Selectors for Structural Components
- Last UpdatedNov 10, 2025
- 2 minute read
The following SELEC questions are those which you are likely to use when defining SPECs for structural components:
SType
Defines the Specific Type of the component; particularly applicable to the general generic types PROF, JOIN and FITT. Examples of STYPE answers which might be applied to structural components to cover European, American and British standards include:
|
STYPE |
Meaning |
|---|---|
|
C |
Channel section or American standard C–shapes (tapered flanges) |
|
CHS |
Circular hollow section |
|
CRSJ |
Castellated rolled steel joists |
|
CUB |
Castellated universal beams |
|
CUC |
Castellated universal columns |
|
CZB |
Castellated Z–beams |
|
EAI |
Imperial equal angles |
|
EAM |
Metric equal angles |
|
HD |
European columns (wide flanges) |
|
HE |
European beams (wide flanges) |
|
HL/HX |
European beams (very wide flanges) |
|
HP |
Bearing piles (wide flanges) |
|
IPE |
European beams (parallel faced flanges) |
|
IPN |
European standard beams (tapered flanges) |
|
LST |
Long stalk tee–bars |
|
M/W |
American I–shapes (wide flanges) |
|
RHS |
Rectangular hollow section |
|
RSJ |
Rolled steel joists |
|
S |
American standard I–shapes (tapered flanges) |
|
T |
Tee bars |
|
TUB |
Tees cut from universal beams |
|
TUC |
Tees cut from universal columns |
|
U |
European small channels |
|
UB |
Universal beams |
|
UBP |
Universal bearing piles |
|
UC |
Universal columns |
|
UEAI |
Imperial unequal angles |
|
UEAM |
Metric unequal angles |
|
UPN |
European standard channels |
|
PLAT |
Plate girders |
DEPth
The depth (height) of a structural section; for example, 100 mm.
WIDth
The width of a structural section; for example, 100 mm.
WEIGht
The weight per unit length; for example, 100 kg/m.
DIMEnsion integer
Any dimension. The qualifying integer is optional; suggested conventions are:
DIME1—Depth or long leg
DIME2—Width or short leg
CTYPE integer
A connection type. The qualifying integer is optional; suggested conventions are:
CTYPE1—Start connection
CTYPE2—End connection
CTYPE3—Attached connection
CTYPE4—Owning connection
with the possible answers RIVET, BOLT, WELD, GLUE
CTYStart
Start connection (equivalent to CTYPE1).
CTYEnd
End connection (equivalent to CTYPE2).
CTYAttached
Attached connection (equivalent to CTYPE3).
CTYOwning
Owning connection (equivalent to CTYPE4).
INERtia integer
Moment of inertia about a specified axis; for example, 280 cm$. (It is usually convenient to use cm rather than mm here to avoid having to list large values.) The qualifying integer is optional; suggested conventions are:
INER1—Inertia about x-x
INER2—Inertia about y-y
INER3—Inertia about u-u
INER4—Inertia about v-v
THICkness integer
Plate thickness within a section; for example, 10 mm. The qualifying integer is optional; suggested conventions are:
THIC1—Web thickness
THIC2—Flange thickness
FIXty
Joint fixity; for example, FIXED, PINNED, PLASTIC, HINGED, RIGID
GRADe
Material grade for fire-resistant insulation; for example, 43.
FIREsistance
Degree of fire resistance for insulation; for example, 2 hr.
ITHIckness
Insulation thickness; for example, 50 mm.
AREA
Area of a section; for example, 100 cm².
As for piping component specifications, you may also use any word, with or without a numeric qualifier, to define your own questions. See Selectors for Structural Components.