Diploma of Engineering Technical

MEM50212
Detailing structural steel
 1. Basics
• Projections Detailing of steelwork within Australia is undertaken in third (3rd) angle projection.
Bolts

Indication of bolts
and bolt holes

Welding

Welding is indicated by
standard symbols given by
standard AS1101-3
Machining symbols

Basic symbol to shown Machining of a steel

surface
For surface texture the figure above the triangle is
the roughness value expressed in micrometer

Elevation and section arrows

Pairs of arrows are used to show:

1. In which direction the elevations are viewed
2. The cutting-lines and the viewing directions of the
sections
Dimension Lines

In structural detailing, dimensions should be given to the centre lines of universal sections and
to the backs of channels and angles.

For beams, vertical

dimensions should be
given to the top or the
bottom flange, whichever is
the critical level, but not to
both because of variations
in section depth.
2. Arrangement and detail drawings

• General arrangements drawings

• Detail drawings
• General arrangements drawings

• The general arrangement drawings are similar to those provided by the engineer but include

member erection marks.

• Many structures require more than one arrangement drawing, especially when several floor plans

are required.

• An elevation of each side of the building and a plan view of the roof and the first floor are shown.

• A typical cross-section is essential as it is often the view that contains the most information on the

building and it is sometimes drawn to a larger scale, or even depicted on a separate drawing.
1. Erection marks of only the girts, vertical bracing, door framing and rafters are given
2. Only special dimensions are given, eg the location of the roller shutter door.
 Cross-section

1. This view may be drawn to a larger

scale in order to show as much typical
detail as reasonably possible.
2. Usually, no erection marks are given.
3. Full particulars of floor levels,
foundation plinth levels and grout
thickness are shown.
4. The section sizes of all typical
members are shown.
• Detail drawings

Detail drawings depict every individual structural member and component in the job and include

detailed notes as to their fabrication. This information includes: ·

1. The section size and overall lengths of members.

2. The positions and diameter of all holes.

3. The positions, types and sizes of all welds.

4. Dimensions of notches, cut-outs and copes where necessary.

5. Details of attachments such as cleats, brackets, base plates, stiffeners, bearing plates, etc.

6. Many other details depending on the type of structure.

References

Check the references for more information and details

• Australian steel detailers’ handbook

• AS1100

• AS1101

• Australian Steel Institute documents and guides

• website: www.onesteel.com (Hot rolled and Structural steel Products- 7th edition)
 3. Beams and girders

A beam or girder is a member that is subject

primarily to bending. It is loaded in a direction
transverse to its longitudinal axis.

• The most efficient shape has been found to be the universal section, where the
two relatively thick flanges provide the resistance to bending and the thin web
the resistance to shear.
• The commonly used members are the hot-rolled universal section
• Beams are generally placed with their web in the same plane as the applied
loads.
 Shop drawings

• The required information for fabrication of a beam is shown on a shop detail drawing.
• The shop drawing rarely shows any of the adjacent members to which the beam will later be connected in the field.
• The location of open holes in the beam connections must match the location of similar holes in the supporting
members.
Beam detailing practice
Beams are drawn as though they
are viewed from the bottom of the
• Layout of Drawings drawing of the floor plan

• Dimensioning • centre-to-centre distance between the supports

• The overall length of the beam
• Dimensions of the holing
• Longitudinal dimensions to groups of holes in the
web or flange are usually given to the centres of
these groups
• Overall cut length of the beam
• Identical Ends (AOE)

• Notation Section, levels, marks

• Surface treatment
General Notes:
Steel:Grade 300 MPa
• General Notes Bolts:M20 Grade 8.8/S UNO
Bolt holes: 22dia
Mark beam ends 'North' or 'West' on top flange, as indicated.
4. Columns

A column is a member whose main function is to carry compressive loading. Columns are placed vertically
in a structure and resist gravity or downward loads. In addition, they are often required to withstand bending
moments produced by, for example, side-wind loading on the building, or by eccentrically applied vertical
loading, such as crane loading.

The cross-sectional shape of a column shaft

may range from a simple rolled universal
section to a large welded box section.
Types of columns
Column bases

• All columns require a base plate at their lower end to provide the necessary attachment to the concrete
foundation and to transmit the load (and possibly the moment) in the column shaft into the foundation.

• Wherever possible, base plates should be attached to the columns in the shop typically by welding.
Where the base plate is very large, and especially if it is a heavy slab, it may have to be sent to site
separately.

• A space (30mm to 50mm) must be left between the

underside of the base and the top of the concrete. This allows
for accurate levelling of the steelwork. The space is later filled
with grout.
Splices

• In tall buildings the heights of the columns will be greater than the
lengths of steel section available from the mills, or the lengths of
column that can be transported to site. In such cases one or more
splices will be required within the length of a column.

• The parts of the column will be transported to site separately and

then bolted (or possibly welded) together to make up the full
length.
Column schedules

• To provide the fabricator with suitable information on the size

and length of columns required, the designer may prepare a
"column schedule".

• Columns are identified and oriented on the design plans by an

appropriate symbol, usually the column shape in cross section,
and are located by a system of numbering.

• Their location may be established by using either a simple

numerical sequence, as 1,2, etc., or a two-way grid system, with
column centre lines assigned letters in one direction and
numbers in the other direction. Thus, a column at the
intersection of lines B and 3 would be 83.
5. Portal frames

• Portal frame is one of the most popular forms of construction for small to
medium span industrial buildings.
• Rolled universal sections are utilised for the columns and rafters of the frames,
which are usually designed by elastic analysis.

• Portal frames are very efficient in material use and are

therefore competitive in price.
• The columns and rafters are made from different sizes of
universal beams with or without welded haunches at their
ends that enable the members to be site-bolted to each
other to make up a complete portal frame.
Shop drawing
Purlins and Girts

Purlins and girts are

the members in the
plane of the roof and
the vertical sides of a
typical building that
support the cladding
Purlins and Girts
Cross Sections

Cold-formed lipped c-
sections and z-sections
Purlins and Girts are
connected to the structure by
means of bolting to cleats,
which in turn are usually
welded to the rafters and
columns.
On larger spans, bridging is
used at mid-span or third-span
points of purlins and girts.

Their function is to prevent down-

slope deflection of purlins, vertical
deflection of girts and twisting of
the purlin section
Bracing

Steel-framed buildings generally

require bracing to stabilise them
against sideway or longitudinal
swaying and to prevent roof
elements such as trusses from
buckling or distorting laterally.
Before bracing can be detailed it is
necessary to lay out the system based on
the appropriate setting out points

Once these points have been fixed the

distances between them (SOP distances)
can be calculated
'Draw' In Bracing Lengths
The length of the bracing is determined from
distance between SOPs and is then reduced
Bracing made from single angle by the amount of 'draw’.
members tends to be flexible
because of its slenderness. This Brace length (mm) Draw
(mm)
deficiency can be overcome by
Under 2000 0
introducing 'draw' into the
2000 to under 4000 1
members, ie detailing them 'short' 4000 to under 6000 2
or slightly under-length so that 6000 to under 8500 3
they tend to become stretched 8500 to under 11000 4
11000 to under 13000 5
when installed in the structure.
13000 and greater 6
Diploma of Engineering Technical

MEM50212