Hollow Structural Sections (HSS) have emerged as a revolutionary construction material in today's engineering projects. These innovative sections, characterized by their hollow, tubular shape, are fundamentally changing the way structural engineers approach design and construction. HSS materials have gained prominence for several compelling reasons:
Join Brad Fletcher, S.E., Senior Sales Engineer at Atlas Tube, on Wednesday, November 15th, 2023, at 1 pm Eastern Time (ET), as we delve into the world of HSS and its transformative potential in structural engineering.
The webinar, presented by Brad Fletcher, Senior Sales Engineer at Atlas Tube, focused on the specifications and applications of Hollow Structural Sections (HSS) in structural design.
Brad explained the manufacturing process of HSS, which involves cold-forming hot-rolled coil into a round section, then welding it to form square or rectangular sections. He also discussed the electric resistance welding (ERW) method used in the production of HSS.
Several specifications for HSS were discussed, including ASTM A500, ASTM A847, ASTM A1085, CSA G40.21, and API 5L. Each specification has different properties and applications, with ASTM A500 being the most common and preferred specification.
Brad highlighted the importance of fire protection when using HSS. He suggested using intumescent coatings for aesthetic situations where HSS is exposed. Another option mentioned was filling the HSS with concrete, which acts as a heat sink and provides additional fire protection.
The webinar addressed the challenges of transporting long lengths of HSS, with the maximum length produced being up to 100 feet for square and rectangular sections, and up to 135 feet for round sections.
Question: How do you ship a 100-foot length of HSS? Answer: Transportation becomes an issue for such long lengths. They are typically transported via barge or rail cars with special load requirements.
Question: What type of electrodes are used for wire weld? Answer: In the ERW process, there are no electrodes used. For other processes like SAW, the specific type of electrode would depend on the manufacturer.
Question: Is stress relief required after rolling the sections? Answer: Typically, stress relief is not required for normal applications. However, in structures where a lot of welding is done, proper heat treatment during welding can help avoid distortion.
Question: What are the fire protection considerations with HSS? Answer: Fire protection can be achieved by using intumescent coatings or filling the HSS with concrete. The choice depends on the specific application and aesthetic considerations.
Brad Fletcher, S.E., is the senior sales engineer at Atlas Tube. In this role, Brad leverages his 32 years of experience in engineering design and the steel industry to provide technical expertise on the use of steel hollow structural sections (HSS) to design engineers and architects. A registered structural engineer in the state of Illinois, Brad has held senior positions at leading architecture and engineering firms, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; Sargent & Lundy; and Halvorson and Partners. For the past fifteen years, Brad has focused his efforts on serving as a liaison between structural designers and the steel industry. Brad holds a BSCE and MSCE from Purdue University. He is active in many industry groups, including AISC, CISC, CSA, STI and ASTM International.
Connor is an experienced Mechanical Engineer who found his passion in connecting his people and technical skills to help engineers in every step of their design process. Before joining ClearCalcs, Connor worked as a Mechanical Design Engineer focusing on energy-efficient designs at Elara Engineering in Chicago and completed his MBA from Western Illinois University.
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