Steel Products

Below is an introduction to the topic Products. You can also search for your specific topic using the Search box at the top of the page or click on any of the following keywords and phrases: Steel sections; Universal Beams; Universal Columns; Hot-rolled sections; Cold-formed sections

Steel framed structures

Steel framed structures have a steel framework which carries all the loads to the foundations. Steel structures are used in factories, warehouses, offices, flats, schools, bridges, silos and towers and masts and are designed, fabricated and erected by Steelwork Contractors.

The steel structure is made up of separate components and each of these is connected together to form the structure. The components of a steel structure include:

1. Beams and girders – these members carry loads in bending and shear
2. Ties – these members carry axial loads in tension
3. Columns, struts or stanchions – these members carry axial load in compression and may also be subject to bending
4. Trusses and lattice girders – these are fabricated structures composed of struts and ties that carry lateral loads
5. Purlins – these members are commonly light-gauged cold-formed members used to support roof sheeting
6. Sheeting rails – these members are commonly light-gauge, cold-formed members used to carry wall cladding
7. Decking and sheeting – these members are light-gauge, cold-formed members used as part of the flooring system

Beams, columns, ties and trusses are generally made from hot-rolled steel sections which are produced in steel mills from steel billets by passing them through a series of rollers.

• The main hot-rolled sections include:
  1. Universal beams, Universal columns, joists, bearing piles, parallel flange channels and structural tees cit from Universal beams and Universal columns to BS 4-1.
  2. ASB (asymmetric beams) Slimdek^® beam produced by Corus
  3. Equal and Unequal angles to BS EN 10056-1
• Other sections include:
  1. Hot-finished structural hollow sections to BS EN 10210-2
  2. Cold-formed structural hollow sections to BS EN 10219-2

Section properties and capacity tables

Section properties and member capacity tables for each of the above structural sections are given in the following publications:

Steelwork Design Guide to BS 5950-1: 2000 Volume 1 Section Properties and member Capacities, 7^th Edition, published by BCSA and SCI

Handbook of Structural Steelwork, 4^th Edition, Published by BCSA and SCI

Eurocode version of both these publications will be published in 2009.

Purlins, sheeting rails and decking are commonly made from steel strip which is passed through a series of rollers to form the section profile. These are made by a number of different manufacturers.

Further detailed information is given in:

Steelwork Design Guide to BS 5950-1: 2000 Volume 1 Section Properties and member Capacities, 7^th Edition, published by BCSA and SCI

Handbook of Structural Steelwork, 4^th Edition, Published by BCSA and SCI

Eurocode version of both these publications will be published in 2009.