1. business and industrial
2. construction

1
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
Introduction
by Sarah McCann-Bartlett, Director General,
British Constructional Steelwork Association
Steel is tops
for schools
academic term times must be met. Cost
effectiveness has always been a major
plus point for steel construction, but this
has assumed a fresh importance in more
austere times. As you will read in these
pages however, designers and contractors
are confident of ensuring that cost
restraints do not prevent aesthetically
pleasing educational environments being
created.
Around 70% of schools are built with
steel frames and it is hard to imagine the
UK’s educational needs being met using
any other material. Education is not only
R
about schools of course, and further
ecent announcements by the
and higher education establishments
Government confirm that the
are equally reliant on steel construction,
hiatus in school building in
including student accommodation and
England is over and more, much
specialist research buildings, as you will
needed first class buildings will be built
read in this special publication.
to support the UK’s educational future.
Education is an important market for
Steel construction has a track record
the steel construction sector, and with
of delivering quality buildings that
around 10% of structural steelwork used
research has shown help pupils and
in the UK consumed by the education
students to thrive, and plays a crucial role
sector annually, every effort is made to
in delivering the next generation of first
ensure that architects and structural
rate, cost-effective and sustainable school
engineers are provided with all the advice
buildings.
and guidance they need to make using
Steel construction is ideally suited for
steel as straightforward as possible.
education related buildings, and many
We hope you find this publication
have achieved BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and
about the use of steel in this vitally
‘Very Good’ ratings. The speed of steel
important sector interesting and
construction is highly valued in the
informative, and of course, educational.
education sector as deadlines relating to
January 2013
For detailed information about the use of steel construction
for education buildings visit the new steel sector website
www.steelconstruction.info/Education_buildings
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
Sector overview
The education sector has emerged from a period of spending cuts with a more
streamlined and cost-effective approach to construction.
Viewpoint
An architect’s, an engineer’s and a quantity surveyor’s views on the benefits of
using structural steelwork in education.
Thermal mass
Constructing an educational building that saves money by utilising thermal mass
can be easily achieved with a structural steel frame.
Project report
A host of criteria, including the complexity of roof overhangs, corridor cantilevers,
speed of construction and cost, all meant steel was the ideal framing material for
the City of Leicester College.
Design
Project teams are increasingly using standardised designs as a cost-effective way of
delivering educational buildings.
Project report
Once complete the steel framed Outwood Academy Adwick will save money by
utilising its structural thermal mass to control internal temperatures.
Project report
A steel frame for a halls of residence in the Orkney Islands was the most flexible
and adaptable solution.
Project report
One of the last Building Schools for the Future projects is being constructed with a
bespoke steel frame using tubular box sections to achieve the desired flat soffit.
Project report
A primary school in Blackpool featuring a distinctive elliptical roof could only have
been constructed quickly and easily with structural steelwork.
Project report
A modular construction method utilising thermal mass is being used on a new
academy and community church in south London.
3
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
School building freed
from suspension
Things are looking brighter again for the education sector after two years of
spending cuts and a disruption caused by rethinking the use of private finance.
Nick Barrett finds the education sector eager to respond to calls for more costeffective design and construction.
E
ducation building was one of the
main beneficiaries of Chancellor of
the Exchequer George Osborne’s
Autumn Financial Statement in
December, with some �1,000M released for
schools. This will translate into work on site
during the course of 2013, bringing a much
needed boost to a currently beleaguered
sector that was not long ago one of the most
vibrant, and which had shown a strong
preference for using steel as the construction
method.
The education building sector was
brought to a virtual halt in 2010 by the
cancellation of Building Schools for the
Future (BSF), a 20 year �55,000M investment programme for secondary schools in
England that was well served by the steel
construction sector, with many iconic school
buildings completed and commended for
providing first class facilities. Research has
shown that superior quality buildings provide environments in which schoolchildren
can better thrive, and the steel sector had
reason to be proud of its contribution.
Against a new, more austere, economic
background some of those schools have
recently been criticised for incorporating
what are now regarded as wasteful elements
– atriums have been a particularly sore
point – and the move is now towards
standardised designs and lower capital costs
of construction. Architects and engineers
are still confident though of delivering
high quality design and construction to the
education sector within the new financial
and design constraints.
A review of the Private Finance Initiative
(PFI) also contributed to a hiatus in school
and other education building, but some
of the logjam has been released by the
Autumn Financial Statement and the
future is looking brighter for the education
sector now than it has for a couple of years.
Steel construction accounts for around
70% of education buildings, according
to independently produced market share
surveys, and there are good reasons to
Schools for the
21st century
The Welsh Government is currently planning a
£1,400M investment over seven years under
the 21st Century Schools Capital Programme to
start in 2014-15, funded equally by the Welsh
Government and local authorities.
In the period until this programme starts
Wales has the last of the projects being built with
£415M of capital investment provided under a
Transitional Funding programme, which came
as welcome news against a background of a
cut of 50% in capital spending by the Welsh
Government.
This was boosted in October 2012 with £15
million to be invested in 2013-14, enabling ten
key school projects to start earlier than originally
planned. The Government says it is seeking ways
to accelerate the programme further.
4
More projects like
the expansion of the
Glyndwr University
in Wrexham are
planned
assume that the fresh emphasis on speedier
delivery of cost-effective schools will see that
share rise over time.
Although Education Secretary Michael
Gove announced in May 2012 that 261
schools will be rebuilt or otherwise
improved through the Priority School
Building Programme, with a hiatus on use
of the Private Finance Initiative it was not
clear what funding model would be used.
Commentators and financial analysts had
fairly consistently said that some form of
PFI would be needed, but this was uncertain
until the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement
when a new approach, PF2, was announced.
The industry awaits news of the first
batch of schools to be procured under
the new funding regime, in the hope that
thrashing out the final details for the process
does not delay projects getting started.
There is a drive under way to cut costs,
by as much as 30%, or �6M per school,
according to DfE statements. Prescriptive
design templates were issued in October
The steel frame
for Sedgehill High
School in Lewisham,
London was erected
by Bourne Steel
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
School building prioritised
The Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) has a £2,000M capital cost, £1,750M of which will be spent on
construction and some of which will be procured as part of the new private finance scheme, PF2. The Chancellor
also announced in December a £1,000M boost to pay for some 100 schools that will start on site in Autumn 2013.
Some £270M has been provided for Further Education Colleges as part of the overall programme. Skills minister
Matthew Hancock said he expects to see over £1.5Bn of further education projects come to market over the next
two years after the Treasury announced a funding boost in December.
He said: “With colleges trebling the amount of government money invested in capital projects we expect to see
over £1.5Bn in new college construction projects get off the ground in the next two years.”
2012 to be used for 261 schools that will
replace those considered to be in the worst
condition under the Priority School Building
Programme. The templates imply that the
schools will be 15% smaller than those built
under the previous Building Schools for the
Future programme.
Investment of �1,000M announced by
the Chancellor is for expanding existing
schools and to build 100 new free schools
and academies, and comes on top of the
money already earmarked for school
building. The new money is expected to
pay for 100 schemes to be built for local
education authorities, funded via the
Education Funding Agency, the centralised
procurement unit created as a capital
schemes delivery body for the Department
for Education (DfE).
Northern Ireland was able to end a two
year capital spending freeze on schools last
year, announcing a �173M plan to build
mostly primary schools, as well as two
secondary schools and a special school.
Schools in
Scotland
The steel frame goes
up on the St Peter
the Apostle High
School in Clydebank
The Scottish Government announced in
June 2009 £800M of funding to support
local authorities in taking forward a
£1.25Bn programme for the rebuilding or
refurbishment of some 55 new primary
and secondary schools by 2017/18. The
programme is managed by the Scottish
Futures Trust.
Funding for 35 school building projects
was announced in June 2010, and a
further two secondary school projects were
announced in December 2010.
By the start of 2012 six schools had
been completed and opened, nine schools
were being built, and construction of other
schools started during the 2012 - 2013
financial year.
5
The material
of choice?
What framing material criteria do architects look
at when designing educational buildings?
Photos: James Brittain
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
6
D
esigns for school buildings have
to adhere to a particular set of
requirements, more specific than
many other types of structure.
Flexibility, spatial planning, the control
of vibrations and acoustics, thermal mass as
well as speed of construction all come into
play when choosing a framing material for a
project’s construction.
Requirements change depending on
the type of building, for instance infant,
primary and secondary schools will usually
have a fairly regular set of classrooms, based
around a standard grid pattern. The main
difference being that infant and primary
schools are usually single storey structures,
while secondary schools are predominantly
two or three storeys high.
These establishments will also have an
assembly hall/sports hall, a structure based
around a much larger grid to accommodate
the necessary open column free area.
In the higher educational sector the
structures will also have to accommodate
offices, lecture theatres and laboratories,
and even multi storey halls of residence
with multiple bedrooms.
“There are many considerations to take
into account when designing an educational
building, but speed of construction is
always one of the most important,” says
Stafford Critchlow, Director at Wilkinson
Eyre.
Fast construction programmes are vital
so that new buildings can be completed
within one academic year, or even during
the summer vacation in the case of
extensions. This will minimise any potential
disturbance to the school, college or
university, especially if the new building
is adjacent to or adjoined to an existing
establishment, which is quite often the case.
Steel construction has achieved a strong
market position for all types of educational
buildings, not just for its speed of
construction – helped by the fact that steel
can be prefabricated into modular elements
- but also for shallow floor construction
which can aid vibration and acoustic
performance.
The majority of teaching spaces tend
to have a 3m clear headroom and exposed
concrete soffits, either precast planks or
exposed in situ reinforced concrete.
“A steel frame with precast planks ticks
all the boxes for school construction. It’s
quick and by leaving the planks exposed
the project can achieve optimum thermal
mass,” explains Hugh Avison, CPMG
Architect.
Flexibility is also a major consideration
in the design stage. Long span steel
construction creates column free space
and allows rooms to be configured on the
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
floor plan to meet the current and future educational needs. Light
steel internal walls can be relocated in the future if needs change,
leading to fully adaptable buildings.
“Some projects have a long gestation period and the design can
change even as late as the construction stage. Steel is more flexible
and lends itself to quick alterations,” adds Chris Gilbert, Architect
for Pick Everard.
Atriums and long linking streets for larger educational projects
are parts of a construction job that are invariably framed with
steel. Both of these features rely on long open areas where steel
construction is the obvious choice, but as Mr Critchlow says steel
has other benefits.
“Steel is more expressive for the construction of big feature
elements such as curving and undulating covered streets,” he says.
(See story on Bristol Metropolitan Academy to right).
However, with budgets being tightened, school designs have had
to adapt accordingly and so large central feature atriums may be a
thing of the past.
That is not to say steel construction will suffer, on the contrary
many contractors are using modular prefabrication as the
way to save money and time, a method that fully utilises steel
construction’s inherent qualities (see story on page 22).
The QS’s viewpoint
The education sector is a key sector for structural steelwork
with recent Construction Market surveys commissioned by
the BCSA and Tata Steel showing that steelwork frames
accounted for just less than 70% of all education construction
in 2011.
“From a cost consultancy perspective, steelwork can offer
a number of advantages that can translate into economies
being achieved in construction both for school buildings and
for further and higher education buildings,” says Alastair
Wolstenholme, Partner at Gardiner & Theobald.
“School buildings typically have similar space requirements
(e.g. classroom and library/resource space, catering provision,
indoor and external sports facilities etc) and economies
can therefore be achieved through the repetition and
standardisation benefits that steelwork offers. A number of
standard solutions for these buildings have been developed,
which are generally steel framed, that offer both reduced
design and construction periods and cost savings as a
consequence. The programme advantages of steel are
particularly important as completion is often driven by the
academic calendar and a steel frame can offer quicker
erection times and reduced overall construction periods. As
a consequence of this, and the fact that associated elements
such as substructures can be reduced due to lighter frame
weights, economies can be achieved.
“In contrast, further and higher education buildings
have a far greater variation in functions and facilities (e.g.
workshops, studios, laboratories and lecture theatres as well
as general teaching and office space). Within these sectors,
steel can provide a range of economical solutions for the
required larger spans, higher loadings and varying storey
heights as well as the ability to readily vary them within a
single building. Furthermore, steelwork can provide future
flexibility through larger column free spaces so that buildings
can be used or efficiently adapted to suit different needs and
functions.”
Steel is streetwise
Part of the Bristol BSF initiative, the Bristol
Metropolitan Academy was designed by Wilkinson
Eyre and Arup as an exemplar scheme in 2005
and opened in 2008. The project is based around
a series of learning clusters all linked by an
internal street. This covered area separates the
teaching blocks and provides the main focus and
hub within the school.
“It combines the key circulation, social and
dining spaces,” explains Stafford Critchlow,
Director at Wilkinson Eyre. “By using steel’s
inherent lightweight construction we created a
feature that promotes inclusion.
“The street is curved on plan and undulates
along its top, it could only have been built with
steel.”
Engineer’s viewpoint
Edward Murphy, Technical Director Mott MacDonald says: “Education buildings are an excellent
application for spaces designed with high thermal mass. Thermal loads in teaching spaces are
characterised by high density occupation for morning and afternoon periods. During the evenings
and overnight the building is either empty or usage is low. This cyclical nature of occupancy and
thus thermal load is perfect for high thermal mass applications. In our latest Sheffield Schools
BSF programme we have employed high thermal mass techniques, using a steel frame, with real
success in limiting summertime temperatures and maintaining better room temperature stability
year round. Just a note of caution might be to make sure that acoustic reverberation time issues
are also addressed, as this is a consideration for all buildings adopting thermal mass, irrespective
of frame material.”
7
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
Keeping buildings
cool with steel
The Outwood Academy
was designed with
achieving thermal mass
as one of its main criteria
E
nergy costs have more than doubled
in the past decade. In schools, or any
other buildings, that’s a lot of added
outlay – and explains the growing
interest in creating buildings that save
money through utilising their own thermal
mass to reduce energy use.
Also known as fabric energy storage,
thermal mass is the ability of a building’s
fabric – particularly the exposed soffit of a
concrete floor slab – to soak up excess heat.
This helps to keep the internal environment
comfortable while reducing the need for air
conditioning.
It’s a result all round – the building’s
occupants are happy, the owners save
money and the environment benefits
because reducing air conditioning means
less CO2 is produced.
For some architects and engineers,
though, it’s led to a misunderstanding that
can add unnecessary construction costs to a
building.
Because concrete is the material
providing the thermal mass, some believe
that they are limited to the use of a concrete
frame as the best way forward.
Not true, says Edward Murphy, Technical
Director of Mott MacDonald.
“It’s a common misconception that a
building needs lots of concrete or masonry
to achieve thermal mass,” he said.
“In fact, we only require a thin skin of
concrete or masonry, and this can be constructed on a steel frame every bit as easily
8
How steel is meeting
the grade and
cutting costs when
it comes to lean,
green thermal mass
demands
Optimum thermal
mass can be
achieved with a
steel frame
as on a concrete frame. The key is designing
so that the concrete or masonry is exposed
directly to the internal environment.”
Using a steel frame in conjunction with
precast concrete planks on a school in
Doncaster, helped the Outwood Academy
Adwick achieve optimum thermal mass.
Exposing the floor soffit in most teaching
areas has helped maintain the temperature
in the school below 25 degrees, resulting in
reduced energy.
Thermal Mass can also be achieved
using a metal deck solution which was
used on St John’s Square – a four-storey
council building in Seaham town centre.
The project’s success was down to choosing
a steel frame comprising steel decking and
composite concrete floor slabs which offered
the best solution to incorporate natural
ventilation and thermal mass to control the
building temperatures.
It can also make a huge difference to the
cost of a building – when Cheshire Police
built their new headquarters in Blacon,
choosing a steel frame and precast planks to
mobilise thermal mass saved around five per
cent on the cost of a concrete frame – and
meant the building was finished four weeks
earlier than would have otherwise been
possible.
So how does thermal mass work?
In buildings such as schools and offices,
which are intensively used during
the day, temperatures can build up to
uncomfortable levels due to solar gain and
internal heat gains from the occupants,
computers and other equipment. If the
soffit of the floor slab is left exposed, the
warm air rises and some of the heat is
soaked up by the concrete.
This helps to reduce the peak
temperatures during the working day and
also delays the time at which that peak
temperature occurs. At night, cool external
air is allowed to flow over the concrete,
cooling it down sufficiently so the process
can start all over again the next day.
A thin skin of concrete will moderate
temperatures over a 24 hour cycle of
heating and cooling. The ideal thickness
is 100mm, a fact that has been accepted
How a concrete slab absorbs heat
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
Common
misconceptions
lConcrete building frames create better thermal mass than steel frames.
 Wrong
Steel framed structures are just as effective, as it’s the concrete floor that
provides the mass.
lThe thicker the concrete used in floors, the more heat it absorbs.
 Wrong
The first 25mm of the concrete does most of the work, and 100mm is the
optimum thickness.
by both the steel and concrete industries.
Thicknesses beyond this cannot be
mobilised to soak up excess heat. In fact,
it’s the first 25mm that does most of the
work (see admittance chart on previous
page).
So it is important that the heatabsorbing soffits remain exposed, which
rules out standard suspended ceilings and
dry linings.
Experts point out that to get real
benefits, it’s crucial to take thermal mass
into consideration as part of a whole
building environment strategy that also
includes glazing, building orientation and
servicing strategies.
Mr Murphy says: “It’s important that
architects talk to building performance
engineers when they start, because we can
have a very beneficial effect on the carbon
performance of the building without
curtailing innovation in the design process.”
The steel framed One Trinity Green in
South Shields won the BREEAM award for
the most sustainable office building in the
UK in early 2012, and thermal mass played
a large part in its success.
The builders carried out thermal
modelling to create a mathematical
simulation of the internal environment,
which showed that thermal mass could be
achieved by combining the steel frame with
exposed concrete floors.
The designers made a virtue of this,
creating a much-praised ‘modern Victorian
warehouse’ feel for the �5.1M building.
Exposed concrete is also used to
excellent aesthetic effect at Birmingham
Council’s new flagship building in Aston,
which achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating.
The team decided creating a steel framed
structure was the only way that they could
achieve the tight construction programme
required on the project, and using exposed
concrete floors took away the need to
install excessive mechanical cooling. This
offered significant cost and carbon savings.
“If you can make a building passive from
a design point of view, you save energy and
the building will remain low-carbon for the
rest of its life,” said Mr Murphy.
How thermal mass works
l During the day, heat is produced in a building from solar gain, human activity and equipment use.
l The warm air rises and flows across the building’s exposed surfaces, where it is stored.
l At night, cool air is allowed to flow across the surfaces.
l These cool sufficiently to start absorbing heat again in the morning.
Heat is stored in the structure by day and expelled at night
by the flow of cool air across the exposed surfaces
Structure allows the flow of air
across exposed surfaces
9
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
Steel
passes
the test
Building a new school in Leicester with
structural steel has ticked all the correct
boxes for a quick and cost efficient
construction programme. Martin Cooper
reports.
S
teel construction has taken the lead
in the building of new facilities for
the City of Leicester College.
A host of criteria, including
the nature, shape, complexity of roof
overhangs, corridor cantilevers, drama
halls, feature entrance area, speed of
construction and cost all pointed to the use
of steel as the ideal framing material for
this prestigious Leicester Building Schools
for the Future (BSF) project.
The college has around 1,400 pupils
and is a business and enterprise centre as
The steel frame
provides flexibility
for future expansion
10
well as a mixed secondary school for ages 11
to 18.
The project is part of the BSF scheme,
one of the few such programmes unaffected
following the Government’s 2010 review.
It is now the largest BSF programme
consisting of 21 secondary schools.
New buildings are being constructed
on land already owned by the college, and
the completed facilities will make use of an
existing council owned sports hall which is
also located on the site. The overall design
layout of the new build is a T-shaped
structure with three skewed teaching wings
protruding from the longest leg of the
building.
Sustainability has been a key issue for
the design team and a lot of emphasis has
been placed on natural ventilation, solar
shading and other environmental features.
The steel frame incorporates a large
overhang to the south façade to provide
shading from strong high angle sun.
“Using a steel frame has also given us
great flexibility in design. We have been
able to create an exciting dynamic school.
The simple but effective steel structure also
offers the ability to respond to changing
educational needs or future expansion,”
says Mark Leonard, Leicester City Council’s
Project Manager for the City of Leicester
College.
“The steel frame solution has enabled
the designers to address the demanding
targets set by the council for carbon
reduction, reducing U-values, improving
quality of natural light and ventilation, and
reducing heat loss.”
A stack effect of classrooms has been
designed for the three two-storey teaching
wings. This is said to have optimised the
steelwork tonnage and design as well as
helping to control natural ventilation.
Steve Merrin, Miller Construction
Project Manager, says: “Steel was chosen for
its speed of construction, and replicating
the design over two floors made the
erection even quicker.”
Each teaching wing contains a centrally
located double height void, to be used as
an independent work area. This large open
space, as well as the stack effect, will draw
warm air upwards and out via the clerestory
roof light.
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
Centrally located
voids in each block
will aid ventilation
“We looked at all materials and steel
was the best option,” explains Gordon
Dow, URS Associate Director. “It is
cheaper and faster to build with, and it
also accommodates the large expanses
of curtain walling and the lightweight
steel roof more economically than other
materials.”
Miller Construction started on site in
April 2012 and is scheduled to complete
the building phase of the project in
October 2013. The college will then
decamp from its existing location into its
new building, allowing Miller to begin the
demolition and phase two of the job.
Phase two also includes turning the
plots where the college is currently located
into playing fields and a car park, and this
is due to be completed by July 2014.
Prior to steelwork erection starting
on site, the sloping site required a value
engineered cut and fill operation to avoid
an expensive foundation solution and high
landfill taxes. To achieve this, dynamic
compaction was carried out on the existing
made ground before raising the site to
formation level by using suitable excavated
materials gained from areas of cut.
No spoil has been taken offsite. Instead,
it has been used to profile the site, with one
part of the college having three levels and
being separated from the main two-storey
sector by a retaining wall.
In June 2012 steelwork erection began,
with Adstone Construction using three
mobile cranes to erect the entire 800t of
structural steelwork in 12 weeks.
The company also installed precast lift
shafts and precast stairs along with the
steelwork, while also putting up easi-edge
protection with all exterior beams.
Much of the existing school
will be demolished making
room for a car park
“This is another of steel’s advantages,
as the edge protection stays on after the
steelwork erection and means there is a
safe environment for the follow on trades,”
says Mr Merrin.
The 12,700m2 building is structurally
divided up with movement joints
separating the three teaching wings from
the T-shape, and also another dividing the
T and the upper axis. Stability for the frame
is provided by cross bracing, mostly located
in partition walls and along some façades.
Although the design is fairly simple,
the project’s steel frame is not short on
architectural features as a series of CHS
columns are arranged along the façade that
leads to the main entrance.
Summing up the project Mr Leonard
says: “The selection of a steel frame
has provided a building that will be
high performing through its lifecycle, a
low maintenance, energy efficient and
ultimately recyclable structure, which is
always the best solution.”
The City of Leicester
College
Client: The Leicester BSF
Company 2
Architect: Aedas
Main contractor: Miller
Construction
Structural engineer: URS
Steelwork contractor:
Adstone Construction
Steel tonnage: 800t
Project value: £23.6M
All of the steelwork was
erected in 12 weeks, aiding
the neccessary quick
construction programme
11
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
Top of the class
School designs have had to be radically rethought with the
advent of government review and standardisation is seen
as the cost-effective way forward, writes Martin Cooper.
Steelwork was the
best material to create
long span areas at the
Horizon Community
College in Barnsley, an
Atkins/Laing O’Rourke
collaboration
12
D
esigners and contractors
are increasingly having to
deliver more cost-effective and
economical school designs
in response to governmental review
recommendations.
The 2011 James Review made a host of
proposals, one of which was standardised
designs and specifications; this was seen as
a way to reduce school build costs.
A number of leading contractors now
have a system in place including Willmott
Dixon which has pioneered the Sunesis
system. Developed along with local
authority controlled company Scape,
the system delivers a predesigned and
standardised school in quick time, and
importantly at a guaranteed price.
“We actually started designing the
Sunesis scheme before the James Review,
we knew what was coming,” says Bob
Athroll, Willmott Dixon Education
Sector Manager. “We’ve based it on our
experience of building 180 schools in six
years. It’s a traditional build that has been
predesigned.”
Sunesis is based on five different
predesigned steel frames, which can be
modified around a school’s requirements.
Depending on the site’s footprint,
the school’s budget or the number of
classrooms needed, the client can change
the design’s features or attributes within a
set of predetermined parameters.
“It’s a bit like buying a car, you can’t
change the shape of the product but you
can change or add features,” adds Mr
Athroll.
There are said to be a number of
advantages with the Sunesis method, many
of them associated with steelwork’s speed
of delivery and its lightweight attributes.
With steel design, a quick and cost-effective
programme is assured, while a steel frame
usually means shallower foundations are
required, which again saves the client time
and money.
By choosing a predesigned Sunesis
school, a client is importantly reducing
procurement times and the associated fees
for legal issues, feasibility studies as well
as the time spent at design meetings, says
Willmott Dixon.
The architect and structural engineer for
one of the five Sunesis models is Atkins. It
has worked on the Keynes primary school
model, which offers four steel framed
variants. The first completed project
recently opened in Rugby (see box).
Philip Watson, Head of Education at
Atkins says: “The Keynes model is based on
a 24m span portal frame, which allows lots
of future flexibility within the structure.
“Using steel is always best the option
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
for long spans and importantly you get the
speed of erection which helps aid a quick
overall programme.”
Atkins has also teamed up with Laing
O’Rourke collaborating on the Sigma
secondary scheme and the Novus primary
school model.
Both these designs deliver schools using
standardised components, this is said to
save a client up to 30% on building costs.
Although the Laing O’Rourke
methodology is a hybrid scheme, steel
is used for all of the long span elements.
These include dining halls, sports halls,
atriums and internal linking streets.
“Again these large open areas are always
best built with a steel frame,” sums up Mr
Watson. “Some internal street’s designs
can have a very complex shape and steel is
usually the only cost-effective solution.”
Other contractor led standardised design
schemes include Balfour Beatty’s BBi600, a
system based on a standard modular format
that can be repeated again and again. The
contractor has used the system successfully
on a number of schools already and slightly
adapted it for a scheme in south London
(see page 22).
Wates Construction has the Adapt
Schools Solution, which as well as a new
build element, also includes a conversion
scheme. This project involves the
reconfiguration of existing buildings such
as offices and commercial buildings into fit
for purpose schools.
These educational spaces are
predominantly created with structural steel
and are said to be easily adapted to reflect
future changes.
Next Generation school
The UK’s first school to be built using the Sunesis scheme has
opened in Rugby. The new structure, erected by steelwork
contractor Traditional Structures, is a single storey portal
frame that requires a concrete slab of only 135mm and no
internal structural columns.
The 1950s built Oakfield Primary School needed to expand
as many classes were already using additional temporary
accommodation. The original plan was to extend the school
at a cost of around £2M. However, with Sunesis, the school
now benefits from a brand new building for £2.2M, excluding
site preparation costs.
John Harmon, Assets Strategy Manager at Warwickshire
County Council said: “With the original budget, we were
looking at extending and altering the current building, but
analysis showed it wouldn’t be suitable for conversion into a
21st century school premises – a refurbishment option would
have meant a poor learning space and the running costs
would have been high.
“Rather than try a ‘make do and mend’, for a little bit
more we got something much better – a modern flexible
teaching and learning space, which minimises its impact on
the environment both now and in the future. And we got it
quickly too which saved money.”
Peter Owen, managing director for Willmott Dixon in
the Midlands said: “Councils across the country are facing
similar challenges; constrained finances and a boom in pupil
numbers. Post the Government’s James Review of school
buildings, Sunesis provides a new generation of affordable
designs giving real value and quality for councils that need to
improve learning space.“
Large column free
areas, such as
theatres, are more
easily constructed
with a steel frame
13
14
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
Steel proves
academic
credentials
The school has an
economic steel
design which
incorporates
differing classroom
sizes
Thermal mass, economy and speed of construction were crucial criteria when it
came to choosing structural steelwork as the framing material for a new academy
in South Yorkshire. Martin Cooper reports.
W
ork is nearing completion on
the Outwood Academy Adwick,
a £16M school rebuild project
on the outskirts of Doncaster.
The Academy, which is scheduled
for completion this spring, will feature
improved teaching spaces; a dance and
drama studio; a new sports hall; and a
personalised learning centre - a space for
individual care. With 10,651m2 of floorspace,
the school will cater for 1,350 students from
ages 11 to 18.
Wates Construction is delivering the
project and was appointed through a Future
Schools Agreement designed to speed up the
procurement of new education buildings.
Commenting on the project, Peter Davies,
Mayor of Doncaster, says: “The new school is
going to provide the staff and young people
with a superb learning environment and
it will be a tremendous asset for the local
community.
“Outwood is the second of four Doncaster
secondary schools benefiting from a rebuild
and it follows our successful lobbying
of government to invest in our school
buildings.”
Using a steel frame in conjunction with
precast concrete planks has also helped the
project achieve optimum thermal mass. “The
floor soffit is exposed in most teaching areas
and this will help the school’s temperature
to not exceed 25 degrees,” explains Hugh
Avison, CPMG Project Architect.
“At night the building will cool down via
passive cooling through the exposed soffits
and this will mean less energy consumption.”
As with most educational projects these
days, cost and economics have played central
roles in the design and construction of
this project. Wates has built a number of
schools in recent times, all of which have
been constructed with steel. From this past
experience, as well as advice from other
project team members, steel was chosen as
the most economical framing solution.
“Steel is quick to erect, robust and
consequently ideal for building schools,”
says Paul Hudson, Wates Construction
Project Manager.
Structural steelwork was also deemed
the most appropriate framing material for
this project to reduce the risk of disruption
to the construction programme from bad
weather. Whilst construction programme is
important on all projects, it is particularly
significant for the education sector where
the academic calendar dictates absolute
deadlines. The decision was the right one
as little or no time has been lost because
of inclement conditions, which is highly
important on all projects not least education
jobs which have to meet deadlines that
correspond with academic terms.
The new Outwood Academy is being
constructed on former playing fields. Once
the school has decamped to its new premises
the existing buildings will be demolished
and that site turned into new outdoor sports
areas.
The new Academy building is a
predominantly three-storey E-shaped
structure with all lift and stair cores located
in the main vertical interlinking part of the
structure.
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
The two storey
teacher training
centre is erected
next to the school
Outwood Academy Adwick,
Doncaster
Client: Doncaster Metropolitan
Borough Council
Architect: CPMG Architects
Main contractor: Wates Construction
Structural engineer:
Alan Wood & Partners
Steelwork contractor:
Atlas Ward Structures
Steel tonnage: 520t
Project Value: £16M
Each of the three teaching wings differs
slightly as they accommodate different
sized classrooms, although the steelwork
grid is largely based around a 7.2m × 7.2m
pattern. One of the wings is two storeys
high, but wider at the ground floor level as it
accommodates a canteen and kitchen.
The majority of the upper second
level of the Academy – which will mostly
accommodate sixth form students – is more
open plan than the rest of the school.
“It’s an economic structure, one that
flexibly incorporates classroom sizes
tightly controlled by the school prior to
the construction details being finalised,”
says Gez Pegram, Alan Wood & Partners
Director. “We were then able to slot the
framing around these areas, which was
relatively straightforward to do with steel.”
Stability for the building is provided by
steel cross bracing and this is located in
and near lift and stair cores in order not to
clash with windows; gable ends have also
been used for bracing. The locations allowed
the frame to be erected over five phases,
Steel programme makes good time
Erecting structural steelwork on a greenfield site is usually a
quick process, and this was the case at Outwood Academy
Adwick. As the new buildings are being constructed on
former playing fields, steelwork erection was able to begin
within a month of the construction programme starting, once
groundworks had been completed and a stone sub-base
installed.
“Using two mobile cranes, one of which was also used to
place the precast planks, we erected the entire E-shaped main
building and the sports hall in less than three months,” explains
with minimal additional temporary bracing
needed.
“The steel frame has a fairly regular grid
which suited the use of steelwork. There are
also a couple of open plan double height
spaces within the Academy and the long
span design also lends itself to steel,” adds
Mr Avison.
“Flexibility is also important and not
putting bracing in partition walls means
it can be removed in the future, thereby
creating larger classrooms if needed.”
The open areas consist of a double height
ground floor with a library and a drama
theatre on the first floor. The drama theatre
features a sliding partition, allowing the area
to be subdivided into two smaller rooms.
Adjacent to the main school building,
Atlas Ward Structures has also erected a
sports hall, which features a 33m × 18m five
court arena. A series of long span cellular
beams spans the courts. These were chosen
for economy, as a light steel member
was sufficient to support the relatively
lightweight roof.
Richard Woodhead, Atlas Ward Structures Project Manager.
As the structural design consists of a braced building,
temporary bracing was installed alongside the initial steelwork.
It had to remain in place until a number of braced bays were
self supporting, and once this was achieved the process was
repeated for adjacent bays.
The structural design is fairly simple with some vertical
repetition as classrooms are the same size. This all adds up to
an economical steelwork programme and one which was cost
efficient and speedy.
Thermal mass is the ability
of a building’s internal fabric
to absorb excess heat, store
it and either expel it or use
it at a later time.
Did you know ...
l A steel frame can achieve thermal mass just
as effectively as a concrete frame, as it’s the
concrete floor that provides the mass.
l It is only the first 75-100mm of exposed soffit
that absorbs excess heat on a diurnal cycle.
Exceeding this thickness has no value in
mobilising thermal mass and will simply increase
to the weight of the superstructure.
l The first 25mm of concrete does most of the
work, with 100mm being the optimum thickness.
15
16
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
Kirkwall Grammar
School has a
catchment area
encompassing
the entire Orkney
Islands
Papdale Halls
of Residence,
Kirkwall
Grammar School,
Orkney Islands
Client:
Orkney Islands Council
Architect:
Keppie
Main contractor:
Morrison Construction,
part of Galliford Try
Structural engineer:
A.F.Cruden Associates
Steelwork contractor:
BHC
Steel tonnage: 180t
The lightweight
design allows
the omission of
alternate columns
Future flexibility
Steel construction proved to be the most cost-effective and economical option
for new halls of residence at Kirkwall Grammar School on the Orkney Islands.
C
onstruction projects on outlying
islands, where weather conditions
can be extremely changeable, are
just the sort of jobs where steel
construction’s inherent advantages come
to the fore.
Structural steelwork is prefabricated
and can be delivered to site in manageable
loads, whatever the distance is from
fabrication facility to the project.
Steel is also quick to erect and this is
always an advantage on a project where
windy conditions can arise and potentially
disrupt the construction programme at any
time.
These benefits, and more, have all
played a significant role in the construction
of the Papdale Halls of Residence at
Kirkwall Grammar School on the Orkney
Islands.
As part of a multi million pound schools
investment programme for the islands
main contractor, Morrison Construction is
also delivering an adjacent new grammar
school, a swimming pool and squash
courts, and a primary school in Stromness.
The Papdale Halls of Residence will
replace existing halls located nearby.
They are an essential element for the new
Kirkwall Grammar School as pupils from
across the entire Orkney Islands study
here.
“Pupils from the outlying and northern
islands of Orkney cannot travel to and from
school in one day,” explains Alan Moar,
Orkney Islands Council Project Director.
“They will generally arrive on a Monday
morning and stay at the halls until Friday.”
In conjunction with the adjacent school
build programme, Papdale is scheduled for
completion in May. Morrison has been on
the overall site since mid 2011, but work on
the halls only started in March 2012.
Early works included levelling
the sloping plot and then installing
foundations in preparation for the
steelwork erection to begin in March.
Steelwork contractor BHC, who has
also erected the 1,200t steel frame for the
grammar school, completed the halls in
just three weeks.
“The speed of steel construction was
one of the main reasons for choosing the
material,” says Ronnie Bruce, Morrison
Construction Project Director. “We looked
at all options and even if we’d have had to
stop erecting steel for a period due to windy
conditions, it was still the best and most
cost efficient framing option.”
Working on a location such as the
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
All in the detail
Steelwork’s ease of
erection was crucial
on a site prone to
high winds
Orkney Islands means all materials have to
be transported from the mainland, with the
steelwork arriving by ship from Aberdeen.
“Steel is more adaptable than other
materials as it can be shipped to site in
small loads,” comments Alastair Kinghorn,
Keppie Project Architect.
BHC had to limit the steel deliveries to
25t truckloads, which were taken by road
from its South Lanarkshire fabrication
facility to the port at Aberdeen. Once
shipped to Kirkwall, the steel loads were
held in a compound until required on site.
The Papdale Halls comprise two threestorey blocks linked by a ground level
passageway and entrance. Together they
provide 70 en-suite bedrooms, mostly
singles with a few twins and four disability
rooms.
Each floor is accessed via lift or stairs,
with bedrooms all on the upper two floors,
while the ground levels accommodate
kitchens, laundry, dining rooms, TV lounge
and staff quarters. The layout of each
block is the same, with a central corridor
separating two outer rows of bedrooms.
The two blocks are of similar size and
are constructed as steel braced frames
supporting metal decking for the slabs.
Bracing is located in gable ends and in the
lift cores and stairwells.
Steel beams and columns are based
around a fairly regular grid pattern of
3.75m × 3.75m, with alternate bays larger in
one direction at 3.75m × 6.75m.
“It’s a lightweight frame and for
economic reasons the design has allowed
the omission of alternate columns,”
explains Mr Kinghorn.
Summing up, Mr Moar adds: “By using
steel we also given ourselves the flexibility
to extend the halls if necessary. An
extension could simply be bolted on to the
existing frame.”
The design of the Papdale Halls of Residence consists of two adjacent
blocks that both splay outwards from a common linking entrance
area.
To avoid adjacent bedroom windows directly facing each other, and to
give occupants privacy, the inner elevations feature angled bay windows.
The angled bays face away from the adjacent block and allow
views to the front of the halls, towards the school’s playing fields.
Steel was the only material for this tricky design criteria,” says
Alastair Kinghorn, Keppie Project Architect. “To form these bays in any
other material would have been costly and labour intensive.”
All of the bay windows, straight units for the outer façades as well
as the angled units, were prefabricated by BHC and brought to site
as complete pieces. This speeded up construction as they were simply
and quickly lifted and bolted into place.
The ground floor of each block will contain common areas
17
18
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
In the frame
The use of structural steelwork has played a crucial and significant role in the
construction of a flagship academy in Bradford.
Dixons Allerton
Academy, Bradford
Client:
Integrated Bradford
Architect: BDP
Main contractor:
Wates Construction
Structural engineer:
BDP
Steelwork contractor:
Elland Steel Structures
Steel tonnage: 1,200t
Project value: £30M
The primary school
is arranged around a
courtyard
A
number of factors come into play
when deciding on a material for a
project’s structural frame. Quality
of construction, future flexibility
and cost are always major considerations,
but on a school project in Bradford another
criteria was deemed equally as important.
For Dixons Allerton Academy the project
team wanted a frame that was quick to
erect and, importantly, formed a flat soffit.
The thinking behind this decision is that it
helps with the installation of services and
partition walls, making the construction
programme quicker.
This was particularly important at
this academy as it will be mechanically
ventilated, so consequently there is a
fair amount of associated ducting to be
installed.
“A flat soffit with no down-stand beams
certainly means the follow on trades can
complete their
work more quickly and efficiently once
the steel frame has been erected,” explains
Jonathan Pye, BDP Project Director.
BDP designed a Slimflor steel frame
using tubular steel box sections, with
each beam having plates welded to the
underside to support concrete floor planks,
so ensuring the desired flat soffit.
Speed of construction is of utmost
importance on all projects and this job was
no different. The new school is scheduled to
open in time for the 2013 autumn term, so a
quick steel erection programme (completed
by Elland Steel Structures in just 17 weeks)
was a bonus to all concerned.
Main contractor Wates Construction
was keen on utilising a steel framed design
as it has successfully constructed a number
of school projects in recent times (see
Outwood Academy in this issue), all of
which have employed structural steelwork.
However, this project is slightly different
as it is one of the last Building
Schools for the Future (BSF) schemes.
“Because of this it has a bespoke steel
framed design, and externally we’ve gone
for – at the client’s request – a robust
brickwork cladding,” says Mark Powell,
Wates Construction Project Manager.
Specialising in health and science, the
new Dixons Allerton Academy in Bradford
will accommodate 1,886 students from ages
three right through to 19. This will break
down to 26 nursery places; 420 primary
and preschool places, and 1,440 secondary
places.
To accommodate such an array of age
groups, the school’s design incorporates
classrooms on a standard grid, but some
feature moveable partitions – which is
easier to do with a steel frame - allowing
two classes to be combined into one larger
room as required.
“Future flexibility is one of the main
design criteria for modern schools,” says
Mr Pye. “None of the partition walls are
load bearing and so they could be removed,
allowing the
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
classrooms to be reconfigured.”
The new building consists of a long
curved three-storey secondary school
element, with a two-storey primary school
attached to its northern elevation. The
primary and secondary schools are linked
on two levels and share a common entrance.
The secondary part of the school houses
a sports hall at one end, and here, because
of the sloping topography, the building
is stepped. The ground floor ends at a
retaining wall beyond which sits the sports
hall, which is linked directly into the rest of
the school’s first floor level.
Stability for the steel frame is derived
from bracing which is positioned at various
locations around the structure, mostly
inside internal walls.
The elongated secondary school building
includes two large atriums, both featuring
skylights which will allow natural daylight
to penetrate the inner structure.
Classrooms are arranged predominantly
into three rows, with two adjacent corridors
either side of a central spine row of classes.
The passageways follow the curving shape
of the building and separate the inner
classrooms from the two perimeter rows of
classes.
Because of the long span steel design,
the inner or spine row of classes could
be removed in the future, as there are no
column lines in their partition walls.
“The design has accommodated
IT classes in the spine, as these don’t
necessarily need direct daylight,” explains
Paul Owen, BDP Architect Associate.
The exceptions to the three classroomed
row configuration are the atrium locations,
where only the perimeter rows continue
either side of the void, and the sports hall
where only one row of classes continues
along the northern elevation.
Because the main curving secondary
school building is so long, it has structurally
been split into three manageable segments
by two movement joints. The primary
school, although attached, is in fact a standalone structure and is separated from the
rest of the school by another movement
joint.
The primary school is arranged in a
square shape around an inner courtyard.
This area has an internal and external
element, and will be used as a recreational
area overlooked by the classrooms.
An additional external play area has been
accommodated along the front portion of
the primary school’s upper level.
When the Dixons Allerton Academy is
completed in August, the existing school
buildings will be demolished to make way
for new sports pitches, which will also be
available for community use.
Classrooms and
corridors follow the
curving shape of the
structure
School playing fields
will be available for
community use
Academy
provides
BIM flagship
By providing a multi-disciplinary service coupled with
a Building Information Modelling (BIM) workflow, BDP
says it was able to play to its strengths on the Dixons
Allerton project. At an early stage, the structural team at
BDP Manchester took ownership of the architect’s design
model (BDP Sheffield), which improved communication, and
reduced re-draw time.
As each profession developed the model, clash detection
became an integral part of the design process in order
to produce coordinated and accurate information in the
handover to the various steelwork contractors.
All construction documentation was produced directly
from the data-rich 3D model; from the architect’s planning
submission drawings, through schedules and quantities, to
detailed design.
“By referencing live information, it became quickly
apparent when a call across the Pennines was needed to tidy
up a detail, five minutes later... issued resolved,” says Mr Pye.
But the use of BIM not only improved communication
and co-ordination within the design team, it also offered
additional outputs visually, through 4D construction
sequencing.
19
20
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
Steel provides
a quick delivery
On a primary school project in Blackpool speed and cost of construction
were two important criteria that led to the choice of a steel framing solution.
G
overnment figures show almost
800,000 more children aged 11 or
under will be eligible for state education by 2020. This means that
approximately 3,200 new primary schools
will be needed by the end of the decade as
the pupil population soars to a 50 year high.
Local authorities up and down the country are already gearing up for the highest
level in the primary population since the
early 1970s with a raft of construction plans.
An example of this trend is the new £5M
Baron Road Primary School being built in
Blackpool. Scheduled to open this coming
September, it will ultimately have a capacity
for 420 pupils, enabling the seaside town
to prepare for a rising population as well as
giving parents more choice when choosing
a school.
The project’s client is Blackpool Local
Education Partnership (LEP) which is
a Public Private Partnership between
contractor Eric Wright, Blackpool Council
and Northgate Managed Services.
The LEP has delivered a number of
education projects in the area using
structural steelwork. The decision to
use structural steelwork was primarily a
contractor driven decision, based on past
experience and the need to complete the
job quickly and efficiently.
“Speed of delivery and cost were the
main reasons for deciding on a steel frame,”
says Stephen Linforth, IBI Nightingale
Project Architect. “Once the decision was
taken we designed the structure around the
LEP’s blueprint which included a curved
building with a sloping roof.”
The structure’s distinctive roof has a
design driven by the proximity of the coast,
while its slope is a sympathetic nod towards
the adjacent residential properties.
Construction is taking place on a
brownfield site close to the town’s football
stadium. Due to the presence of peat, the
building has adopted piled foundations and
a suspended ground floor slab.
On plan the school building structure
is elliptically shaped with a highly
architectural design that incorporates 7m
long cantilevers at either end. The building
is essentially two-storey with a pitched roof
that slopes in one direction.
Because of the roof’s geometry one
elevation is lower and consequently the
upper level on this eastern side of the
building accommodates plant rooms and
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
Creating the
distinctive shape
was easier and
quicker with steel
A geometry lesson
Highly architectural shapes can be created more easily with
structural steelwork. Project designers will often choose steel
for its ease of construction and importantly because the
material is adaptable and flexible.
The main challenge on this project was the design of the
steelwork connections, especially for the roof.
“As the roof slopes in two directions most of the
connections between the columns and roof rafters are
unique,” says Kevin Morris, Billington Structures Project
Designer. “The rafters are not square to the roof, they are all
set at an angle.”
On many projects the connections are duplicated
throughout the design, but on this school every one had to
be individually designed. This was a time consuming
task, but something that can be done with
structural steelwork far more readily
than other materials.
The shape of the
school’s roof was
inspired by the
nearby coast
not classrooms.
“Steel was the obvious choice because
of the project’s shape,” adds Ian Entwistle,
Booth King Project Engineer. “To achieve
the curved façades the steelwork is all
faceted which is fairly straightforward,
using any other material would have been
more complicated.”
Speed of construction using steel
is always a vital component of any
construction programme, and this project
is no exception. Once the steel frame was
erected the follow-on trades were able to
begin their work and the job was able to
quickly take shape and get watertight.
Steelwork contractor Billington
Structures erected the entire steel package
in four weeks, a contract that also included
installing three precast stair units.
In the absence of any cores, stability
during steel erection required particular
attention. “We had to brace the steelwork
temporarily, and these props stayed in
position until we had the entire frame up,”
says Jon Batty, Billington Structures Project
Manager.
Once the composite floors were
constructed the diaphragm action of the
frame stabilised the structure along with
strategically positioned permanent vertical
bracing.
Taking into account the elliptical shape
of the structure one of the main challenges
associated with steelwork concerned the
irregular grid pattern.
Each of the columns had to be set at a
different angle to achieve the shape, while
all of the steel connections – designed by
Billington Structures – are unique, because
of this complex geometry (see box).
Steelwork arrived on site on a justin-time basis in erectable loads of
approximately 25t each. The advantage
of this was that the steel did not require
storage on site.
In the absence of any large spans, the
biggest being 8m in the school’s centrally
positioned double height atrium, there are
no exceptionally large steel elements, which
meant the erection sequence was completed
using just one 25t mobile crane.
The largest steel members are four 12.5m
long beams, each weighing 3.3t each, which
are positioned in pairs at either end of the
school building. These beams, supported
on two columns to the rear, create the
feature cantilevering canopies.
Barron Road
Primary School,
Blackpool
Main Client:
Blackpool Local
Education Partnership
Architect:
IBI Nightingale
Main contractor:
Eric Wright
Construction
Structural engineer:
Booth King Partnership
Steelwork contractor:
Billington Structures
Steel tonnage: 140t
21
22
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
St Michael’s and All
Angels Church of
England Academy,
Southwark, London
Client: 4 Futures
Architect: Allford Hall
Monaghan Morris
Main contractor:
Balfour Beatty
Structural engineer:
ATOM JLC
Steelwork contractor:
Bourne Steel
Steel tonnage: 600t
The academy and
church will achieve
optimum thermal
mass
Steel on the
side of the angels
An academy in south London is reaping the benefits
of the construction team’s new approach. Martin Cooper reports.
S
ince the James Review was
published in 2011 the process of
constructing educational facilities
has radically altered. Using bespoke
architecture, quite often incorporating a
feature atrium, is out, and standardisation
is very much in.
A number of leading contractors
have decided that in order to achieve
the Government’s 30% savings target a
standardised building approach is needed.
Savings can be made with this approach
to construction and figures of between 25%
and 60% have been mooted. Steelwork
is the ideal material for this method, as
it is rapid to construct and is erected to
tight tolerances, which accommodates a
modular or prefabricated approach to other
aspects of the building.
For St Michael’s and All Angels Church
of England Academy in south London,
main contractor Balfour Beatty has adapted
its standardised school building system
to ensure the project is delivered on time
and cost effectively. This approach ensures
the minimum amount of disruption
to surrounding occupants, such as the
existing school, and reduces the amount
of on site work which can have a potential
health and safety benefit.
Known as BBi600, Balfour Beatty’s
school system is based on a standard
format that can be repeated again and
again. The contractor has used the system
successfully on a number of schools already
and has now slightly adapted it for this
scheme, which is different as it consists of
two schools and a church all on one site.
“We are prefabricating as much material
offsite as possible,” explains Bob Jenkins,
Balfour Beatty Project Manager. “The
steelwork is included, it was fabricated
early in the programme and was then ready
to go up on time, and this will ultimately
help us to close the envelope quickly and
get watertight.”
The steel frame has been erected
rapidly and was configured to facilitate
fast installation of the cladding system.
Steelwork contractor Bourne Steel
delivered the steel to site with preengineered channels attached and these
will accept brackets from which the
cladding contractor simply hangs the
insulated exterior panels.
“By using steel the frame has gone up
quicker than it would have with concrete.
The design is very efficient and by using
metal decking and composite beams we’ve
used less tonnage than previous projects
based on our construction principles,
thereby saving money,” says Simon Stocks,
ATOM JLC Project Engineer.
The soffit of the metal decking will be
left exposed in the classrooms to assist in
the cooling of the school. “Utilising the
slab to achieve optimum thermal mass is
an important part of the project’s design
strategy,” adds Mr Stocks.
The use of metal decking instead of
Community
church
7710
HS
.6C
.3x3
114
203x203x46UKC
203x203x46UKC
203x203x46UKC
The project includes a new St Michael’s
Church, to be used not only by the
academy but also by the local community.
The church will be connected to the
academy’s SMAA building, but structurally
A-A
it is SECTION
an independent
structure.
Erected as a steel braced frame, the
church is 19m long x 9m wide with a
sloping roof which is 9m at its highest
point. The decision to build this element
of the project with steel was down to cost
effectiveness. Time is of the essence and
as this part of the project was the last
to be erected, a quick programme was
essential and steel was the obvious choice
as it could be completed in a couple of
weeks.
SECTION B-B
Standing adjacent to the church,
a feature spire will also be erected by
Bourne Steel.
“We will be fabricating and assembling
the entire spire offsite to save time,” says
Kevin Springett, Bourne Steel Project
Manager. “We’ll then bring the 10t
structure to site and erect it in one day.”
The steel framed spire will be 17m high
and will be clad in white brickwork to
match the exterior façades of the church.
203x203x46UKC
203x203x46UKC
1780
UKC254x254x73
UKC254x254x73
114
.3x3
.6C
HS
16850
203x203x46UKC
A
203x203x46UKC
17275
A
203x203x46UKC
UKC254x254x73
1780
203x203x46UKC
203x203x46UKC
254x254x73UKC
B
203x203x46UKC
203x203x46UKC
B
.6
x3
3.6
CH
S
4.3
CH
11
4.3
x
S
1780
11
precast concrete planks is increasing as
Using steel and prefabricating offsite will
designers recognise that they can deliver
allow us to complete on time without
the required thermal mass from standard
causing undue noise and disturbance to
composite construction. This cost-effective
the students,” explains Mr Jenkins.
method can either utilise a standard
Aman Kasturia, Balfour Beatty Design
galvanized finish or a Colorcoat® option
Manager, further explains: “With so many
which has a pre-finished painted soffit.
elements being manufactured offsite
Once the steel frame is up the services
by different suppliers, a higher level of
are then quickly slotted into place. Many
coordination between the interfaces is
of the project’s services are modular, with Ext. Ground
required, and to facilitate this the design
3350
all risers arriving on site complete and
team and key suppliers such as Bourne
Foundation Level
ready to be installed
within
the steel frame 2875 Steel have 300
utilised
Information
1800 Building
300
400
1300
300
immediately.
Modelling (BIM)2400heavily throughout the
2000
The project is divided into four main
project.”
ELEVATION
SIDE
sectors,
theELEVATION
main St Michael’s and All
With FRONT
the close
proximity of the
Angels Church of England Academy
functioning school in mind and the fact
(SMAA) building, an adjacent three-storey
that the site is also bounded on two sides
block for Highshore special needs school,
by roads, all of the perimeter intumescent
a sports hall and a church (see box) which
fire protection for the steelwork is applied
will be linked to the SMAA structure.
offsite.
SMAA is 100m long by approximately
“This is a safety procedure,” says Kevin
36m wide and consists of a three-storey
Springett, Bourne Steel Project Manager.
300
1800
300
element sandwiched between a couple
“By doing this at our fabrication facility,
of two-storey segments. Breaking up the
it avoids any possible paint inadvertently
PLAN AT GROUND LEVEL
structure are two open courtyards and a
being sprayed beyond the site.”
centrally located movement joint.
Steelwork has been based around a
regular 7.8m grid, not just for SMAA but
also for the smaller three-storey Highshore
building, and both these structures rely on
concrete cores for their stability.
Bourne supplied cast in plates for the
core-to-beam connections, making sure
the steelwork could begin quickly and
efficiently.
A steel framed sports hall, measuring
34m x 20m will be one of the last areas
to be completed. Long clear spans are
essential for this type of structure and a
series of 3t beams will be erected to form
The chosen steel
the sports hall.
framed design has
“We are working around a ‘live’ school
saved the client time
and the project’s footprint is very tight.
and money
203x203x46UKC
4.3
11
3750
4.3
x3
.6
CH
S
175
300
11
4.3
11
2025
203x203x46UKC
x3
.6
CH
S
203x203x46UKC
2025
x3
.6
CH
S
203x203x46UKC
UKC254x254x73
HS
.6C
x3
4.3
11
203x203x46UKC
203x203x46UKC
HS
.6C
x3
4.3
11
1300
300
At present the St Michael’s and All
Angels Church of England Academy is
operating at 50% of its intended capacity,
having vacated half of its premises
last year. Some of the school was then
demolished to make room for the new
build. TOTAL STEEL TONNAGE : 6156 Kgs
(EXCLUDES SECONDARY STEELWORK TO MASONRY)
Construction work is to be completed
this summer, and the academy is then due
to open in September when the remaining
old buildings will be demolished to be
replaced with new sports fields.
400
dation Level
Because of the
proximity of
roads much of the
intumescent fire
protection has been
done offsite
HS
.6C
x3
4.3
11
Ground
STEEL CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION
3D VIEW
POTENTIAL CDM HAZARDS
THIS DRAWING IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANT HAZARDS ( OR REQUIRED METHODS
OF WORKING / SEQUENCING ) THAT A COMPETENT CONTRACTOR COULD NOT BE
EXPECTED TO IDENTIFY
NB.
THE CONTRACTOR SHALL ENSURE THAT PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT OF WORKS, ALL
WORK SHALL HAVE IN PLACE A FULL METHOD STATEMENT & RISK ASSESSMENT. THE
CONTRACTOR SHALL ALSO ENSURE THAT ALL OPERATIVES ARE CORRECTLY INDUCTED
ARE COMPETENT TO UNDERTAKE THE WORK.
ALL TEMPORARY WORKS REQUIRED TO UNDERTAKE THE WORKS SHALL BE DESIGNED BY
THE CONTRACTOR. ANY SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCES ARE IDENTIFIED ON THE
DRAWING WHERE REQUIRED.
REFERENCE IS MADE TO JLC DESIGN RISK ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT
REF. SMHS_CIV_28_CDM_300, WHICH THE CONTRACTOR SHOULD READ IN FULL.
CONSTRUCTION
ITEM -
MAINTENANCE
CONSTRUCTION
ITEM -
MAINTENANCE
WORK ADJACENT TO BUILDINGS
IN USE.
REFER SMHS_CIV_28_CDM_300.
DECOMISSIONING/DEMOLITION
CONSTRUCTION
TEMPORARY BRACING TO FRAME.
REFER SMHS_CIV_28_CDM_300.
DECOMISSIONING/DEMOLITION
ITEM -
MAINTENANCE
DECOMISSIONING/DEMOLITION
CONSTRUCTION
ITEM -
MAINTENANCE
DECOMISSIONING/DEMOLITION
23
Multi-storey office buildings 1 Attributes of steel construction 1.1 Value for money 1.2 Speed of construction 1.3 Flexibility and adaptability 1.4 Service integration 1.5 Quality and safety 1.6 Sustainability 2 Anatomy of
commercial buildings 2.1 City centre commercial buildings 2.1.1 Tall commercial buildings 2.1.2 Commercial buildings with atria 2.1.3 Mixed use commercial buildings 2.2 Commercial buildings in suburban areas 3
Structural options in commercial buildings 3.1 Braced frames 3.2 Continuous frames 3.3 Composite construction 3.4 Long span systems 3.4.1 Beams with web openings 3.4.2 Cellular beams 3.4.3 Fabricated beams 3.4.4
Other types of long span beams 3.5 Shallow floor beams 3.6 Floor systems 4 Key issues in the design of commercial buildings 4.1 Procurement 4.2 Client requirements in multi-storey office buildings 4.3 Building economics
4.4 Construction programme 4.5 Sustainability 4.5.1 Operational energy use in offices 4.5.2 BREEAM for office buildings 4.6 Loading for offices 4.7 Services and service integration 4.8 Fire engineering 4.9 Floor vibrations
4.10 Acoustic performance 4.11 Health and safety 4.12 Corrosion protection 4.13 Fabrication and construction 5 Connections 5.1 Typical details 5.2 Other interfaces 5.3 Façade systems 6 Case studies 7 References 8
Further reading 9 Resources 10 See Also 11 CPD Single storey industrial buildings 1 Attributes of steel construction 1.1 Speed of construction 1.2 Flexibility and adaptability 1.3 Maintenance 1.4 Resource efficient design
1.5 Sustainability 1.6 Value for money 2 Anatomy of typical single storey building 2.1 Framing options 2.2 Geometry and layout 2.3 Secondary steelwork 2.4 Envelope 2.5 Floor slabs 2.6 Office areas 2.7 Mezzanines 3
Forms of construction 3.1 Choice of building form 3.2 Types of portal frame 3.3 Lattice structures 3.4 Suspended structures 4 Design 4.1 Design concept 4.2 Frame choice 4.3 Structural design 4.4 Interdependence of
frames and envelopes 4.5 Operational energy performance 4.6 Service integration 4.7 Roof drainage systems 4.8 Floors and foundations 4.9 Connection details 4.10 Fire Safety 4.11 Sustainability 4.11.1 Operational energy
use in single storey industrial buildings 4.11.2 BREEAM for industrial buildings 5 Construction 5.1 Lead-in times 5.2 Site erection periods 5.3 Safe site erection 5.4 Envelope erection 6 Procurement 6.1 Design & Build
6.2 Traditional 6.3 Project management 6.4 Early involvement of the supply chain 6.5 Selection of the supply chain 6.6 Achieving collaborative working 6.7 Achieving commitment 7 Case studies 8 References 9 Further
reading 10 External links 11 Resources 12 See Also 13 CPD 1 Design drivers in the retail sector 1.1 Supermarkets 1.2 Superstores - out of town retail outlets 1.3 Distribution centres 1.4 Shopping centres 1.5 Mixed use
retail and commercial or residential buildings 2 Anatomy of a typical retail building 2.1 Single storey superstore 2.2 Single storey supermarket 2.3 Distribution warehouses 2.4 Shopping centres 2.5 Mixed use retail and
residential buildings 3 Attributes of steel construction 3.1 Speed of construction 3.2 Economy 3.3 Lightweight construction 3.4 Flexibility 3.5 Sustainability 3.6 Versatility 4 Forms of construction 4.1 Portal frames 4.2
Trusses 4.3 Building envelopes 4.4 Braced frames 4.5 Composite construction 4.6 Long span beams 4.7 Floor systems 5 Key issues 5.1 Procurement, cost and programme 5.2 Sustainability 5.2.1 Operational energy use
in supermarkets 5.2.2 BREEAM for retail buildings 5.3 Design guidance 5.4 Service integration 5.5 Fire engineering 5.6 Acoustic performance 5.7 Floor vibrations 5.8 Car parks 5.9 Fabrication and construction 5.9.1
Single storey buildings 5.9.2 Multi-storey buildings 6 Case studies 7 References 8 Further reading 9 Resources 10 See Also 11 CPD Healthcare Buildings 1 Attributes of steel construction 1.1 Speed of construction 1.2
Flexibility and adaptability 1.3 Quality 1.4 Minimised disruption 1.5 Cleanliness 1.6 Vibration and acoustic performance 1.7 Service integration 1.8 Thermal insulation of cladding 1.9 Environmental benefits 2 Anatomy of
a typical health sector building 3 Forms of construction 3.1 Braced frames 3.2 Rigid frames 3.3 Composite construction 3.4 Long span beams 3.5 Floor systems 3.6 Cores 3.7 Infill walling 3.8 Modular units 4 Procurement,
cost and programme 4.1 Procurement routes 4.1.1 Framework Partnering 4.1.2 Private Finance Initiative (PFI) 4.1.3 Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) 4.2 Cost 4.3 Programme 5 Sustainability aspects 5.1 Life cycle
costing 5.2 BREEAM for Hospitals 5.3 Minimising operational CO2 emissions 6 Design guidance 6.1 Special requirements 6.2 Service integration 6.3 Fire engineering 6.4 Corrosion protection 6.5 Acoustic performance
6.6 Floor vibrations 6.7 Health & Safety 6.8 Fabrication and construction 7 Case studies 8 References 9 Resources 10 See Also 11 External links Education Buildings 1 Attributes of steel construction 2 Anatomy of a typical
education building 3 Forms of construction 3.1 Braced frames 3.2 Composite construction 3.3 Long span beams 3.4 Floor systems 3.5 Modular construction 3.6 Light steel and infill wall construction 4 Procurement, cost
and programme 4.1 Procurement routes 4.2 Cost 4.3 Programme 5 Sustainability aspects 5.1 BREEAM for schools 5.2 Renewable energy system 6 Design guidance 6.1 Special requirements for schools 6.2 Dimensional
requirements for planning of schools 6.3 Services and service integration 6.4 Fire safety 6.5 Corrosion protection 6.6 Acoustic insulation 6.7 Health & safety 6.8 Materials and construction 7 Typical details 7.1 Connections
7.2 Facades and interfaces 8 Case studies 9 References 10 Further reading 11 Resources 12 See Also Leisure Buildings 1 Attributes of steel construction 1.1 Ease and speed of construction 1.2 Ability to span long distances
1.3 Appearance 1.4 Flexibility and adaptability 1.5 Maintenance 1.6 Cost efficient design 1.7 Sustainability 2 Categories of leisure building 2.1 Stadia 2.2 Indoor arenas 2.3 Theatres and auditoria 3 Anatomy of a typical
leisure building 3.1 Geometry and layout 3.2 Framing options 3.3 Roofing options in stadia 3.4 Sightlines and seating 3.5 Additional facilities in stadia 4 Forms of construction 4.1 Continuous frames 4.2 Portal frames 4.3
Braced frames 4.4 Long span beams 4.4.1 Trusses 4.4.2 Cellular beams 4.4.3 Curved beams 4.5 Composite construction 4.6 Floor systems 4.7 Envelope 4.8 Detailing and connections 5 Key issues 5.1 Procurement, cost
and programme 5.2 Sustainability 5.3 Design issues 5.3.1 Venue circulation space 5.3.2 Climate control 5.3.3 Acoustics 5.3.4 Floor vibrations 5.4 Fire engineering 5.5 Corrosion protection 5.6 Health and safety 5.7
Fabrication and erection 6 Case studies 7 References 8 Further reading 9 Resources 10 See Also 11 External links Residential and Mixed Use Buildings 1 Attributes of steel construction 2 Types of residential buildings 2.1
Housing 2.2 Residential buildings in suburban areas 2.3 Residential buildings in urban areas 2.4 Mixed-use residential buildings 2.5 Student residences 2.6 Hotels 3 Forms of construction 3.1 Light steel framing 3.2 Steel
frames with light steel infill walls 3.2.1 Composite beam and composite floor slabs 3.2.2 Steel beams and precast concrete slabs 3.2.3 Slim floor beams with precast concrete slabs 3.2.4 Slimdek with deep composite floor
slabs 3.2.5 Infill walling 3.3 Modular construction 3.4 Podium structures 4 Key issues in the design of residential buildings 4.1 Procurement 4.2 Building economics 4.3 Construction programme 4.4 Sustainability 4.4.1
Code for Sustainable Homes 4.4.2 Thermal performance 4.4.3 Renewable energy systems 4.5 Floor zones 4.6 Below ground car parking 4.7 Service integration 4.8 Fire safety 4.9 Floor vibrations 4.10 Acoustic performance
4.11 Health and safety 4.12 Corrosion protection 4.13 Fabrication and construction 5 Typical details 5.1 Connections in light steel framing 5.2 Connections in steel framed buildings 5.3 Infill walls 5.4 Building envelopes
5.4.1 Façade systems 5.4.2 Roofing systems 5.4.3 Balcony systems 6 Case studies 7 References 8 Resources 9 See Also Bridges 1 Attributes 2 Forms of construction 2.1 Beam bridges 2.2 Box girder bridges 2.3 Truss
bridges 2.4 Arch bridges 2.5 Cable-stayed bridges 2.6 Suspension bridges 3 Materials 4 Design 5 Construction 6 Durability 7 Case Studies 8 Resources 9 See Also 10 External links 11 CPD Cost of Structural Steelwork 1
Introduction 2 The importance of realistic steel pricing 3 Making the most of the available information 4 Key cost drivers 4.1 Function, sector and building height 4.2 Form, site conditions and complexity 4.3 Location,
logistics and access 4.4 Programme, risk and procurement route 5 Current cost 5.1 Low rise and short span buildings 5.2 High rise and longer span buildings 5.3 Industrial buildings 5.4 The cost table 6 Cost planning
through the design stages 7 Cost comparison study 8 Market share trend in UK multi-storey construction 9 Resources 10 See also 11 External links Sustainability 1 Sustainable construction – legislation and drivers 2 Steel
and sustainable construction 2.1 Steel manufacture 2.2 Steel fabrication 2.3 The steel supply chain 2.4 Health and safety 2.5 Speed of construction 2.6 Recycling and reuse 2.7 Adaptability 3 Attributes of sustainable
buildings 3.1 Location 3.2 Aesthetic appeal 3.3 Low impact materials 3.4 Flexibility and adaptability 3.5 Recyclability 3.6 Demountability and reuseability 3.7 Minimising on-site and local impacts 3.8 Operational energy
efficiency 3.9 Robustness and longevity 3.10 Low maintenance 4 Embodied carbon 4.1 Embodied carbon assessment 4.2 Life cycle assessment (LCA) 4.3 LCA system boundaries 4.4 Accounting for end-of-life and recycling
4.5 Embodied carbon comparisons 4.6 Steel embodied carbon and LCA data 5 Operational carbon 5.1 Operational carbon targets 5.2 Operational carbon assessment 5.3 Embodied versus operational carbon 5.4 Breakdown
of energy use in buildings 5.5 Energy efficiency measures 5.6 LZC technologies 5.7 Optimum solutions for low and zero carbon design 5.8 Thermal mass 6 BREEAM 6.1 Understanding BREEAM 6.2 Optimum routes to
BREEAM targets 6.3 Material assessment within BREEAM 7 Sustainable procurement and responsible sourcing 7.1 Sustainable procurement 7.2 Sustainable procurement within the steel sector 7.3 Responsible sourcing
standards 8 The UK steel construction sector 8.1 Sector commitments 8.2 BCSA Sustainability charter 8.3 BCSA Carbon foot-printing tool 9 References 10 Resources 11 See Also 12 CPD Design 1 Design process 1.1
Steel design 2 Concept design 3 Factors affecting choice of structural system 3.1 Stability systems 3.2 Columns 3.3 Floor systems 3.4 Foundations 3.5 Integration of building services 3.6 External envelope 4 Structural
principles 4.1 Actions 4.2 Analysis 4.3 Sensitivity to second-order effects 5 Design Standards 5.1 Building Regulations 5.2 BS 5950 5.3 Eurocodes 5.3.1 National Annexes 5.3.2 NCCI 5.4 Basis of structural design 5.5
BS EN 1993-1 (Eurocode 3) 5.6 BS EN 1994 (Eurocode 4) 6 Common structural systems 6.1 Composite construction 6.2 Precast concrete units 6.3 Integrated floor solutions 6.4 Long-span beams 7 Trusses 8 Portal frames
9 Member design 10 Connections 10.1 Simple connections 10.2 Moment-resisting connections 11 Structural robustness 12 Specification of structural steelwork 12.1 BS EN 1090 Execution of steel structures 12.2 The
National Structural Steelwork Specification for Building Construction (NSSS) 13 References 14 Further reading, 15 Resources 16 See Also 17 CPD 18 External links Fire and Steel Construction 1 The Building Regulations
and fire precautions in buildings 2 Steelwork fire resistance 3 Design using structural fire standards 4 Fire protecting structural steelwork 5 Structural fire protection specification 6 Hollow sections in fire 7 Composite steel
deck floors in fire 8 External steelwork in fire 9 Car parks in fire 10 Single storey buildings in fire 11 Active fire protection 12 Structural fire engineering 13 Structural steel after fire 14 One stop shop 15 References 16
Resources 17 See also 18 External links Corrosion protection 1 Corrosion of structural steel 2 Influence of design on corrosion 3 Surface preparation 4 Paint coatings 5 Metallic coatings 5.1 Hot-dip galvanizing 5.2 Thermally
sprayed metal coatings 6 Appropriate specifications 7 Inspection and quality control 8 References 9 Resources 10 Further reading 11 See also 12 External links 13 CPD Acoustics 1 Introduction to acoustics 1.1 Sound 1.2
Acoustic detailing 2 Regulations and requirements 2.1 Residential buildings 2.2 Schools 2.3 Hospitals 2.4 Commercial buildings 3 Walls 3.1 Wall Construction 3.2 Types of Wall 4 Floors 4.1 Floor Construction 4.2 Floor
treatments 4.3 Ceilings 5 Junction details 6 Integration of elements 7 References 8 Further reading 9 Resources 10 See Also 11 CPD Floor vibration 1 Introduction to floor vibrations 1.1 Vibrations 1.2 Sources of vibration
1.3 Consequences of vibrations 2 Theory of vibrations 2.1 Single degree of freedom systems 2.2 Continuous systems 3 Types of response 3.1 Resonant response 3.2 Response to periodic impulses 4 Human induced vibration
5 Acceptability of vibrations 5.1 The human perception of vibration 5.2 Design criteria for vibrations 5.3 Design for rhythmic activity 5.4 Designing for dynamic loads 6 Vibration analysis 6.1 Basic principles 6.2 Finite
element modelling 6.3 Simplified assessment of floors with steel beams 7 Dynamic testing of floors 7.1 Modal testing 7.1.1 Modal testing without measuring the excitation force 7.1.2 Modal testing with measured excitation
force 7.2 Response measurement 8 Regulations and design rules 9 Structural design considerations 9.1 Damping 9.2 Floor loading 9.3 Modelling issues 9.4 Continuity and isolation of critical areas 9.5 Precast concrete
units in composite design 10 Architectural design considerations 10.1 Walking paths 10.2 Location of aerobic areas 11 References 12 Further reading 13 Resources 14 See Also 15 CPD Health and safety 1 Steel the safe
solution 1.1 Pre-engineered 1.2 Pre-planned 1.3 Erected by specialists 1.4 Future-proof 2 Default solutions 2.1 Stability 2.2 Cranage 2.3 Access 3 Hazard, risk and competence 3.1 Buildings 3.2 Bridgeworks 4 Method
statement development 4.1 Site conditions 4.2 Design-basis method of erection 4.3 Construction health & safety plan 5 Stability 5.1 Final condition 5.2 Part erected condition 5.3 Individual members 5.4 Temporary works
5.5 Connections 6 Site arrangements 6.1 Safe site handover certificate 6.2 Segregation of contractors 6.3 Cooperation between sub-contractors 7 References 8 Resources 9 Further reading 10 See also 11 External links
12 CPD Fabrication 1 Design for economic fabrication 1.1 Specification 1.2 Bay size 2 Complexity 2.1 Materials 2.2 Architectural influence 2.3 Quality of engineering and documentation 3 Materials and components 3.1
Sections and plates 3.2 Bolts 3.3 Proprietary products 3.4 Coating systems 3.5 Cold-formed sections 4 Fabrication processes 4.1 Preparation 4.1.1 Stockyard 4.1.2 Shot blasting 4.1.3 Cutting & drilling 4.1.3.1 Circular
saws 4.1.3.2 Gas or flame cutting 4.1.3.3 Plasma cutting 4.1.3.4 Drilling and punching 4.1.4 Bending 4.1.4.1 Section bending 4.1.4.2 Plate bending 4.1.4.3 Tube bending 4.1.4.4 Press breaking 4.1.5 Tee splitting 4.1.6
Profiling of tubular sections 4.2 Welding 4.2.1 Manual Metal Arc welding (MMA) 4.2.2 Metal Active Gas welding (MAG) 4.2.3 Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) 4.2.4 Non Destructive Testing (NDT) 4.3 Coating 5 Accuracy 6
Handling and transportation 6.1 Normal loads 6.2 Abnormal loads 6.3 Special order 7 Specification 8 Quality management 8.1 BCSA Steelwork Contractor membership 8.2 Steel Construction Certification Scheme 8.2.1
Quality Management System Certification (QM) 8.2.2 Environmental Management System Certification (EM) 8.2.3 Occupational Health and Safety Management System Certification (HSM) 8.2.4 CE Marking and Factory
Production Control (FPC) 8.3 Steel Construction Sustainability Charter 9 Health & safety 10 References 11 Resources 12 Further reading 13 See also 14 External links Construction
EVERYTHING
YOU NEED TO
KNOW ABOUT
UK STEEL
CONSTRUCTION
w w w.steelconstruction.info
ANY.QUESTIONS?
SteelConstruction.info is the new online encyclopaedia for
UK steel design and construction information.
Developed and maintained by the British Constructional
Steelwork Association, Tata Steel and the Steel
Construction Institute, the site brings together a wealth of
information in an easy to use, fully searchable format that
is constantly updated.
At its heart lies over 100 interlinked and freely
downloadable articles from industry experts, covering
all the topics that civil and structural engineers need to
have at their fingertips. These core articles then act as a
roadmap with multiple links to other detailed sources of
information. A number of online CPD presentations are
also included, which enable the user to take a test and
download a certificate for their records.
Whether you need information on design to the Eurocodes,
fire engineering, guidance on costs or the key issues
involved in the design of schools, hospitals, commercial
buildings or bridges, www.steelconstruction.info is the
new go to resource.
Follow us on:
Twitter @steelcoinfo
LinkedIn: steelconstruction.info
Facebook: steelconstruction.info