Architectural design in Steel

Architectural design in Steel

• Characteristics and Structural properties of steel.

• Different types of steel- Light gauge steel materials and steel

members (components).

• Advantages of steel construction-Opportunity for architectural

expression, speed of construction-time, economy-cost, etc.

• Types of steel construction-framed construction, portal frames,

tensile structures,

• Contemporary examples of steel construction

 1. Characteristics and Structural properties
of steel.
• High strength,
• Low weight,
• Durability,
• Ductility
• Malleability
• Corrosive resistance
 1. Characteristics and Structural properties
of steel.
• Strength- Maximum load or stress it can take without yielding.
- Allowable stress –within elastic limit (Elastic range)
- Yield stress – beyond elastic limit (Plastic range)
Permanent Failure
deformation

Temporary
deformation

Stress strain diagram

 1. Characteristics and Structural properties
of steel.
• Ductility- Ability of steel to be drawn into wires or bars
without fracture. It indicates the moldability of steel E.g.
Steel reinforcement bars

• Malleability- Ability of steel to be drawn into flat sheets

(surfaces) without fracture. E.g. Corrugated steel roof
panels.

• Low weight- Strength to weight ratio of steel is lowest

when compared to other building materials.

• Corrosive resistance- Steel can be galvanized or painted

to protect it from corrosion.
 2. Different types of steel (members or
components)
• Hot-rolled sections, such as I, H and L shapes

• Tubular sections of circular, square and rectangular

shape.

• Fabricated sections made by welding.

• Stainless steel components.

• Modular units made from light steel components.

 2. Different types of steel (members or
components)
A. Hot rolled steel sections:
• Steel structures are frames made of columns and beams.

• Bracing in the form of diagonal members in the vertical or horizontal plane of

structural bays may be necessary to resist lateral loads of wind and earthquakes.

• Most common is the I shape or wide flange that works as an efficient beam,
since a major portion of the material is placed at the top and bottom of the
web, where it makes the greatest contribution to moment of inertia, the prime
consideration for deflection.
2. Different types of steel (members or
components)

• This group of shapes is commonly used in combination to fabricate horizontal

and vertical framing systems.
• E.g. 1. Double angles and double channels are common compression members
for trusses and bracing elements,
• 2. Combinations of standard sections create lintels and other miscellaneous
structural components
2. Different types of steel (members or
components)
2. Tubular steel sections
• Tubular sections are available as circular hollow sections (CHS), and
square or rectangular hollow sections (SHS and RHS).

• The factors that influence the use of tubular construction are:

• Aesthetic appeal, which is often due to their apparent lightness of
the members.
• Reduced weight of steel due to their structural efficiency, depending
on their application.
• Torsional resistance (hollow sections are particularly good at
resisting torsional effects due to eccentric loading)

• Compression resistance for use as columns or bracing members

(tubular sections are very efficient in compression due to their reduced
slenderness in buckling conditions)
2. Different types of steel (members or
components)
2. Tubular steel sections
• Bending resistance of slender sections (if a beam is unrestrained
throughout its length, the tubular section can be more efficient
than a conventional I-section).

• Efficiency under combined bending and torsion, such as in

structures curved on plan

• Fire and corrosion protection costs (which are reduced because

of the low surface area of the tubular section)

• Ease of site assembly, as also influenced by requirements for

welding

• Availability in higher grade steel

Waterloo International Terminal- Striking long-span roof comprised of tapering tubular trusses
(Architect: Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners)
Stuttgart Airport -Roof using tubular column ‘trees (Architect-Von Gerkan Marg &
Partners)
Tubular trusses at Kansai Airport, Japan (Architect-Renzo Piano)
 2. Different types of steel (members or components)
3. Fabricated sections
• Fabricated steel sections are produced by welding steel plates in
a factory process.
• These sections are fabricated to the required geometry and are
not standard sections.
• They are usually economic where:
- The section size can be ‘tailor-made’ to the particular
application and member depth
- Long-span primary beams would not be achievable using hot
rolled sections
- Heavy ‘transfer’ or podium structures are required to support
columns or other heavy loads
- Asymmetric sections are more efficient than standard sections
- Tapered sections are specified, e.g. in grandstand canopies
- Curved members are created by cutting the web and bending
the flange into a curve of the required radius.
Modular construction
• Modular construction’ is a term used to describe the use of factory-
produced pre-engineered building units that are delivered to site
and assembled as large volumetric components or as substantial
elements of a building.

• The modular units may form complete rooms, parts of rooms, or

separate highly serviced units such as toilets or lifts. The collection
of discrete modular units usually forms a self-supporting structure
in its own right or, for tall buildings, may rely on an independent
structural framework.

• Modular construction uses prefabricated ‘volumetric’ components

which are generally made from light steel-frames.

• It is most economic where the modules can be manufactured

repetitively to achieve ‘economy of scale’, and where the
dimensions of the modules are suitable for transportation and
installation (3.0 to 4.2 m are typical module widths)
 Modular unit

Modular hospital building during installation of open sided modules

Modular units used in multi storey social housing project in London
 3. Types (forms) of steel structures
• Braced frame structures- in which the beams and columns are
designed to resist vertical loads only. Horizontal loads are resisted by
bracing in the walls or cores. The connections are designed as pinned
or ‘simple’.

• Rigid or ‘sway’ frame structures- in which the framed structure is

designed to resist both vertical and horizontal loads by designing the
connections between the members as moment-resisting.

• Arch structures, in which forces are transferred to the ground mainly by

compression within the structure.

• Tension structures, in which forces are transferred to the ground by

tension (or catenary action) and by compression in posts or masts, as in a
tent. The tension elements in the form of cables or rods are usually
anchored to the ground