Experts in Steel Structural and Pre-Engineered Buildings

Steel Structural Constructions

Steel solutions are lighter than their concrete equivalents, with the opportunity to provide more column-free flexible floor space, less foundations and a fast, safe construction programme. a steel solution means reliable materials, known material and section properties, precise off-site manufacture and extensive support including software, design guides and easy to use resistance tables.

A wide variety of alternative forms and arrangements can be used in multi-storey steel framed structures to deliver the benefits of

  • Economy
  • Shallow floor construction
  • Integration of services
  • Flexible, column-free floor space
  • Reduced foundations
  • Rapid on-site construction

For buildings up to eight storeys high, braced steel frames are commonly used with bracing members generally located within a cavity in the facade, or around stairs or other serviced zones.A steel braced frame has three key advantages:

  • A braced solution is less expensive than a continuous frame
  • Responsibility for temporary stability lies with one organisation
  • As soon as the steel bracing is connected, the structure is stable

steel solutions are appropriate for short spans (typically 6 m to 9 m), steel has an important advantage over other materials in that long-span solutions (between 12 m and 18 m) can be easily provided. This has the key advantage of column-free space, allowing future adaptability, and fewer foundations.

Floors spanning onto the steel beams will normally be either precast concrete units, or composite floors. The supporting beams may be below the floor, with the floor bearing on the top flange (often known as “downstand” beams), or the beams may share the same zone with the floor construction, to reduce the overall depth of the zone.