Structural Steel Work For Buildings

'Trapped' in steel-framed homes

People who bought ex-council houses on an estate in Carmarthenshire claim they are "trapped" in virtually unsellable properties due to structural problems.

The steel frames in the 1960s houses in Trilwm, Trimsaran, are corroding.

Residents were told they would be included in a repair scheme but say it has been scaled back as the money is no longer available.

Carmarthenshire council said it was committed to helping them subject to available resources.

The houses were built by the old Llanelli Borough Council in the early 1960s for miners working at Cynheidre Colliery.

Lynn Jones, a community councillor, said 61 were now in private ownership including his own and another 40 let to council tenants.

"Some of the houses have cracks, there is blistering on walls, some are damp where the water is coming in," he said.

"Because of the steel the mortgage companies will not touch them.

"People are suffering from stress, depression and anxiety."

His wife Gail said they bought their house from the council in 2004.

"We are in a position where we want to sell but cannot do so," she said.

A structural report prepared for the council states the problems with the steel frames were discovered in 2007.

" Corrosion of the structural steel frames to varying degrees was revealed by structural surveys. In addition, we found that the properties are very thermally inefficient, difficult and expensive to heat and may become dangerously cold during the winter months. These two serious problems require prompt attention both to prevent the possibility of future structural failure and to minimise what amounts to a serious health risk to many of the occupiers. "

June 2010

Mrs Jones said: "Even if we accept the council did not know anything about the steel work until 2007 we are now in 2011 - four years have passed."

Gordon Hewett said his home had been on the market for four years.

"We paid £78,000 - it's cost £100,000 with the work we've done. It's our life savings."

Residents say one house has sold on the estate this year to a cash buyer for around £50,000.

The council's structural report says as well as the problem with the steel frames the houses are badly insulated.

Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology | Metsec ...

The striking new facility, designed by architects RMJM to support world class research and development, comprises two kinked laboratory blocks joined by a central atrium, which reflects the shape of a dividing chromosome.

All heavy plant servicing the building will be housed either in a separate energy centre, or in one of four stainless steel-clad tower plant rooms, each with a smaller sub tower sitting on top of the main structure.  This will remove weight and sources of vibration from the laboratory itself and allow for a more lightweight construction.  Interstitial Service Voids between the floors will house all the ductwork, pipes and services and will be accessible directly for maintenance and modification without the need to enter the laboratory space itself.

Due to be completed in 2012, the unusually-shaped new facility will replace an existing 50 year old building on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.  When complete it will accommodate 440 scientists in 27,000m2 of fully air conditioned space over three floors.  It will enable the LMB, which has produced 13 Nobel Prize winners and been the site of inventions and discoveries including DNA sequencing, to remain competitive at the cutting edge of scientific discovery.

Kevin Jones, Sales Director for Metsec’s Purlin Division says: “Due to the unusual shape of the towers, this job involved thousands of components and was therefore complex in terms of design.  We worked with Varla UK, using our latest MetSPEC 12 design software to work out the detailing, which enabled accurate manufacture, costing and construction.  The finished result will look very aesthetically pleasing, with the black clad plant towers on the roof being reminiscent of funnels on a ship and contrasting well with the glass clad building.”

Commissioned by the Medical Research Council and being built by BAM Construction, the new LMB building includes structural steelwork, which has been used for aesthetic as well as practical purposes.  All the staircases and bridges within the central atrium are made from steel, as are the offices housed within four accommodation boxes which span the atrium, while the roof is formed with 30m long cellular beams.

Metsec is the UK’s largest designer and manufacturer of light gauge steel purlins, side rails, and mezzanine floor sections.  Z and C section profiles are manufactured from 450N/mm2 material for high strength and low weight.  They are cold rolled from pre-dipped hot steel with a G275 coating.  Profile heights range from 142mm to 342mm and thicknesses from 1.3mm to 3.0mm.  A full range of accessories is available to cater for most cladding types and designs.

The architects' and builders' handbook, data for architects, structural engineers, contractors, and draughtsmen

Structural steelwork for buildings

The Architectural review

Structural steelwork, relating principally to the construction of steel-framed buildings

Structural steelwork, design to limit state theory