steel column
A column consisting of a single- or built-up structural steel section. The allowable compressive load on a steel column depends not only on the area of the cross section but also on its shape. The slenderness ratio for a primary column should generally not exceed 120. For bracing and other secondary members, the slenderness ratio should not exceed 200. Photo from Easton, Pennsylvania, 2023. (Ching, 1995)