STEELWORKER AND METALWORKER

1 British Standards

The whole of the structural steelwork in design, testing and

fabrication shall comply with the relevant clauses of the following
current British Standards unless otherwise specified:-

B.S. 4 Structural Steel Sections

B.S. 84 Parallel Screw Threads of Whitworth Form

B.S. 5950 Structural Use OF Steelwork in Building

B.S. 639 Covered Electrodes

B.S. 649 Schedule of Weights of Building Materials

B.S. 916 Black Bolts, Screws and Nuts

B.S. 1580 Unified Screw Threads

B.S 177 Steel Tube for Mechanical Structural General

Engineering Purposes

B.S. 1856 Metal-Arc Welding of Mild Steel

B.S 264 General Requirement for the Welding of Carbon

Manganese Steels

B.S. 2645 Tests for use in the Approval of Welders

B.S. 2708 Bolts, screws, nuts and plain washers

B.S. 3139 High Strength Friction Grip Bolts

B.S 329 The use of High Strength Friction Grip Bolt

in Structural Steelwork

B.S. 3410 Metal washers for General Engineering Purposes

B.S. 4320 Metal washers for General Engineering Purposes

B.S. 4360 Weldable Structural Steels.

B.S. 15 Mild steel

B.S 63 Covered electrodes for the manual arc welding

of mild steel and medium tensile steel

B.S. 1161 Aluminium alloy sections

B.S. 1387 Steel tubes and tubulars

B.S. 1775 Structural steel tubes

B.S. 3692 ISO metric precision hexagon bolts, screws and nuts.

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 Design

2 Generally

All structural steelwork show on the drawing and described in this

Specification has been designed in accordance with the requirement
of B.S. 5950 where applicable, unless stated otherwise.

Any design carried out by the Contractor shall conform to the

requirements of B.S. 5950, unless otherwise instructed.

3 Code of Practice

All steelwork shall comply in all respect with B.S. 5950 unless
specifically excluded or modified hereafter.

4 Marking

The Contractor shall mark, document and identify material so as to

ensure that they are used as specified. His proposal for so doing
shall be submitted for approval.

5 Hot Rolled Sections, Plates, Bars

Steel for hot rolled sections, plates and bars shall comply with
the requirement of B.S 4360.The quality grade shall be as
indicated on the drawings.

6 Dimensions, Properties, Tolerances

Dimensions, properties, tolerances and rolling margins of hot

rolled steel sections except angles shall be to B.S. 4.

Dimensions, properties, tolerances and rolling margins of teel

angle shall be to B.S. 4848.

Tolerances and rolling margins for plates and bars shall be to

B.S. 4360.

7 Cold Formed Sections

Cold formed steel sections shall be made from steel to B.S 1449
Part 1, and shall have a yield stress of not less than 207
N/sq.mm.

Cold rolled steel sections shall comply with B.S 2994. If shapes
other than those contained in B.S 2994 are used, they shall comply
with the design requirements of B.S. 5950.

8 Hollow Sections

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 Structural hollow sections shall comply with B.S 1775. The quality
grades and manufacturing processes employed shall be as indicated
on the drawings.

9 Black Bolts

Black bolts and nuts shall be to B.S. 916.

10 Close Tolerance Bolts

Close tolerance bolts shall be B.S 1083 Grad 43 except for their
dimensions which shall conform to those given for bolt faced under
the head and turned on shrank in B.S. 916.

11 Washers

Plain and tapered steel washer for bolts other than high strength
friction grip bolts shall be to B.S. 3410.

12 High Strength Friction Grip Bolts

High strength friction grip bolts - other than load indicating

bolts and associated nuts and washers shall be to B.S. 4395,
Part 1.

13 Rag Bolts

Rag bolts and nuts shall be to B.S. 1494, Part 2 made of mild
steel.

Welding

14 Electrodes

Electrodes for manual metal arc welding shall comply with

B.S 639. For specific requirements refer to Workmanship section.

15 Automatic Welding

Weld metal deposited by an automatic or semi-automatic process

shall have mechanical properties not less than the minimum
specified for the weld metal deposited by electrodes complying
with B.S. 639.

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 16 Classification

Electrodes for metal arc welding shall be classified, coded and

marked in accordance with B.S. 1719.

17 Miscellaneous Materials

Variations to the materials shown on the drawings (or listed

below) may be approved by the Architect/S.O subject to the
Contractor submitting full details of his proposals in writing.
18 Transportation to Site

All materials are to be despatched piecemeal, long members are to

be bundled for transport. No projecting members are to be left on
long members which can cause bending or damage of these during
transit. Cleats and small parts are to be bagged and packed in
kegs or cases.

19 Storage Handling

All materials shall be stored and handled in a manner which is not

detrimental to their use in the works.

All painted or metal coated steelwork shall be supported clear of

the ground. Individual member markings shall be visible when
members are stacked.

All bundling, packing, handling an transport shall be planned and

carried out in manner designed to prevent damage to the steelwork
and any protective coating.

20 Shop Details

The Contractor shall prepare and submit complete shop details

including the following at least 8 weeks before starting
fabrication:

a) All connections

b) Method of fabrication

c) Welding procedures and details, including tack and sealing

welds.

21 Erection Details

The Contractor shall prepare and submit details of the method of

erection at least 3 weeks before the commencement of steel
erection.

22 Approval of Contractor's Drawings

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 Approval shall not in any way relieve the Contractor of his
responsibility for any error which his drawings or calculations
may contain.

23 Start of Fabrication

The Contractor shall obtain authorisation to start fabrication.

Such authorisation will not normally be given before all shop
drawings have been checked and approved.

24 Accuracy of Fabrication

All steelwork shall be fabricated to an accuracy so as to enable

erection to the tolerances to take place without introducing
permanent erection stresses into the structure. In addition, each
finished member shall individually comply with the following
tolerance:

a) On length: +/- 3 mm.

b) Twist and deviation from the required shall not exceed 1 in

1000.

25 Heat Treatment

Details of all heat treatment shall be submitted for approval

prior to the commencement of fabrication.

26 Thermal Cutting

Thermal cutting equipment shall not be used on site without

approval.

27 Machining

The ends of compression members at splices, caps or bases

dependent on contact for transmission of compressive stress
shall be so prepared that the butting faces:

a) are in contact except for small areas with clearance

not exceeding 0.15 mm.

b) are at right angles to the axis of the member or

such other angle as may be indicated.

Machining of end shall normally be carried out with the angle

cleats gussets and other end fittings fixed in their permanent
positions.

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 Angles and flats used as bearing stiffeners shall be cut and
ground so as to ensure a tight fit along edges in contact with
flanges.

28 Burrs

Burrs and sharp arises shall be removed by grinding.

29 Checking Before and After Making Permanent Connections

Before and after making permanent connections in trusses and other

structural elements which are assembled before delivery to site,
the fit profile and camber shall be checked.

30 Works

The Contractor shall advise the Architect/S.O of intended date of

despatch to site of steelwork and accessories in such a way that
inspection can take place prior to despatch.

31 Notice for Inspections

The Architect/S.O and his appointed representative shall have the

right to visit the Contractor's or his supplier's works at any
reasonable time for the purposes of inspection.

32 Trial Assembly

The whole of the steelwork shall be trial assembled after

fabrication.

33 Site Welding

No site welding shall take place unless authorized. If site

welding is authorised the Contractor shall submit detail of
staging, platforms and weather protection for welders and
materials.

34 Welding to British Standards

Metal arc welding to steel to B.S 4360 Grad 43, shall be in

accordance with B.S. 5135.

35 Distortion

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 Welding procedures shall be such that distortion is reduced to
a minimum and local distortion rendered negligible in the final
structure. Corrections if necessary shall be undertaken by an
approved method.

36 Electrodes

The electrodes used shall give a weld deposit having mechanical

properties not less than the minima specified for the Parent
metal.

The following class electrodes shall be used when metal arc

welding steel to B.S.4360, Grade 43, unless specified otherwise:
Class 2,3 or 6 for thickness up to and including 50 mm.

Class 6 hydrogen controlled electrodes shall be used for the

metal arc welding of steel to B.S. 4360, Grade 50 and 44.

For the metal arc butt welding of steel over 25 mm thick the root
run shall be made with class 6 hydrogen controlled electrode or by
a low-hydrogen welding process.

Electrode for the manual metal arc welding of steel Grades 43 to

B.S 4360 shall comply with the requirements of Sections 1 and 2 of
B.S. 659.

Electrode for the manual metal arc welding of steel Grades 50 and
55 to B.S 4360 shall comply with the requirement of Section 1 and
4 of B.S 639.

All electrodes shall be used strictly in accordance with the

electrode manufacturer's recommendations.

Class 6 hydrogen controlled electrodes shall be carefully dried

and used direct from an oven or heated quiver.

37 Welds Not Shown on Drawings

No welds other than those shown on the drawings, not even for
temporary attachments or repairs, shall be placed without
approval.

38 Tack Welds

Tack welds shall not be less than 50 mm long.

39 Removal of Slag

Slag shall be removed by light hammering, wire brushing or other

method that do not disturb the weld.

40 Butt Welds

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 In making butt welds run-on and run-off plates shall be used to
ensure full throat thickness at the ends. They shall comply with
the following requirements:

a) The material for the plates shall be identical to the

material being welded.

b) The plates shall be prepared in the same manner as the

parts being joined.

c) After completion of welding, the plates shall be remove and

the surfaces where they were attached ground smooth.

d) The plates shall be identified and retained for inspection.

41 Welders

Evidence shall be submitted of welder's competence to undertake

the specified work. Welders must have been tested to B.S 4872
using the same class electrodes and welding positions that will be
used in the work.

42 Supervision

All welding shall be carried out under the direction of competent

Welding Technologist.

43 Make-up of Bolt Assemblies

For all bolt assemblies the strength grade combination of

bolts/nuts/washers used shall be as prescribed or recommended in
the relevant British Standard.

44 Limits of Lengths

No threaded portion of any bolt shall be within the thickness of

the parts bolted together.

The ends of each bolt shall be within the thickness of the part
bolted together.

45 Washers

Each black, precision and close tolerance bolt assembly shall

contain at least one washer which shall be placed under the part
being rotated.

Taper washers shall be placed under bolt heads and nuts bearing on
surfaces sloping 3 degree or more from a plane at right angles to

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 the bolt axis. They shall be prevented from rotating during
tightening.

46 Misalignment of Holes

Misalignment of holes shall be reported to the Architect/S.O. The

faulty member will either be rejected or reaming out will be
authorised at the discretion of the Architect/S.O.

47 Setting Out

The positions of all points of attachment for structural steelwork

shall be set out so that the distances between any two points
joined by shop fabricated component of structural steel are
within +/- 3 mm of the required dimensions.

48 Distortion, Erection Stresses

During handling and erection the steelwork shall not be distorted

and the stress limits specified in B.S 449 shall not be exceeded
unless otherwise approved.

49 Costing of Testing

The Contractor shall include in his price for the cost of tests on
operators, procedural trials, supplying test pieces and providing
facilities (attendance, tools, etc) for inspection and testing. He
shall no include for the cost of tests on material and workmanship
except that the cost of tests which reveal defective material or
workmanship shall be borne by him.

50 Time of Testing

The Contractor shall allow in his programme for the necessary time
for all test, procedural trials and trial assemblies.

51 Testing Authority

All tests shall be carried out by testing authority approve by the

Architect/S.O.

52 Contractor to Provide Facilities

The Contractor shall provide all necessary facilities for

inspection and tests in fabrication shop and on site.

53 Test Certificate for Steel

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 When required the Contractor shall submit test certificates
relating to the steel used in the work. The tests shall be those
described in the appropriate British Standards.

54 Test by the Contractor

The Contractor shall carry out or arrange to be carried out such

tests on materials and workmanship as the Architect/S.O. may
direct.

When required the Contractor shall carry out or arrange to be

carried out some or all of the following tests on steel.

a) Chemical analysis of produce - sample to be obtained in

accordance with B.S. 4360.

b) Tensile tests - sample to be obtained in accordance with B.S

4360 and then tested in accordance with B.S. 18.

c) Bend tests - sample to be obtained in accordance with B.S

4360 and then tested in accordance with B.S. 1639.

d) Flattening tests - sample to be taken and tested in

accordance with B.S. 4360.

e) Impact tests - sample to be taken in accordance with B.S

then tested at the specified temperature in accordance
with B.S. 131, Part 2.

f) Ultrasonic/radiographic examinations.

When required the Contractor shall carry out or arrange to be

carried out tests on bolts.

55 Weld Specimens

When required the Contractor shall submit specimens of welded

joints and weld metal to an approved testing authority for testing
to B.S 709 or as directed.

56 Weld Tests

When required, the Contractor shall make the following non-

destructive examinations of welds in the presence of the Engineer:

a) Radiographic examination to B.S. 2600 or B.S. 2910.

b) Ultrasonic examination to B.S 2923 Part 1 or Part 2 as

appropriate.

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 The Contractor shall allow in his tender rate for testing two
specimens made from materials which are to be incorporated in the
steelwork prior to commencement of fabrication.

One specimen shall be made from 200 mm x 50 mm steel plate to B.S

4360, Grade 43 or 50 as applicable, with one butt-welded joint.
The specimen will be subjected to maximum traction joint of 1100
kips. The stress-strain diagram will be drawn from the results of
this test. Before the traction test commences, radiographic and
ultrasonic examination shall be carried out on the welded joint.

The second test will be a traction test on 600 mm of 13 mm fillet

weld. The details of the specimen will be supplied by the
Contractor. Before the test commences, ultrasonic examination to
B.S 3923 and dye penetration tests to B.S 4416 shall be carried
out on the fillet weld. The maximum traction force shall be 1100
kips.

57 Test Failures

If any sample fails a test, the consignment which it represents

may be rejected in part or whole at the discretion of the
Architect/S.O.

58 Shop Priming

Generally

The references in brackets opposite clauses in this Specification

chapter are to numbers of clauses and sub-clauses in British
Standard Code of Practice C.P 2008:1966 `Protection of iron
and steel structure from corrosion'. The recommendations of any
clause or sub-clause so referred to are requirements of this
Specification.

59 Surface Preparation

Thoroughly clean all surfaces by power wire brushing and

chipping to remove loose rust, mill scale, etc.

60 Painting

All paints shall be stored and prepared for use in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions.

Any contamination of the treated steelwork surface shall be

removed before further protective coating are applied. White
spirit of naptha may be used to clean the steelwork followed by
scrubbing with 2% solution of Teepol and a thorough rinsing with
clean water.

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 Where contamination (e.g oil or grease) cannot be removed
completely by white spirit of naptha, suitable solvent shall be
obtained from the paint manufacturer and used, followed by
scrubbing and washing as above.

Where the surface has become dirty as opposed to contaminated it

shall be scrubbed down with a 2% solution of Teepol and hosed with
clean water.

Paint shall not be applied to wet or damp surfaces.

Area of steel inaccessible after erection shall be treated during

fabrication, so that they receive the full treatment specified.

Paint shall be applied by the method stated and in accordance with

the manufacturer's instruction, so as to give an even, uniform
coating.

An extra stripe coat of primer shall be applied to all edges and

corners of steelwork that will be exposed externally in the
finished structure.

Each coat of paint shall be applied at spreading rate to give the

required minimum dry film thickness.

The maximum and minimum over coating period and drying periods
before exposure to weather or to being transported shall be those
stated by the paint manufacturer.

Steelwork protected by only prefabrication primer shall not be

stored outside for more than 21 days.

Any damaged area of paint shall be cleaned and made good within 14
days to a standard equivalent to that of the adjacent paintwork.
If damage has exposed parent metal local wire brushing may be
required to prepare the steel for remedial painting. The maximum
time lag between cleaning steel and applying primer shall not be
more than two hours.

61 Primer

After preparation by wire brushing as previously described, prime

with one coat of zinc chromate primer or approved equivalent,
to give a dry film build of 30 – 37 microns.

62 Finish

After priming the steel and after applying one coat of undercoat
and making due allowance for the minimum over coating period,
apply one coat of gloss finish paint before fabrication and one
coat after fabrication.

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63 Painting Site Connections

Joint shall be painted with the specified material to give the

standard of protection achieved on adjacent steel. Stripe coat
shall be used particularly to seal all edges of steel and gaps
between adjacent steel surfaces.

Site welds and adjacent areas shall be cleaned to remove all

welding slag, spatter and flux residue by chipping, blast cleaning
and washing before painting commences.

Bolted joints shall be thoroughly cleaned to remove all oils and

grease before painting.

Plated bolts and nuts shall be primed with an etch primer suitable
for use on the particular type of surface.

Bolted connections in externally exposed situation shall be

assembled with a coat of primer still wet, on the contact
surfaces.

64 Steel Fabrication

Generally

Where items are specified, described or noted on the drawings as

bolted to concrete or masonry surfaces, provide and use expanding
type masonry anchor bolts of the size noted or as recommended by
the manufacturer for the purpose and the loading.

Where items are specified, described or noted on the drawings as

screwed and plugged to concrete or masonry surfaces, provide and
use approved fibre masonry plugs of the require size for the screw
used and, unless otherwise specified us non-ferrous galvanised or
cadmium plate screw of length and gauge suitable for the task.

Accurately manufacture, and neatly assemble metalwork true to

angle, curve, size, free from warps, hammer marks, burrs,
distortions or other imperfections.

Fill all junctions, and intersections, polish to a surface

indistinguishable from that of surrounding metal.

Unless site assembly or other factors require the use of screws or

bolts, weld or braze members together.

Note that welded or brazed joints of natural finished metal shall

be free from weld bracing and heat blemishes.

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65 Mild Steel Work

Provide all mild steel bolts, brackets, lugs, cramps, secubars and
fabricate all handrails, balustrades, ladders, covers, gratings
column guards etc. required to the sizes and dimensions shown on
the drawings or described in the Bills of Quantities. The steel
shall comply with the requirement of B.S 15 and shall be used in
accordance with the requirements of B.S. 5950.

66 Galvanising Mild Steel

Galvanising work shall be carried out by hot dip process in

accordance with the requirements of BS 729 Part 1. The weight of
zinc coating and continuity test requirements shall comply to the
requirements stipulated. All galvanized shall be carried out after
manufacture, unless otherwise specified. All galvanized components
which are to be welded shall have the galvanizing removed at the
appropriate area and the welded joints shall be heavily coated
with zinc oxide paint.

67 Balustrades, Etc. in Steel Tubes

Steel tube shall be medium quality complying with B.S 1387.

Referenced diameters are the `Nominal Bore' of the pipe.

Extend welds for full length of abutting members and grind smooth
where exposed.

Use 6 mm fillet and full butt welds to joint in frames and

fabricated items.

Scribe and mitre junctions of abutting sections as required

before welding.

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