This year we decided to grow our traditional annual event for members to include a broader range of speakers, and more stands for sponsors/exhibitors. Our desire to grow the event was matched by a record attendance of almost 150 delegates, including those who attended the 'break out' sessions for the Steel Piling Group. With reference to the Government's current agenda for construction, we chose a theme of Transforming Construction - Using steel to deliver greater productivity.

The diversity of the presentations reinforced just how well placed steel solutions are for delivering the government's objectives of faster, less expensive and higher quality buildings and infrastructure. We saw how these things could be achieved either through an aggregation of marginal gains (continuous improvement), or less frequently through step change innovation. We were also challenged to 'Modernise or Die' by Mark Farmer. Steel is already able to offer solutions to some of the key symptoms of the construction industry identified by Mark, including low productivity and poor predictability. Other issues will need a broader approach to achieve resolution, including; structural and leadership fragmentation, low margins and adversarial pricing models, workforce issues, lack of collaboration and lack of R&D investment. It is welcoming that Innovate UK is investing in R&D to try and move things forward.

Overall it was a most enjoyable and educational day.

For those wishing to revisit the day, speaker presentations are available HERE.

The event was sponsored by; ArcelorMittal, IDEA StatiCa, Premier Guarantee, Sigmat, Steel Piling Group, Steel Bridge Group, Tension Control Bolts.

If you would be interested in sponsoring next year's event please contact marketing@steel-sci.com

Regular readers of SCI Connect will be aware that SCI are developing a comprehensive Product Certification scheme aimed at the steel construction sector. SCI are in the process of gaining UKAS accreditation for the scheme and making arrangements with manufactures to be trialists.

Alongside the new SCI Product Certification scheme, SCI will continue to offer its existing assessment services of 'SCI Assessed' and 'SCI/NHBC Stage 1 System Certification' (for light steel framing). The SCI website will be updated to explain the differences between the schemes and to publicise companies which have completed the schemes.

One of SCI's most popular assessment services is the SCI/NHBC Stage 1 System Certification for light steel framing which is operated in accordance with Chapter 6.10 of NHBC Standards. The NHBC Standards for 2019 have recently been published (November 2018) and include a major update to Chapter 6.10 for light steel structural frames and infill walls.

SCI/NHBC Stage 1 System Certification will typically cover durability, strength and stability, and additional checks where the system is used in volumetric construction. Under the 2019 version of NHBC Chapter 6.10 and the new SCI Product Certification scheme, the scope of SCI/NHBC Stage 1 System Certification may be extended at the request of the manufacturer to include the items listed in Table 7 of NHBC Chapter 6.10 (2019):

• Behaviour in relation to fire.
• Acoustic performance.
• Moisture control, including thermal performance, condensation risk and water ingress.
• Wall construction.
• Balconies, terraces and parapets.

SCI/NHBC Stage 1 certificates issued after 1 January 2019 will use a new format which will clearly identify the scope of the system certification.

For further information about SCI Assessed or SCI/NHBC Stage 1 System Certification, please contact Andrew Way at SCI.

For further information about SCI Product Certification, please contact Mark Wilkinson at SCI.

SCI members benefit from a range of support services. Sole Trader members and employees of Corporate members all have access to our Advisory Desk service, which is consistently ranked by them as the most valuable benefit.

The advisory service offers fast, independent, authoritative advice. Each enquiry is dealt with confidentially. The advisory service benefits from the extensive knowledge that resides within SCI, covering all aspects of steel design not only at a technical level but also, for example, in terms of code interpretation. Using the service may simply save you time in finding out how to do something, but it could also avoid you getting into a dispute, provide a solution to an apparent problem when something has been designed or built incorrectly, or in the extreme avoid a collapse.

The advisory service offers immediate answers and guidance on most things, and if we don't know the answers in-house we have an extensive network of external contacts.

Benefits of SCI Membership

Contact membership@steel-sci.com

Next member webinar, Double Skin Composites,
Tuesday 11 Dec 2019

This webinar provides an overview of the new SCI P414 on the design of double skin composite SC (steel - concrete) panels, which was developed following a major European research project coordinated by the SCI. The publication follows the format of the Eurocodes and provides guidance for the analysis and design of SC members for both the ULS and the SLS, design of connections and also covers the construction stage and the fire situation. The design rules will be presented and background information will be given where necessary.

For more information and to book your place.

Essential Steelwork Design - 2-day Course
Tuesday 22 January 2019, Birmingham

This course introduces the concepts and principles of steel building design, before explaining in detail the methods employed by Eurocode 3 for designing members in bending, compression and tension. Load combinations, frame stability, brittle fracture and connection design are also covered.

Attendance price:
£320.00 + VAT - SCI Members
£400.00 + VAT - Non Members

For more information and to book your place.

Design of Columns Subject to Localised Fires (P423) This design guide presents a Eurocode-aligned method for determining the temperature of a column subject to a localised fire. Guidance on how to determine the resistance of a steel column when subject to elevated temperatures is also given.

Design of Low to Medium Rise Buildings against External Explosions (P415) SCI's new design guide “Design of Low to Medium Rise Buildings against External Explosions” provides recommendations and advice for structural design against explosions associated with industrial accidents where the blast impacts the whole (or large areas) of the building's elevation.

Design Manual for Structural Stainless Steel = 4th Edition (P413) This Design Manual gives design rules for austenitic, duplex and ferritic stainless steels. The rules are aligned to the 2015 amendment of the Eurocode for structural stainless steel, EN 1993-1-4.

Ancon further enhances its Shearfix stud-rail calculation program

Ancon has released an enhanced version of its popular Shearfix design software that enables engineers to maintain a flat concrete slab at column heads by reinforcing the area against punching shear with a CARES-approved, prefabricated, stud-rail system.

This Eurocode 2 compliant software automatically calculates the optimum design of Shearfix punching shear reinforcement for virtually any column size, shape and location. It will take into account any number of rectangular or circular slab openings, showing the designed stud and rail layout in either a 2D or 3D view, depending on user preference. Input tabs, sequenced logically, capture the column data quickly and easily, with a punching shear check and stud-rail design generated in seconds, even for stepped slabs where stud height varies.

NTU Alumnus Returns on Recruitment Drive

Caunton Engineering recently were among over 100 companies who exhibited at the Nottingham Trent University(NTU) Placement and Graduate Jobs Fair. Caunton have a proud and consistent record in bringing new talent into the company, and a Fair such as this is a good opportunity to promote what the company has to offer to aspiring engineers. The policy for some years now has been for the company to develop the skills of new talent, be it graduates, trainees or apprentices.

The Graduate Programme is supervised and mentored by Chartered Civil and Structural Engineers, and is approved by the Institution of Civil Engineers. The Apprentice Programme is based in the Caunton Academy which in 2004 was established to address the industry's skills shortage. Right from the start, the academy proved to be highly successful and led to its being recognised as an accredited Training Centre from August 2008 by the UK's leading awarding body for National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ's) - EAL. The Academy has regularly been a finalist in the East Midlands Apprenticeship Awards for the Employer of the Year. The net outcome is that the composition of the Caunton Board of Directors and the senior management team is now to a very great extent those qualified as a result of one of these two programmes.

Caunton are of course hoping that this recent NTU Fair - with representation there by a Caunton NTU Alumnus - will result in attracting bright and enthusiastic graduates from this excellent university.

Steel suppliers join forces for hurricane devastated school

Steelwork is on a 4,000 mile journey from Dorset to the Caribbean for the reconstruction of a primary school, devastated by hurricanes Irma and Maria last year.

Christchurch-based John Reid & Sons Ltd (REIDsteel) is leading a consortium of businesses in the UK which have joined forces to help rebuild the Enis Adams Primary School in the British Virgin Islands.

The company, which has exported to the Caribbean for more than 30 years, has rallied its suppliers to provide support free of charge, in kind or at a discounted rate to the total value of £35,000.

They are Tata Steel, National Tube Stockholders, Joseph Ash Galvanising, Euroclad, Ayrshire Metal Products, BAPP, Powell Gee & Co Ltd, Kestrel Liner Agencies and Meachers Global Logistics. Main contractor in Tortola, Newton Construction Co Ltd, with whom REIDsteel has worked for 34 years, is leading the construction work and will erect the steelwork.

Virgin Islands businessman Peter Haycraft, who was a longstanding client of REIDsteel with his former business Road Town Wholesale, has pledged $1m of his own money for the school reconstruction to help the local community.

Lindapter Steel Fixings For Modular Construction

Hollo-Bolts by Lindapter were specified for The Spurn Discovery Centre in the UK. The rooms were pre-fabricated and shipped to site as complete modular units. Once they arrived on site, the contractor used Hollo-Bolts to connect the structural hollow section frameworks together. The Hollo-Bolt was selected because of its high strength capacity and its range of independent technical accreditations, including the CE Mark approval.

It was also chosen because it is a proven method of providing a fast and convenient method of attaching steel-framed modular rooms together, requiring access from one side of the steel only and without the need for any special installation tools or equipment, which results in an efficient construction schedule.

Anqi Chen

Anqi joined the SCI in January 2015, following completion of his PHD at Imperial College, London, where his research focussed on structural response to accidental blast load and was sponsored by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

During his time at Imperial, Anqi worked closely with HSE and the Steel Construction Institute (SCI) on the Buncefield Joint Industry Project Phase 2. His work included analysis of steel structures under blast loads using both analytical and computational methods. He also developed advanced coupled numerical models of steel structures and objects which can be used in forensic investigation of explosion incidents involving strong blast load.

He is currently involved in SCI's investigations related to the field of steel composite construction, and design and execution of high strength steel structures. His interests included design of composite and steel structures to resist blast loads, and using validated numerical techniques to advance the understanding of the behaviour of structures.

SCI would like to welcome a new member;

AJP Structures Limited

Bluedice Solutions Ltd

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