L5: Steel Frame Systems Flashcards

1
Q

How is steel different from other materials?

A

Brittle materials fail abruptly at the fracture point but steel is ductile and continues to strain

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2
Q

What happens when steel stretches and reaches the plastic region?

A

It cannot return to its original shape

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3
Q

How is steel made?

A

Produced from cast iron and altering carbon content

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4
Q

What happens when there is the wrong amount of carbon in steel?

A

Too much - hard, brittle

Too little - soft, weak

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5
Q

How can steel be made corrosion resistant?

A
Weathering steel (low-alloy)
Coated in zinc
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6
Q

How are structural shapes produced with steel?

A

Running hot steel through a series of rollers

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7
Q

Why is New Zealand’s steel industry unique?

A

Uses magnetic ironsand formed from volcanic activity in Taranaki

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8
Q

What does New Zealand’s steel industry focus on?

A

Sheet steel products rather than structural steel members

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9
Q

What are the key advantages of steel frames?

A

Ease and speed of erection (no formwork)
Dimensional control (factory fabricated)
Ability to modify frame (extensions/strengthening)
Superior strength/weight ratio (allows large column free spans)

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10
Q

What are the key disadvantages of steel frames?

A

High cost (depending on market; more volatile)
Fireproofing (weakens rapidly in high temperatures)
Tendency to corrode (painted regularly or expensive corrosion-resistant)
Susceptible to buckling (require support)

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11
Q

What are the main steel structural shapes?

A
Wide flange
Channel
Angles 
Structural tee,
Bars/plates
Pipes/tubes
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12
Q

What makes up a wide-flange beam?

A

Top flange
Web
Bottom flange

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13
Q

How are steel sizes written?

A

Shape letter depth x weight

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14
Q

What is an alternative to a wide-flange beam?

A

Joist girder (constructed from angles)

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15
Q

What makes up a bar joist/open-web steel joist?

A
Top chord (angles)
Web (bar)
Bottom chord (angles)
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16
Q

What do wide-flanges and joist girders do and what is the difference between them?

A

Supports loads from bar joists

Joist girders are more lightweight and economical than wide flanges, but are also deeper so may not suit high rise

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17
Q

What do bar joists commonly require?

A

Bridging with horizontal bars/angles welded to bottom chords
OR
Cross bridging placed at midspan to maintain correct orientation and help support loads

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18
Q

What are the different types of connections?

A
Rivets (obsolete)
Bolts
Welding
Beam-to-column
Column-to-column
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19
Q

What are the methods for verifying bolts?

A
  1. Turn of nut
  2. Load indicator washer
  3. Tension control bolts
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20
Q

What makes up common beam-to-column connections?

A

Shear tab at the joint
Bolts provide shear resistance
Stiffener plate used if flanges not strong enough to handle moment forces
Dog bones cut into flanges to create weak zone

21
Q

What makes up common column-to-column connections?

A

Plates and bolts connecting the flanges
Shim plates used if slightly different size
Can be welded at web
Butt plate welded if big difference in size

22
Q

What are the three stabilising mechanisms?

A

Diagonal bracing
Sheer panels
Moment connections

23
Q

What are the three types of diagonal bracing

A

K-bracing
X-bracing
Eccentric bracing (earthquakes)

24
Q

What are sheet panels (stabilising mechanism)

A

Steel or concrete typically surrounding the core

25
Q

What are two common methods to stabilise the frame and how do they work?

A

Rigid core or rigid perimeter

They stabilise the frame as the floor can provide rigidity to non-rigid areas by connecting them to rigid areas

26
Q

What is the construction process of a steel frame system?

A
Fabricator
Ironworkers
Erect first tier
Erect upper tiers
Placing last beam
27
Q

What does the fabricator do?

A

Delivers steel members to site ready to be assembled without further processing

28
Q

What do the ironworkers do?

A

Raising gang - position components

Bolt-up gang - tighten and plumb

29
Q

How is the first tier erected?

A

Install columns
Beams/girders
Plumb and tighten
Decking if necessary

30
Q

How are columns installed when the first tier is erected?

A

Smaller columns prefab with base plates set in footing with anchor bolts and levelling nuts and filled with grout
OR
Can put column on thin levelling plate which is on a bed of grout on the footing

31
Q

How are the upper tiers erected?

A

Columns installed and spliced to previous tier

mobile crane or tower crane

32
Q

What happens when the last beam is placed?

A

Topping out ceremony

33
Q

What are the two main types of decking?

A

Metal and concrete

34
Q

What is the spanning capability of metal decking based on?

A

Thickness of sheet, depth, spacing of corrugations

35
Q

What are the types of metal decking?

A

Single sheet
Cellular decking
Composite metal decking

36
Q

What is cellular decking?

A

Corrugated sheets welded to flat sheets providing voids for services

37
Q

What is composite metal decking and how does it bond?

A

Metal deck (tensile strength) with concrete topping (compression strength)

Metal bonds with concrete through deformed ribs or welded rods; shear studs can be used to force concrete topping to work with beams to resist bending

38
Q

What are the types of connections to frame?

A

Puddle welds
Self-drilling, self-tapping screws
Power-driven pins

39
Q

What are the two types of concrete decking?

A

Site cast decking (not compatible with steel framing)

Pre-cast concrete planks

40
Q

What do building codes say about fireproofing steel frames?

A

Majority requires fireproofing; high rise structures typically require full frame fireproofing

41
Q

Which elements are not fireproofed?

A

Those with concrete tied against them as the concrete absorbs the heat, thus protecting the steel

42
Q

What are the methods of fireproof columns?

A

Spray-on
Encasement in reinforced concrete
Loose insulating fill inside sheet material
Enclosure in metal lath and plaster
Water filled box/pipe column
Enclosure in layers of gyp board (preferred)

43
Q

What are the methods of protecting beams/girders?

A

Encased in reinforced concrete
Encased in metal lath and plaster
Spray on fireproofing (most common)
Plaster/multi layer gyp board suspended ceiling

44
Q

What is the newest generation of fireproofing and how does it work?

A

Intumescent coatings; thin coatings which expand when exposed to fire and form thick char the insulates the structural member

45
Q

How are steel frame systems used to improve beams?

A

Castellated beams - wide flange with cut through web which increases depth without extra weight

Plate girders - custom made steel plates angles; can be placed where anticipate forces require and can provide openings for pipes etc.

46
Q

How can steel be used in other frame types?

A

Rigid frames - rectangular frame/arch which requires steel rods at their base to resist thrust

47
Q

How is steel used in composite columns?

A

Combines strength and economies of steel and reinforced concrete

48
Q

What are three types of composite columns?

A

Steel column surrounded by reinforced concrete (concrete carries loads and protects steel)

Pipe column filled with reinforced concrete (pipe column carries load, steel may need fireproofing)

Pipe column with wide flange column and reinforced concrete inside (added steel increases load bearing capacity)