Steel Buildings in Europe

Part 2: Concept Design 2 - vi SUMMARY This publication p resents information necessary to assist in the choice and use of steel structures a t the concep t design sta ge of modern multi-storey build ings. The primary sector of interest is commercial buildings, but the same information may also be used in other sectors. The inform ation is presented in terms of the design strategy, anatom y of building de sign and stru ctural systems that are relev ant to the m ulti-storey build ings. This publication on the concept design of m ulti-storey frames complements other parts of the guide. The use of long span composite construction is considered to be a very im portant step towards th e grea ter u se of stee l in m ulti-storey buildin gs, and th ese f orms of construction are em phasised in this publicat ion. Cellular b eams and perforated s teel sections are prom oted, as integrated solu tions providing long spans without increasing overall floor depth. Long spans provide co lumn-free adaptable space with fewer foundations. Integrated beam s are also benefi cial where the beam depth is m inimised, such as in renovation applica tions. Other form s of floor c onstruction, such as precast concrete units, are also covered. Tables are provided for prelim inary design of the variou s structu ral system s, with typical layouts, sizes and guidance on the key design issues.