STRUCTURAL DESIGN FOR ARCHITECTURE

Structural Design for Architecture

64

three methods are used in the formation of

steelwork elements. The greatest tonnage of

elements for structural steelwork is produced

by forging; two processes are used, hot-rolling

and cold-forming^8 and large ranges of steel

components are made by both of these

processes. The casting of major steel com-

ponents is rare and the principal use of this

process is as the preliminary stage in the

forming of small jointing components (Fig.

3.14). Machining is the most precise of the

shaping processes and is used both in the final

stages of production of small components,

such as nuts and bolts, and in the final prepar-

ation of large steel elements for a particular

8 See Blanc, McEvoy and Plank, op.cit., Chapters 4 and 5

for a description of the manufacturing processes of

steel components.

Fig. 3.14 Renault Sales Headquarters, Swindon, England,

1983. Foster Associates, architects; Ove Arup & Partners,
      structural engineers. Steel castings are used for the joint-
      ing components of complex shape which occur at the ends
      of the tie bars in this connection. [Photo: Alastair Hunter]

structure. The drilling of bolt holes, for

example, is a machining process.

3.4.2 Hot-rolled sections

Hot-rolling is a forging process in which hot

billets of steel are passed repeatedly between

profiled rollers to produce straight elements

which have particular shapes and sizes of

cross-section (Fig. 3.15). Several sets of rollers

are normally required to transform a rough

billet into a finished element with a cross-

section which has satisfactory structural

properties. Most sets of rollers are capable of