SIGNS are short, two page documents that will give practical advice on technical, commercial, legal, marketing and health and safety issues that will build in to a comprehensive set of notes on key aspects of steel construction.The audience for SIGNS includes clients, architects, M&E contractors, QS and engineers.
Each guidance note will contain practical advice on the back page making the advice easy to locate, assimilate and apply. They will also contain either a contact point for further information or a list of up-to-date references where additional information can be found. Each guidance note will be periodically reviewed and updated to ensure that only the most relevant and up-to-date information is available on the web site versions.
Future Steel Industry Guidance Notes will cover topical issues such as:
- Tolerances
- Health and safety
- The economies of steel design
- Vibrations
- The most important items in a contract
SN01 012006 Good acoustic performance
Good acoustic performance continues to be an important requirement in residential buildings as developers and occupants demand higher quality construction. The acoustic requirements of residential properties are given in Approved Document E of the Building Regulations.
SN02 022006 Tolerances in structural steelwork
This note explains the importance of tolerances in structural steelwork – what they cover, and when designers should think carefully about providing means of adjustment. Strictly, “tolerances” are permitted deviations – allowances from perfection. Tolerances are specified in documents such as the National Structural Steelwork Specification (NSSS).
SN03 032006 Money:the most important thing
Money is the most important thing in any contract. During the tender process time is always at a premium but it is worth spending some time on checking the contract conditions to make sure you understand their implications before a binding contract is in place.
SN04 042006 Health and safety on site
Construction sites can be dangerous places and therefore it is extremely important that you comply with the site rules. This guidance note has been prepared to help you understand some of the health and safety rules and procedures that apply to construction sites.
SN05 052006 Steel in fire
Steel is the most comprehensively fire tested of all structural framing materials. Over the past twenty years, the steel construction sector has carried out over a hundred individual fire tests. These include large-scale tests, which have demonstrated the behaviour of fire in real buildings.
SN06 062006 Achieving airtightness with metal cladding systems
The airtightness of buildings has become increasingly important in recent years as the regulatory authorities attempt to reduce energy consumption and the associated greenhouse gas emissions. Building Regulations Part L 2006 will continue this trend, by requiring an improvement in energy efficiency compared with the requirements of the 2002 Regulations of between 23.5% and 28%.
SN07 072006 Floor vibration
Floor vibrations can be a critical serviceability condition for modern building structures. Specifiers are more frequently facing the need to consider the vibration response of floors and this article summarises some of the key issues.
SN08 092006 Welding
Welding is a key fabrication process generally completed in the workshop, and often a mystery to design engineers. The confi dence in Steelwork Contractors is entirely justified – they fabricate steelwork by welding each and every day, and most welding is entirely orthodox.
SN09 102006 sustainable steel
The requirement to move towards sustainable development is the most important challenge facing our planet. Environmental stress and depletion of fi nite resources require a different development paradigm. Steel’s excellent sustainability credentials make it ideally suited to meet this challenge. Some of the benefits of using steel are highlighted below.
SN10 112006 galvanizing
The galvanizing of structural steelwork is a long established and cost-effective way of providing economic and long-lasting protection against corrosion, with low maintenance requirements and good damage resistance. This SIGN gives the engineer practical guidance on the causes of Liquid Metal Assisted Cracking (LMAC) and factors that should be considered for the design and detailing of steelwork to be hot dip galvanized to avoid it.
SN11 012006 steelwork prices
There are a wide range of factors that influence tender prices for structural steelwork. In general the factors are either “commercial” or “technical”. Best practice guidance is given below on the key factors, together with information on “lead times” and erection times.
SN12 022007 steel spec
It is vitally important that the structural designer specifi es the structural steelwork correctly. The steel specification must cover not only the strength grade (typically S275 or S355) but also the steel sub-grade. Specifying the correct steel sub-grade is important to ensure that any possibility of brittle fracture is avoided.
SN13 032007 composite
Composite construction is so common that it needs little introduction. Chosen for structural efficiency, cost-effectiveness, speed and safety, a composite floor is a hallmark of a modern multi-storey frame. This guidance note reminds designers of the issues of note.
SN14 042007 prevention of corrosion
The cost effective corrosion protection of structural steelwork should present little difficulty for common applications and environments if the factors that affect durability are recognised at the outset. This note aims to give specifiers an insight into the factors involved.
SN15 052007 design information
One vital issue which is relevant to all parties involved in a construction project is timely and accurate information. This is equally true for steel construction where the Steelwork Contractor can only do the work and properly fulfil the contract conditions if the necessary technical information is complete and provided to an agreed programme.
SN16 062007 case for steel
The advantages of choosing steel-framed construction are appreciated by clients, contractors and designers. This advice note sets out the key benefits of steelwork which will be important when choosing the structural solution.
SN17 072007 CE marking
The Construction Products Directive (CPD) is a European Directive that seeks to remove barriers to trade. The CPD introduces the concept of CE marking for all construction products and steel products such as steel sections, bolts, welding consumables and fabricated steelwork are just coming within its remit. It is therefore essential that those involved in steel construction are aware of the implications of CE marking.
SN18 092007 National structural steelwork specification
The National Structural Steelwork Specifi cation for Building Construction 5th edition (NSSS) provides documentation that can be included in a steelwork contract to help ensure that steelwork is accurately and economically fabricated and constructed safely. It also lists the information that is needed such that a steelwork contract can be completed on time without resource to contractual disputes. This SIGNS describes some of the information presented in each Chapter of the NSSS.
SN19 102007 Intumescent Coatings
Thin film Intumescent coatings are increasingly used in the UK because they provide a high standard of finish, quality and reliability, they can be applied on or off-site and can be used on buildings requiring 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes fire resistance.
SN20 112007 Modern standard forms of contract
Standard forms of contract have been around for a long time. Many become so familiar that theyare still routinely used even when they are no longer being updated (the DOM/1/2 system, forinstance, still seems to be used more regularly than any other form of subcontract, although it hasnot been updated for some years now). It is not uncommon to hear that one system of contractsis used between client and lead contractor and another system altogether between lead andspecialist contractors, leading to problems throughout the course of the contract.
SN21 012008 Stability of Temporary Bracing
It is mandatory under the Health & Safety at Work Act to provide steel erectors with a safe systemof work. This SIGNS highlights the factors that underpin a safe system of working, the objectivesof a method statement and the Engineer’s and the Steelwork Contractor’s responsibilities. Thetransmission of information is crucial to the safe running of any project and key extracts fromthe National Structural Steelwork Specifi cation on the critical information required for temporarybracing are included.
SN22 022008 Structural Fire Safety Engineering
Fire safety engineering can be defined as the process of adopting a rational and scientific approachwhich ensures that fire precautions adopted in any situation are appropriate to the risk involvedrather than accepting universal provisions which may over or underestimate the risk.
SN23 032008 Allocation Of Design Responsibilities in Constructional Steelwork
The British Constructional Steelwork Association (BCSA) together with the Association forConsultancy and Engineering (ACE), the Association of Consultant Architects, the ConstructionConfederation, the insurance brokers Griffiths and Armour, the Institution of Structural Engineersand the Steel Construction Institute have joined together to publish guidance on the ‘Allocationof Design Responsibilities in Constructional Steelwork’. The aim of this publication is to identifythe requirements for the production and exchange of accurate, timely and detailed information forprojects involving steelwork.
