About the Orange Book

The "Orange Book" is the essential aid for the design of structural steelwork.

Comprehensive tables of member resistances are given to enable rapid selection of steel members in compression, bending and tension. Tables are also provided for combined bending and compression, web resistance and shear resistance.

Steel construction industry's transition to high strength steel grades as the default grades for structural applications is reflected in the tables. Whilst structural steel of lower grades than 355 MPa can still be produced, there are no resistance or effective property tables given, because structural steels are more readily available in S355 or equivalent grades.

Tables for high strength steels are given to enable project designers and contractors to optimize steel frames from a structural, environmental and economical perspective.

ArcelorMittal Europe is the undisputable leader to deliver high strength steels for construction applications.

Steel product ranges include:

For Long Products

  • S355/HISTAR®355 and S460/HISTAR®460

HISTAR® steels are structural grades with a low alloy content, combining high strength, good toughness and superior weldability.

HISTAR® grades are delivered in accordance with the European Technical Assessment ETA-10/0156 and are available with minimum yield strengths of 355 or 460 MPa. When compared to standard structural steels, HISTAR® grades feature improved guaranteed mechanical characteristics. Read more about the yield strengths in the Explanatory Notes.

For Flat Products

  • S355, S420 and S460 steel grades for heavy plates.

Heavy plates high strength steels are delivered as N/NL or M/ML steel qualities, depending on thickness, weldability and toughness requirements

  • S350GD, S390GD, S420GD, S450GD & S550GD for metallic coated steels. S650GD & S700GD should be added in a few months.

Metallic coated steels are delivered with Z – Hot dip galvanized or ZM- Magnelis® coatings and could also be combined with organic coating.

Steel grades data are given in accordance with European standards.

Section property data are provided for

  • Hot rolled steel channels, I and H sections to EN 10365
  • Equal and unequal angles to EN 10056-1 (including back-to-back angles)
  • Welded sections and cold formed sections, including effective section properties.

The design data are derived in accordance with the following Parts of Eurocode 3 and their National Annexes.

All Eurocodes parts are under revision and will be published in 2026-2027. Some parts have already been voted but not yet applicable. Current design data have been established following current design rules:

EN 1993‑1‑1:2005: Design of steel structures. Part 1‑1: General rules and rules for buildings. EN 1993‑1‑5:2006: Design of steel structures. Part 1‑5: Plated structural elements. EN 1993‑1‑8:2005: Design of steel structures. Part 1‑8: Design of joints. EN 1993-1-3:2006: Design of steel structures. Supplementary rules for cold-formed members and sheeting (incl. Corrigendum, April 2010).

Where these parts do not give all the necessary expressions for the evaluation of data, reference is made to other published sources.

The resistances in this website for English version have been calculated using the partial factors for resistance given in the UK National Annexes for the Eurocodes (NA to BS EN 1993‑1‑1:2005 as published in December 2008, NA to BS EN 1993‑1‑5:2006 as published in May 2008 and NA to BS EN 1993‑1‑8:2005 as published in November 2008). The partial factors are listed in Section 5.1. The other parameters given in the National Annex that have been used when calculating member resistances, are given in the relevant sections of this website.

The following structural elements are covered in this website:

  • Hot rolled steel channels, I and H sections to EN 10365:2017
  • Equal and unequal angles to EN 10056-1:2017 (including back-to-back-angles)
  • Welded sections I shape
  • Cold formed sections Zed shape
  • Cold formed sections Sigma shape

Disclaimer

The data has been produced by the Steel Construction Institute (SCI) on behalf of ArcelorMittal Europe. Although care has been taken to ensure, to the best of our knowledge, that all data and information contained herein are accurate, SCI and the ArcelorMittal Europe assume no responsibility for any errors in or misinterpretations of such data and/or information or any loss or damage arising from or related to their use.