for engineers and students seeking a rigorous, data-driven look at structural steel behavior in large, complex shapes. The edition emphasizes real-world testing, measurement approaches, and how these findings inform safer, more reliable designs.