And so this is Christmas, and what have we done? As another year is over I wonder what 2019 will bring for SCI and indeed the whole of the UK.

A highlight of 2018, notwithstanding we are not quite 'there' yet, has been our development of a Product Certification Scheme. This is something we've invested heavily in as we recognise there is a gap in the market place for certification that is clear, credible and delivered effectively (value and time). With our processes now in place and accepted, we will be delivering our first certificates in spring 2019.

An internal motivation for looking at product certification was a looming reduction in research funding. Our future access to European funding, which has been important to us since our inception, is clearly looking very questionable. So we were very pleased to secure some work to be funded by Innovate UK as part of the Government's Transforming Construction agenda. Led by BCSA, but with SCI delivering most of the work, this project concerning Integrated Offsite Steel Modules will demonstrate that steel has a key role to play going forward.

Another highlight is some work we have been doing for AISC (the American Institute of Steel Construction) to facilitate design with structural stainless steel. This is an excellent demonstration of just how recognised our experts and capabilities are across the world.

I pick out these three examples not because they are necessarily 'better' than other things we have done in 2018, but because they show that despite the loss of some traditional funding streams the brand and skills we have built-up over more than 30 years remain relevant, and provide us with real opportunities for a sustainable future. With our capabilities buoyed up by some recent recruits, I'm sure the future will be interesting.

I hope that 2019 will bring success not only for SCI, but also all our members and clients. In the meantime I will take this opportunity to wish everybody a Merry Christmas.

As stated in previous CONNECT articles SCI have been developing third party product certification for the steel sector and are now ready to put the first manufacturers through the SCI certification system.

This is possible because UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) have carried out a pre-assessment on the system and feel that the procedures are in place and now need clients put through the system to ensure it all works.

The products for which schemes have been developed are:

• Individual structural elements
• Cladding and roofing
• External wall systems
• Light steel frame
• Modular units

SCI hope to issue the first certificates before the middle of 2019, and currently have a number of manufacturers working on technical submissions to enable them to go through the system as trialists. If you wish to join them then please contact Mark Wilkinson with your requirements and/or questions, or email certification@steel-sci.com.

SCI have recently completed design software for composite slabs and beams for Anglian Metal Deck Ltd (AMD). The software allows designs to be completed either to BS 5950 or the Eurocode (UK) using any of the three steel decks available from AMD. The software is developed as a web application and can be accessed via http://amdapp.steel-sci.org.

The software development followed physical testing of the bare steel decks and composite spans at the University of Salford and the analysis of the test results to determine properties used in design. The software has been developed to be comprehensive and flexible covering various practical design scenarios.

The slab design part of the software covers non-composite design of the deck at the construction stage and composite design of the slab at the normal stage. The slab design offers alternative methods for fire design and for the determination of the longitudinal shear resistance, with propped and unpropped solutions. In addition to uniformly distributed loading, users may specify line loads and point loads.

The beam design part of the software covers beams designed individually or as part of a floor grid specified by the user. Users may specify a slab, or select one of the slabs previously designed. Beam designs may be optimised (smallest depth) with a maximum depth specified. Load combinations may be auto generated, or specified by the user. In addition to floor loading, direct point or UDL loads can be applied on the beam if required.

The software produces detailed output reports which can be downloaded as PDF format, with the option to include the logo and company details of the user.

Selected papers from the Fifth Stainless Steel Experts Seminar have just been published in a Special Issue of the Journal of Constructional Steel Research (JCSR). This Journal provides an international forum for the presentation and discussion of the latest developments in structural steel research. The 26 papers in this Special Issue Recent Research into Structural Stainless Steel cover a wide range of topics, shedding light on some aspects of behaviour which are still lacking research such as connections, composite construction, performance of complete systems and resistance to extreme events. Nancy Baddoo was the Editor of this Special Issue. The work described in the papers is being used to develop more economic design rules for structural stainless steel in the forthcoming revision to the stainless steel Eurocode.

Photo Credit: Stål & Rörmontage, Sweden.

Final site welding of the duplex stainless steel Stockholm railway bridge girders (2017)

SCI has been commissioned by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) to prepare the first draft of a new AISC specification for structural stainless steel. AISC 370 will be prepared over the next two years, and is based on the AISC Design Guide 27 Structural Stainless Steel (2013), authored by SCI.

Please see our new listing of courses and webinars available until March 2019 on our website now.

Next Course

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.

SCI Members £320.00 | Non-members £400.00

For more information and to book your place.

Joints in Steel Construction moment resisting joints to EC3 the Green book (P398) This publication covers the design of moment-resisting joints in accordance with Eurocode 3. Moment-resisting joints are typically found in portal frames and in continuous construction.

Joints in Steel Construction. Composite connections (P213) This publication is one of a series of "Green Books" that cover a range of steelwork connections. It provides a guide to composite, end plate, bolted connections suitable for use in semi-continuous braced frames.

Joints in Steel Construction. Simple joints to Eurocode 3 'The Green Book' (P358) This publication provides guidance for nominally pinned joints (the most common joint type in steel building structures) that primarily carry vertical shear and, as an accidental limit state, tying forces.

Fusion receives Premier Approval

As offsite methods of construction become increasingly popular with volume housebuilders, PRS developers and investors, light gauge steel superstructure manufacturer Fusion Building Systems has achieved approval of its patented panelised system from Premier Guarantee.

Following an established assessment process which took place over the past few months, the Fusion team was able to prove the quality of its design, engineering, manufacturing and installation processes in order to meet the high standards required for Premier Guarantee's approval.

With this endorsement in place, Fusion's system is now approved for use by over 2,000 Premier Guarantee registered developers and builders throughout the UK. The offsite manufacturer will also be able to provide assurance to Premier's clients and lenders that its products are approved to perform to a consistently high standard and remain durable for a minimum of 60 years.

SCI would like to welcome a new member;

South Lincs Consulting Ltd

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