AS/NZS 3678 Tubular Steel Columns for Port and Marine Structures – Custom Fabricated to AS4100 with AWS D1.1 Welding

Most tubular columns start as stock hollow sections — you fit your project to whatever the mill offers. Ours start as AS/NZS 3678 plate, rolled to your exact diameter and wall thickness. That changes what you can specify: any diameter, any wall — not limited to standard pipe sizes; single-piece lengths from footing to deck level, with fewer splices in the tidal zone; and grade control through Gr 350 or Gr 450 plate with mill certificates traceable to heat number. For marine work, where a splice in the splash zone is a future corrosion point, that freedom matters.
 

Plate-Rolled vs. Catalogue Pipe

From Plate to Pile: How We Build Your Column

Every marine column follows a controlled build sequence:

1. Plate selection — AS/NZS 3678 Gr 350/450 plate is reviewed against your design, with mill test certificates confirming chemistry and mechanical properties before rolling begins.

2. Rolling and forming — plate is cold or hot rolled to the specified diameter with roundness checked against drawing. This is where custom diameters are made possible.

3. Longitudinal welding — the seam is welded under qualified AWS D1.1 procedures, by certified welders, with weld geometry prepared for full penetration.

4. Circumferential splicing — where single-piece lengths exceed transport limits, sections are spliced with full-penetration circumferential welds, planned to sit above the tidal zone wherever possible.

5. Fit-up and details — base plates, lifting lugs, mooring attachments and connection details are welded, drilled and positioned to your drawings.

6. Protection — columns are shot blasted to Sa2.5, then hot-dip galvanized to AS/NZS 4680 or EN ISO 1461, or coated with heavy-duty marine paint systems per AS/NZS 2312.

7. Inspection and release — dimensional checks, NDT and coating inspection are completed, and the column is marked and packed for export.

Engineered for the Marine Environment

Designed to AS4100, each column's capacity, stability and serviceability are verified for the loads that actually hit a wharf: wave and current forces, vessel impact, mooring loads, wind and crane operations. The closed circular section resists compression, bending and torsion with minimum material — and avoids the sharp edges and crevices that trap salt and accelerate corrosion. For splash-zone members, the combination of plate-grade control and full coating systems is specified to survive decades of tidal wetting and drying.

Welding: AWS D1.1, with AS/NZS 1554 on Request

Welding is executed to AWS D1.1 — the structural steel welding code familiar to international marine contractors — using qualified WPS/PQR and certified welders, with NDT (VT, UT, MT or PT) on all critical seams. Where an Australian project specifies it, the same work can be carried out to AS/NZS 1554. You tell us your contract's welding code; we qualify, weld and document to it.

Documentation You Can File

Each column ships with mill test certificates (AS/NZS 3678, traceable to heat number), WPS/PQR and welder certificates, NDT reports, dimensional inspection records, coating thickness reports and as-built drawings — one complete package for your project file and authority approvals.

Where They're Used

These columns serve wharfs and jetties, port terminals, mooring dolphins, offshore supply bases, coastal platforms, bridge piers and heavy industrial structures near water — anywhere a marine structure needs a column that is strong, corrosion-resistant and built exactly to the drawing.

Your Trusted Partner for Marine Steel Structures

Hangzhou FAMOUS Steel Engineering Co., Ltd. (FASECbuildings) is a professional steel structure manufacturer based in China, specialising in marine tubular columns, steel bridges and heavy industrial steel systems. With extensive experience serving global port and marine projects, we adhere to AS/NZS 3678, AS4100, AWS D1.1, AS/NZS 1554, AS/NZS 4680 and other international standards. Our advanced fabrication facilities, certified welders and in-house engineering team ensure reliable quality, on-time delivery and competitive factory-direct pricing.

Contact us today with your column specifications, drawings and project details — we will provide a customized design proposal, professional calculations and a competitive quotation for your port and marine structure.