CM 452: Construction of Metal Structures

Practice flashcards covering the components, production, design, and construction of metal structures based on lecture notes.

The Architect

The project team member who produces general layouts and visualizations of the planned structure with approximate costs for the various schemes.

Consulting structural engineer

The team member who performs detailed structural analysis, prepares framing plans, selects standard steel members, and checks erection arrangements and connections.

Steelwork fabricator

The team member responsible for preparing detailed shop details for each connection and supplying (and sometimes erecting) the steel based on cost per tonne.

Cold-formed steel (CFS)

A framing system whose use can be traced back to 1850; it is strong, dimensionally stable, and easy to work with.

Site cost

Cost considerations involving speed of construction, early returns on investment (ROI), prefabrication advantages, and high quality control in factory conditions.

Construction cost

Costs influenced by the availability of skilled labor, standardization of elements, and the cost of temporary works like formwork for concrete.

Maintenance cost

Costs primarily associated with protective methods required due to the corrosive properties of steel.

Ferrous metals

A category including all forms of iron and steel whose chemical composition and internal structure are accurately controlled during manufacture.

Tensile stress

A value calculated by the formula: $\text{Tensile Stress} = \frac{\text{Force}}{\text{Original cross sectional area}}$.

Strain

A value calculated by the formula: $\text{Strain} = \frac{\text{Increase in distance between marks}}{\text{Original distance (e.g., 50\,mm)}}$.

Rolling

The process of compressing and shaping an ingot by squeezing it through a succession of rollers to reach its final shape.

Extrusion

The process of forcing a billet of hot plastic steel through a die to produce a common length of material with a reduced cross section.

Drawing

The process of pulling steel through a small die to form wire or rods of round, square, or other sections.

Forging

The deformation of steel by pressure or blows into a desired shape, usually heated to a semi-solid state at temperatures over $1090^\circ C$.

Normalizing

Heating steel to approximately $815^\circ C$ or higher and cooling slowly in air to increase structural uniformity.

Annealing

Heating steel to a temperature slightly lower than for normalizing and cooling it very slowly, usually within a furnace.

Quenching

The rapid cooling of steel in oil, water, or brine from about $815^\circ C$ to increase hardness and strength while reducing ductility.

Tempering

Reheating quenched steel to between $150^\circ C$ and $650^\circ C$ followed by air cooling to reduce residual stresses and increase ductility.

Blast Furnace

A continuously operating furnace where iron ore, coke, and limestone are heated to about $815^\circ C$ to produce pig iron.

Coke

A fuel produced by heating coal to remove impurities, which burns with greater heat than coal.

Slag

Waste material formed from the combination of gangue and molten limestone that floats on top of molten iron during production.

Pig Iron

The basic product of a blast furnace; it is weak and brittle though very hard, and is not useful for construction without further purification.

Cast Iron

A ferrous metal composed primarily of iron, carbon, and silicon, shaped by being cast in a mold.

Wrought Iron

A highly refined iron with slag deliberately incorporated, known for being corrosion resistant, ductile, and easily machined.

Steel

A chemical union of iron and carbon, where carbon is less than $2\%$ by weight.

Cor-tan and State vest

Brand names for weathering steel that produces an initial rust layer to prevent further corrosion.

Shop Coat

A prime coat of protective paint applied in the fabricating shop meant to protect steel only until it is erected.

Passive Fire Protection

Fire protection achieved through fire-resisting construction to maintain structural stability and delay the spread of fire for evacuation.

Active Fire Protection

Automation such as sprinklers, smoke detectors, and sensors that provide early warning in the event of fire.

$$550^\circ C$$

The temperature at which a loaded steel member starts to bend as its load-bearing capacity is gradually reduced.

Solid Construction

Construction where thick walls provide support for loads and form the enclosure while offering natural insulation and fire resistance.

Skeletal Construction

Structure where loads are carried to the ground by strong materials (iron, steel, reinforced concrete) through beams and columns to isolated pad foundations.

Box frame

A stiff, cellular surface structure consisting of reinforced concrete walls used in conjunction with floor slabs in multi-storey buildings.

Universal beams

Standard sections with tapered or parallel flanges, designated by serial size times mass in kilograms per meter run.

Joists

A range of small-size beams with tapered flanges used for lintels and small frames around openings.

Universal columns

Standard steel members rolled with parallel flanges, designated similarly to universal beams and capable of acting as both columns and beams.

Castellated Universal Sections

Open web beams formed by flame cutting a standard section along a zigzag line and welding the halves together, increasing depth by $50\%$ without adding weight.

Slab/Bloom base

A stanchion base connection where the column load is distributed over a wide area by a base plate to stay within allowable concrete stresses.

Gusset base

A stanchion base composed of multiple members that reduce base plate thickness and can transmit high bending moments to the foundation.

Framing plans

Drawings showing the floor-by-floor layout of steel members, individual member sizes, and the reactions to be resisted at each support.

Shop details

Large-scale drawings prepared by the fabricator showing fixing, bolting, and welding positions based on the engineer's framing plans.

Column schedules

A table identifying columns shown on framing plans with all relevant information, including serial sizes.