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Most of you are probably familiar with steel making. At its core, it first produces iron by superheating a mixture of lime ore, iron ore and coke in a blast or electric arc furnace. Several steps follow, including the removal of excess carbon and other impurities, as well as the processes necessary to achieve the desired composition. The molten steel is then cast or “hot rolled” into various shapes and lengths.
Making this structural steel requires a lot of heat and raw materials, raising concerns about carbon and gas emissions associated with the entire process. According to global consulting agency McKinsey, eight percent of the world’s carbon emissions come from steel production.
In addition, there is a lesser known cousin of steel, cold formed steel (CFS). It is important to distinguish it from hot-rolled analogues.
Although CFS was originally produced in the same way as hot rolled steel, it was made into thin strips, cooled, and then formed with a series of dies into C-profiles, plates, flat bars, and other shapes of the desired thickness. Use a roll forming machine. Cover with a protective layer of zinc. Since mold formation does not require additional heat and greenhouse gas emissions, as is the case with hot rolled steel, CFS skips the associated carbon emissions.
Although structural steel has been used ubiquitously on large construction sites for decades, it is bulky and heavy. CFS, on the other hand, is lightweight. Due to its extremely high strength-to-weight ratio, it is ideal for use as load-bearing structural elements such as frames and beams. This makes CFS an increasingly preferred steel for innovative projects of all shapes and sizes.
CFS not only has lower manufacturing costs than structural steel, but also allows for shorter assembly times, further reducing costs. The effectiveness of CFS is evident when pre-cut and marked electrical and plumbing cutouts are delivered to the site. Requires fewer highly skilled workers and is usually completed with only drills and fasteners. Field welding or cutting is rarely required.
Light weight and ease of assembly have made KFS more and more popular among manufacturers of prefabricated wall panels and ceilings. KFS logs or wall panels can be assembled by several teams. Rapid assembly of prefabricated components, often without the aid of a crane, means further savings in construction time. For example, building a children’s hospital in Philadelphia saved 14 days per floor, according to contractor PDM.
Kevin Wallace, founder of DSGNworks in Texas, told the Steel Framing Association, “Paneling solves the labor shortage because 80 percent of building construction is now done in factories instead of on site.” general contractor, this could shorten the project time by two months.” Noting that the cost of lumber has tripled compared to last year, Wallace added that CFS has also addressed the cost of materials. Another reason why CFS is more popular these days is that most of them are 75-90% recycled materials that are often blended in low emission electric arc furnaces. Unlike concrete and solid lumber, CFS can be 100% recyclable after initial use, sometimes as whole components.
To take into account the environmental benefits of CFS, SFIA has released a tool for contractors, building owners, architects and those seeking to create cutting-edge building designs that meet the latest LEED and other sustainable design standards. According to the latest EPD, CFS products manufactured by listed companies will be protected by the EPD until May 2026.
In addition, the flexibility of building design is important today. CFS again stands out in this regard. It is highly malleable, meaning it can bend or stretch under load without breaking. This higher degree of resistance to side loads, lift and gravity loads makes it ideal for areas at risk from earthquakes or high winds.
Being a significantly lighter building material than alternative materials such as wood, concrete and masonry, it reduces the cost of building side load resistant systems and foundations. Cold formed steel is lighter in weight and cheaper to transport.
There has been a lot of recent research into the benefits of massive wood buildings in terms of the obvious green implementation of carbon. However, as mentioned above, cold worked steels also exhibit many MTS properties.
The profile of massive wooden beams must be deep to provide the required strength compared to normal spans within the building structure. This thickness may result in an increase in floor-to-ceiling height, possibly reducing the number of floors that can be achieved within the allowable building height limits. The advantage of a thin cold-formed steel profile is a higher packing density.
For example, thanks to a thin six-inch structural floor designed by CFS, the Four Points Sheraton Hotel in Kelowna, BC Airport was able to overcome strict building height zoning restrictions and add one floor. Ground floor or guest room.
To determine its potential ceiling, SFIA commissioned Patrick Ford, head of Matsen Ford Design in Waxshire, Wisconsin, to create a virtual CFS high-rise frame.
At the American Iron and Steel Institute meeting in April 2016, Ford unveiled the SFIA Matsen Tower, a 40-story residence. “SFIA Matsen Tower opens the door to new ways to integrate CFS frames into high-rise buildings,” the association said.
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Post time: Jul-05-2023