CISC

Guide for Specifying

Architecturally Exposed
Structural Steel

by Terri Meyer Boake

 
 CISC
Guide for Specifying
Architecturally Exposed
Structural Steel
 Copyright © 2012
Canadian Instute of Steel Construcon

All rights reserved.

This book or any part thereof must not be reproduced
without wrien permission from the publisher.

Second Edion
First Prinng March 2012

ISBN 978-0-88811-160-9

Front cover images courtesy Terri Meyer Boake

 CISC
Guide for Specifying
Architecturally Exposed
Structural Steel

Terri Meyer Boake, B.E.S., B.Arch., M.Arch., LEED AP

School of Architecture
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario

Canadian Institute of Steel Construction

CISC AESS Guide – 3

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword 6

1 The Challenge 7
What Is AESS? 7
Purpose of the Guide 7
Evoluon of Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel 7
Development of the New CISC AESS Documents 8
Primary Factors of Inuence That Dene AESS 8
Form, Fit and Finish 9

The Matrix 10

2 Categories 12
The Categories Approach 12
Standard Structural Steel 12
AESS 1 - Basic Elements 13
AESS 2 - Feature Elements (view distance > 6 metres) 14
AESS 3 - Feature Elements (view distance  6 metres) 15
Acknowledgements AESS 4 - Showcase Elements 16
This publicaon would not have been possible without the input of many dedicated AESS C - Custom Elements 17
people in the steel industry. The CISC AESS Commiee members from across Canada Mixed Categories 17
put many long hours into sharing their knowledge in order to help create a useful tool
for designing, specifying or creang Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel.
3 Characteriscs 18
Parcular thanks go to Sylvie Boulanger for her assistance in working through the Characteriscs of the Matrix 18
details of this publicaon, and to Walter Koppelaar for his encouragement and sharing AESS 1 - Characteriscs 1.1 to 1.5 18
his knowledge of the industry and its inner workings. AESS 2 - Characteriscs 2.1 to 2.4 19
AESS 3 - Characteriscs 3.1 to 3.6 20
It is sincerely hoped that this guide will assist in leveraging the posion and ease of use AESS 4 - Characteriscs 4.1 to 4.4 22
of Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel in the Canadian construcon industry. AESS C 22
1
Working Outside of Canada 23

CISC AESS Guide – Table of Contents - 4

4 Coangs and Finishes 24 7 Erecon Consideraons 38
General Issues 24 Handling the Steel 38
Details 25 Transportaon Issues 38
Surface Preparaon 25 Sequencing of Lis 38
Paint Systems 25 Site Constraints 38
Shop Versus Site Painng 26 Care in Handling 38
Primers 26 Erecon Issues 39
Intumescent Coangs 26 Combining Steel with Timber 39
Cemenous/Fibrous Fire Protecon 27 Combining Steel with Glass 40
Galvanizing 27
Metalizing 28
Weathering Steel 29 8 Special Acknowledgments 42
Stainless Steel 30
9 References and Image Credits 43
5 Connecons 30
Detailing Requirements for AESS Connecons 30 Appendices
General Issues 30 Appendix 1 - CISC Code of Standard Pracce 44
Connecon Mock-Ups 31 Appendix 2 - Sample AESS Specicaon 46
Which Type of Connecon Should I Choose? 31
Bolted Connecons 32
Welded Connecons 32
Tubular Steel 33
Cast Connecons 34

6 Curves and Cuts 35

Designing for Complex Curves and Cuts 35 Disclaimer:
Bending 35 It is not the intenon of the CISC AESS Commiee that the projects and details included in this
Ellipcal Tubes 36 Guide should be replicated or necessarily represent “best pracces”. They are included only to
Specialized Equipment 36 allow for a beer understanding of the visual intenons of the pracces and procedures outlined
Shearing 36 in the Guide and related specicaon documents, with the understanding that “a picture might
CNC Cung 36 be worth a thousand words”.
Plasma Cung 36
Torch or Flame Cung 37
Hole Punching and Drilling 37 Image credits:
Unless otherwise noted, all images in this book were taken by Terri Meyer Boake. Images are not
to be reproduced without wrien authorizaon of the author. All images are credited at the end
of the document using the numbered photo scheme.

CISC AESS Guide – Table of Contents - 5

Foreword
The Canadian Instute of Steel Construcon is a naonal industry organizaon represenng the
structural steel, open-web steel joist and steel plate fabricang industries in Canada. Formed
in 1930 and granted a Federal charter in 1942, the CISC funcons as a nonprot organizaon
promong the e cient and economic use of fabricated steel in construcon.

As a member of the Canadian Steel Construcon Council, the Instute has a general interest in
all uses of steel in construcon. CISC works in close cooperaon with the Steel Structures Educa-
on Foundaon (SSEF) to develop educaonal courses and programmes related to the design
and construcon of steel structures. The CISC supports and acvely parcipates in the work of
the Standards Council of Canada, the Canadian Standards Associaon, the Canadian Commission
on Building and Fire Codes and numerous other organizaons, in Canada and other countries,
involved in research work and the preparaon of codes and standards.

Preparaon of engineering plans is not a funcon of the CISC. The Instute does provide techni-
cal informaon through its professional engineering sta
, through the preparaon and dissemi-
naon of publicaons, and through the medium of seminars, courses, meengs, video tapes,
and computer programs. Architects, engineers and others interested in steel construcon are
encouraged to make use of CISC informaon services.

This publicaon has been prepared and published by the Canadian Instute of Steel Construc-
on. It is an important part of a connuing e
ort to provide current, praccal informaon to
assist educators, designers, fabricators, and others interested in the use of steel in construcon.

Although no e
ort has been spared in an aempt to ensure that all data in this book is factual
and that the numerical values are accurate to a degree consistent with current structural design
pracce, the Canadian Instute of Steel Construcon and the author do not assume responsibil-
ity for errors or oversights resulng from the use of the informaon contained herein. Anyone
making use of the contents of this book assumes all liability arising from such use. All suggesons
for improvement of this publicaon will receive full consideraon for future prinngs.

CISC is located at:

3760 14th Avenue, Suite 200, Markham, Ontario, L3R 3T7
and may also be contacted via one or more of the following:
Telephone: 905-946-0864
Fax: 905-946-8574
Email: info@cisc-icca.ca
Website: www.cisc-icca.ca

CISC AESS Guide – Foreword - 6

 1 The Challenge
What Is AESS?
Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel (AESS) is steel that is designed for structural su ciency
to meet the primary needs of the building, canopies or ancillary structures, while at the same
me remaining exposed to view. It is therefore a signicant part of the architectural language of
the building. The design, detailing and nish requirements of AESS will typically exceed that of
standard structural steel normally concealed by other nishes.
Why a Guide for AESS?
This Guide was developed to facilitate beer communicaon among architects, engineers and
fabricators. It was felt that visual references would help all pares understand the intent of the
new AESS documents as applied to the design of structures.
The Guide serves as a companion to two other AESS documents: the Sample AESS Secon in
the Structural Steel Specicaon and the CISC Code of Standard Pracce including the Category
Matrix.
For Whom Is It Intended?
This Guide was created primarily for architects but is also intended for all design professionals in-
terested in AESS applicaons. In terms of the relaonship between the new AESS documents and
specic areas of pracce, engineers have the Specicaon, fabricators have the Code, architects
have the Guide, and all are linked by the Matrix of Categories and Characteriscs. The Matrix sits
at the centre of the suite and provides the connecon that links all of the documents.
2 3
Purpose of the Guide
The factors of inuence were worked into the Categories (described in Secon 2) and Charac-
teriscs (Secon 3) as dened in the new AESS documents. It was felt that, in order for users of
the new specicaon documents to understand more fully the Categories and Characteriscs, an
illustrated document was required. This Guide has been wrien to explain in detail the suite of
CISC documents for the specicaon of AESS material. It provides visual references to help beer
understand the terms of reference. The buildings and connecons included in this document
are meant to be representave and to provide clear visual references supporng the key facts
explained in the Guide. It is also hoped that the range of projects illustrated will inspire you by
highlighng the wide range of possibilies available when designing with Architecturally Exposed
Structural Steel.
It is not the intenon of the Commiee that the details included herein should be replicated or
necessarily represent “best pracces”. They are presented to allow a beer understanding of
the visual intenons of pracces and procedures outlined in the Guide and related specica-
on documents, with the understanding that “a picture might be worth a thousand words”. In
addion, the projects and details are intended to help architects select appropriate Categories of
AESS which range from AESS1 through AESS4 (see Secon 2).
Evoluon of Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel
The basic understanding of steel construcon lies in its roots as an assembled, largely prefabri-
cated methodology. Steel construcon is “elemental” in nature and its arstry reliant not only on
the appropriate choice of members (shapes versus tubes), but also on the method of aach-
ment. AESS steel design requires detailing that can approach industrial design standards when
creang joints between members. The structural requirements of shear and moment resistance
must be accommodated, along with ghter dimensional tolerances and other consideraons
such as balance, form, symmetry and economy. If the creaon of connecons requires an exces-
sive degree of unique fabricaon details, the designer can price the project out of existence. The
method of preparing and nishing the connecons can also radically increase costs. Specialized
welds and unnecessary ground and lled nishes increase fabricaon and erecon expenses.
4 5
CISC AESS Guide – 1 The Challenge - 7
Much of the architectural enjoyment as well as the challenge of designing with AESS lies in the Development of the New CISC AESS Documents
1 The Challenge
creaon of key details and connecons that give the structure its disncve character. Aer the
primary choice of member type and system (shape vs. tube), the challenge consists in determin- It was felt that the normal specicaon used for structural steel was incomplete when it came
ing the method of connecon – welding vs. bolng, and ulmately designing the joint itself. to serving the special needs of AESS. Therefore, CISC formed a naonal Ad Hoc Commiee on
Whereas designers tend not to be involved in connecon issues for concealed structural systems, AESS (see Special Acknowledgments at the end of the document) and focused on di
erenang
exposed systems become the architectural trademark of the building, hence requiring much Categories because it became clear that not all AESS need be created equal(ly expensive). For
involvement. Composional issues usually necessitate the addion of extra steel at the joints to example, viewing distances, coang thicknesses and connecon types should maer, as they all
create a beauful connecon. Unfortunately not all designers are adequately informed regarding impact the nature of the nish and detail required in exposed steel. The Commiee established
either the choice of appropriate methods of aachment or the cost implicaons of their choices. a set of Categories to dene the nature of nish and tolerance in the steel. The Categories are
further dened by a set of technical Characteriscs. To facilitate communicaon among archi-
The surge in the use of AESS has created a paradigm shi in the sequenal communicaon that tects, engineers and fabricators, Categories and their associated Characteriscs are presented
usually takes place in a more convenonal building where the steel structure is hidden. The ar- in a Matrix to provide an easy graphic reference. In total, three AESS documents reference the
chitect now wants direct access to the fabricator’s shop to verify and comment on the edges and
Matrix: a Sample Specicaon, an addion to the CISC Code of Standard Pracce and this Guide.
surfaces of the imagined product, and the engineer is dealing with aesthec aspects that impact
the structural integrity of the frame. That leaves the fabricator and the erector somewhere in the
middle between aesthec and technical requirements. Primary Factors of Inuence That Dene AESS
The paradigm shi centers on the simple fact that a “nice-looking connecon” or a “smooth The Canada-wide discussion groups held by the CISC Ad Hoc Commiee on AESS determined
surface” has very di
erent meanings whether you are talking to an architect, an engineer or a that there were primary factors giving rise to the di
erenated Categories of AESS:
fabricator. Such a situaon creates a misalignment of expectaons in terms of what can be ac-
complished within specic budget limitaons. Welds that are contoured and blended are not the • Connecons mostly bolted or welded
(di
erent aesthecs requiring di
ering levels of nish)
same price as ASTM A325 hexagonal bolts, for example.
• Tolerances required at fabricaon and erecon
(di
erent as a funcon of scope and complexity)

• Access to detail to perform required nish

(greater concern for workmanship may mean altering the detail or its locaon to allow ac-
cess for di
erent types of tools)

BACKGROUND
By 2003, AISC had produced its AESS Guide. During the same period, concerns about
AESS were also emerging in several regions of Canada. Regional CISC iniaves eventu-
ally culminated in the naonal CISC Ad Hoc Commiee on AESS in 2005. The idea was
to create a dynamic industry dialogue including architects and engineers, in the hope of
providing a series of documents that would assist in re-visioning the design, specica-
on, and construcon process for AESS.

6 also introduced an underlining Category approach and reduced its scope. The commit-
The Sainsbury Centre for the Performing Arts was designed
and constructed by Norman Foster in 1977. The Brish High
Tech movement brought exposed structural steel to the
forefront of design, and with it an array of issues that had
not been part of architectural discourse for more than a
century. The project used round HSS members and a struc-
ture that was expressed on both the exterior and interior of
the building.
In the following two years, CISC adapted components of what AISC had developed and
tee elaborated a Sample Specicaon (for engineers), an addion to the CISC Code of
Standard Pracce (for fabricators) and a Guide (for architects). Common to all these
documents was a unique Matrix of Categories and Characteriscs used by all.
In parallel, several roundtables were held in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, which
typically involved architects, engineers and fabricators. Those sessions helped shape the
orientaon and direcon of the Commiee’s work on the documents.
7
In its arcle on Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel
Construcon in Modern Steel Construcon (May 2003),
AISC cited the roots of the current trend of exposed steel
and transparency in design to the Chicago O’Hare United
Airlines Terminal designed by Helmut Jahn between 1985
and 1988. Indeed, airport architecture has succeeded in
pushing the use of exposed steel to incredible heights.

CISC AESS Guide – 1 The Challenge - 8

• Degree of expression
(complexity of structure and connecons)
erenal movements and erecon idiosyncrasies of these other materials.
• Size and shape of structural elements
(W secons and HSS have di
erent detailing requirements and their use infers a di
erent While the Finish might be the last phase of construcon, the selecon of the Finish must take
approach to detailing and nish)
• Interior or exterior seng
(weathering issues, need to re protect, potenal for impact damage)
• Paint nish, corrosion resistance, re protecon
(depending on the relave thickness of the nish material, more or less care may be re-
quired when preparing the surface, edges and welding of the steel)
Form, Fit and Finish
er on projects whose intenons might fall outside
The primary factors of inuence can be further summarized as Form, Fit and Finish. Unlike stan-
dard structural steel that is hidden from view, Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel is a key
element of the expression of the Architectural Design. A large amount of emphasis is placed on
the Form of the steel in the design. The overall Form may vary greatly from regular framing and
might oen include curves, unusual angles or three-dimensional elements. Members and con-
necons are designed with more aenon to the way in which their details support the aesthec
intenons of the design. Bolted or welded connecons may be chosen less for their structural
erent set of consideraons. Many projects seek to incorporate
capabilies or ease of erecon than for their appearance within the overall intenon and form
of the design. This does not mean that their structural integrity is not a key consideraon in the
success of the design.
Highly arculated steel structures are by their nature more di cult to Fit. There is signicantly
less play in the connecons, and accumulated errors can result in overall misalignment. This
need to ensure accuracy, ease of fabricaon, as well as boom line constructability, puts greater
pressure on the details and requires narrower tolerances throughout the enre project. Tighter
tolerances will carry through when the exposed steel framing must coordinate with other trades,
in parcular areas of signicant glazing and curtain wall. The use of stainless steel spider con-
8 9
Specialty glazing systems require ghter toler- Composite structural systems require higher levels
erent steel trees: one created using W shapes to create a very textured appearance; the other us-
ances and a higher level of Fit on a project. of coordinaon. The tolerances and construcon
pracces of the other material must be taken into
account.
necons for structural glass systems puts addional pressure on allowable tolerances. If exposed
steel is used with heavy mber or glulam systems, then the t must also take into account the
di
place at the beginning of the AESS design process. Finishes will vary in exposed steel both as a
funcon of the design intenon and issues relang to weathering, interior or exterior exposure
and re protecon. A high-gloss nish will reveal every imperfecon and so will require more
fasdious fabricaon. A thicker intumescent coang will conceal many surface imperfecons.
Galvanizing itself has issues with consistency of nish, and its selecon may accompany a less
polished selecon of details. The boom line for the contract is that both me and money will
be wasted if the level of fabricaon care greatly exceeds the nature of the Finish.
Excepons
Form, Fit and Finish consideraons will di
of tradional Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel. Steel is oen selected as the material of
choice for large art installaons. Here there needs to be a customized variaon of the consider-
aons presented in this Guide which form the basis of dialogue for the team. Where some arsts
might be looking for a very plasc appearance, others may wish to let the rough nature of the
steel reveal itself.
Reused steel also requires a di
reused or salvaged steel for its sustainable qualies. In some instances the steel may be cleaned,
but in others le with its original nish so that it can express its reuse. This type of applicaon
also demands a variaon of the general intenons presented in this Guide.
10 11
Two di
ing mechanical pipe and specialty casng and striving for a seamless appearance using a high gloss nish.
AESS specicaons must be tailored to the overall design intenons of each individual project as they are
all somewhat unique.
CISC AESS Guide – 1 The Challenge - 9
 THE CISC CATEGORY MATRIX FOR SPECIFYING ARCHITECTURALLY EXPOSED STRUCTURAL STEEL (AESS)

Table 1 - AESS Category Matrix

Category AESS C AESS 4 AESS 3

Custom Elements Showcase Elements Feature Elements
12 AESS 1
Viewed at a Distance ч 6
CharacterisƟcs Viewed at a Distance  6 m
Id m
1.1 Surface preparaƟon to SSPC-SP 6 я я
1.2 Sharp edges ground smooth я я
1.3 ConƟnuous weld appearance я я
1.4 Standard structural bolts я я
1.5 Weld spaƩers removed я я

2.1 Visual Samples opƟonal opƟonal

2.2 One-half standard fabricaƟon tolerances я я
2.3 FabricaƟon marks not apparent я я
13 AESS 2 2.4 Welds uniform and smooth я я

3.1 Mill marks removed я я

3.2 BuƩ and plug welds ground smooth and Įlled я я
3.3 HSS weld seam oriented for reduced visibility я я
3.4 Cross secƟonal abuƫng surface aligned я я
3.5 Joint gap tolerances minimized я я
3.6 All welded connecƟons opƟonal opƟonal

4.1 HSS seam not apparent я

4.2 Welds contoured and blended я
4.3 Surfaces Įlled and sanded я
4.4 Weld show-through minimized я
14 AESS 3
C.1
C.2
C.3
C.4
C.5
Airports, shopping
Elements with special Showca s e or domi na nt
Sample Use: centres, hospitals,
requirements el ements
lobbies
EsƟmated Cost Premium: Low to High High Moderate
(20-250%) (100-250%) (60-150%)
15 AESS 4
CISC AESS Guide – 1 The Challenge - 10
 The CISC Category Matrix encompasses 4 Cat- 2.2 These tolerances are required to be one-
egories (AESS 1 through AESS 4). Each category half of those of standard structural steel as
represents a set of characteriscs, which clari- specied in CSA S16.
es what type of work will be performed on the
steel, the tolerances to be met, and if a visual 2.3 Members marked with specic numbers
AESS 2 AESS 1 SSS sample is needed. For AESS 1, the associated during the fabricaon and erecon processes
Feature Elements Basic Standard Structural characteriscs are 1.1 through 1.4; for AESS are not to be visible.
2, they are 1.1 through 2.4, and so on. The
Elements Steel categories are selected by the architect. They 2.4 The welds should be uniform and smooth,
Viewed at a Distance > 6 are specied at bid me as an AESS subdivision indicang a higher level of quality control in
Viewed at a Distance > 6 m CSA S16
m of the Structural Steel division in the engineer’s the welding process.
я я documents. The categories appear on architec-
я я ture, engineering, detailing and erecon docu- 3.1 All mill marks are not to be visible in the
я я ments. In general, it is expected that AESS 2 nished product.
я я (for elements viewed at a distance) and AESS 3
я я (for elements viewed at close range) will be the 3.2 Caulking or body ller is acceptable.
categories most commonly specied. For more
informaon, see: www.cisc-icca.ca/aess. 3.3 Seams shall be oriented away from view or
opƟonal
as indicated in the Contract Documents.
я
я NOTES
3.4 The matching of abung cross-secons
я 1.1 Prior to blast cleaning, any deposits of
shall be required.
grease or oil are to be removed by solvent
cleaning, SSPC-SP 1.
3.5 This characterisc is similar to 2.2 above. A
clear distance between abung members of 3
1.2 Rough surfaces are to be deburred and
mm is required.
ground smooth. Sharp edges resulng from
ame cung, grinding and especially shearing
3.6 Hidden bolts may be considered.
are to be soened.
4.1 HSS seams shall be treated so they are not
1.3 Intermient welds are made connuous,
apparent.
either with addional welding, caulking or body
ller. For corrosive environments, all joints 4.2 In addion to a contoured and blended
should be seal welded. Seams of hollow struc- appearance, welded transions between
tural secons shall be acceptable as produced. members are also required to be contoured
and blended.
1.4 All bolt heads in connecons shall be on the
same side, as specied, and consistent from 4.3 Steel surface imperfecons should be lled
one connecon to another. and sanded.
1.5 Weld spaer, slivers and surface discon- 4.4 The back face of the welded element
nuies are to be removed. Weld projecon up caused by the welding process can be mini-
Retail and architectural Roof trusses for arenas, to 2 mm is acceptable for bu and plug-welded mized by hand grinding the backside of the
buildings viewed at a retail warehouses, joints. weld. The degree of weld-through is a funcon
distance canopies of weld size and material.
2.1 Visual samples are either a 3-D rendering, a
Low to Moderate Low None physical sample, a rst-o
inspecon, a scaled C. Addional characteriscs may be added for
(40-100%) (20-60%) 0% mock-up or a full-scale mock-up, as specied in custom elements.
Contract Documents.

CISC AESS Guide – 1 The Challenge - 11

2 Categories Baselines have been established that characterize each of the ve AESS Categories. A set of
Characteriscs has been developed that is associated with each Category. These are explained in
detail under Secon 3 Characteriscs. Higher-level Categories include all of the Characteriscs of
the preceding Categories, plus a more stringent set of addional requirements. Each Category as
THE CATEGORIES APPROACH illustrated within this Guide will be shown to be able to reference recognizable building types as
a point of visual orientaon.
In the new AESS set of Specicaon documents, ve Categories have been created that charac-
It is recognized that a wide range of AESS buildings is already in existence. The examples chosen
terize ve unique levels of nish related to AESS. These Categories reect the primary factors
to illustrate the points in this Guide are not meant to be either denive or exhausve, but to
of inuence, form, t and nish, and for the purpose of the Matrix, have been reduced to three
create a visual reference to assist in understanding both the intent of the AESS Categories as well
main areas of concern:
as the nature of the nish and workmanship inferred by the Characteriscs listed in the next
secon.
• the viewing distance (greater or less than 6 metres)
• the type or funcon of the building (as this infers potenal design requirements for nish)
Mulple Types of AESS, Same Project: Di
erent types of AESS can be in use on the same project.
• a range of percentage of potenal cost increase over standard structural steel.
The choice of AESS category will vary according to the use of the space, viewing distance and
types of members. The type of AESS will simply need to be marked clearly on the contract docu-
Viewing Distance: Six metres was chosen as a base dimension, as it began to di
erenate ments.
whether an occupant would be able to scrunize the nish from a close range and even touch
the product. Six metres represents a normal height of a high ceiling. The ability to see the struc-
ture from a close range can impact the required level of workmanship of the nished product. It Standard Structural Steel (SSS)
makes lile sense to grind welds, for instance, on a structure many metres out of eyeshot. When
designing atrium spaces, it is also important to use this measurement in the horizontal direc- The inial point of technical reference is Standard
on, as the view across a space is as crical as the view upward. In certain instances, this might Structural Steel (SSS) as dened in CSA S16, as it
also include the view down onto the structure. Where steel is viewed from above, care must is already established and well understood as a
be taken to detail the steel to avoid the buildup of grime and trash. Viewing distance can also baseline in construcon Specicaons.
impact the requirements of the surface nish on the steel members, as some natural blemishes
in the steel from manufacturing, fabricaon or mill processes will not be able to be seen at a Understanding the Categories of Architecturally
distance. There are cost savings if such is recognized prior to specifying the steel. Exposed Structural Steel begins by di
erenang
structural steel in terms of its degree of expo-
Type or Funcon of the Building: The exposed steel over an ice rink and the exposed steel sure. It is assumed that regular structural steel is
in an airport are likely to have di
erent aesthec and nish requirements. There are a range of either normally concealed for reasons of nish 17
degrees of nish between these two building types that are recognized in this document. It is preference or for reasons of re protecon. The
This structural steel will be hidden behind a
also suggested that the program of the building and the range of spaces within a project be ex- structural integrity of Standard Structural Steel is suspended ceiling, so its strength consideraons
amined to assess whether there are in fact a number of types of AESS that need to be specied. take priority over its appearance.
The exposed roof trusses may be AESS 1, and the columns or base details may be AESS 3. If this is
clearly marked on the contract drawings, then the fabricator can adjust the bid according to the
appropriate level of nish. clearly the overriding concern of this material. In
normal circumstances, because it will be either
Range of Potenal Cost Increase: The percentage values noted on the matrix suggest a range clad and/or re protected, there is lile or no
of increase in the cost to fabricate and erect the AESS Categories over the cost to fabricate and architectural concern over the design of the
erect standard structural steel. Addional me is involved in the fabricaon processes associated details, connecons and even necessarily the type
with the specic characteriscs of the higher levels of AESS. The erecon costs will also increase of members chosen. Although some applicaons
as a funcon of the complexity of the steel, the degree to which this complex steel can be fab- will be more complicated than others, and hence
ricated in the shop, transportaon, access and staging area concerns, and increased tolerance priced accordingly, this steel is not subject to the
requirements to t the steel. The more complex the AESS and the higher the nature of the nish same consideraons as an exposed product.
requirements, the ghter the tolerances become. This increases the me to erect the steel. For 16
these reasons the range of increase is fairly wide. It is strongly suggested that, once the type of This structural steel has spray reproong ap-
Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel will follow
AESS has been selected and the Matrix completed, these documents be used as a point of com- plied and will also be hidden from view by ceiling all of the same structural requirements as set
municaon and negoaon among the design and construcon team. and wall nishes. out within CSA S16, and be subject to addional

CISC AESS Guide – 2 Categories - 12

requirements as dened by the assigned AESS Category (1, 2, 3, 4 or Custom) and the specic set Alternavely, some specialty custom-
of Characteriscs associated with each AESS Category. In Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel, designed steel may be specied but
the steel, its materiality and method of connecons are “expressed” and form a key part of the would be located at a distant view, so
architectural design of the building or project. that the fabricaon, nish of the steel
and workmanship would not come under
close scruny. Some of these specialty
AESS 1 – Basic Elements is the fabricaons will be similar to those used
rst step above Standard Structural Steel. in AESS 2, with the distance factor being
This type of applicaon would be suit- the major point of separaon.
able for “basic” elements, which require
enhanced workmanship. This type of Another factor that will impact the deci-
exposed structure could be found in roof sion to ask for AESS 1 versus AESS 2 steel
trusses for arenas, warehouses, big box for an exposed ceiling will be the nature
stores and canopies and should only of the lighng. In the case of Semiahmoo
require a low cost premium in the range Library, the light level on the ceiling is 19
of 20% to 60% due to its relavely large high, and the ceiling height at the low Ricoh Centre, Toronto, ON: This renovaon project uses
viewing distance as well as the lower range for this category. In the Ricoh Cen- curved trusses adjacent to the entry area of the arena to
prole nature of the architectural spaces tre, the steel is more arculated using reect the curved window of the adjacent historic facade.
in which it is used. curved shapes and HSS members, but the The trusses are fabricated from HSS material. Although
18 ceiling is extremely high, and the lighng there is more fabricaon e
ort involved than if using o
-
AESS 1 applicaons will see the use of levels in the low range and addionally the-shelf components, the trusses are sll well above 6 m
fairly straighorward secon types such Semiahmoo Library, Surrey, B.C.: The project uses a very from the viewer, so close scruny of the nishes and con-
using a type of lighng that tends to con-
as W, HSS, and oen OWSJ and exposed simple exposed structure comprised of W secons and necons is not possible. (higher cost premium for custom
OWSJ with a painted nish. Some extra care is necessary, in
ceal detail. If the curved steel trusses of fabricaon)
proled decking. Generally this type of the Ricoh Centre were to be brightly uplit
keeping with the library use of the facility, in the prepara-
framing might appear similar to basic with a more blue-white type of light that
on and installaon of the structure. The W secons are
structural steel applicaons, other than exposed to view and touch, but overall the ceiling elements could accentuate the detail, this structure might need to fall into a higher Category.
the fact that it is le exposed to view. are viewed at a distance. Had this project used custom
And because it is le exposed to view, trusses instead of OWSJ members, it would likely have Also important to consider when specifying AESS 1 for the ceiling will be the nature of the other
more care is required to ensure that fallen into AESS 2 Category Steel. In the case of the library, elements and systems that will be incorporated into the ceiling plane. Is it “busy” with mechani-
the standard structural members are the steel has been le exposed to save on the use of nish
cal services? Do these need to run parallel or perpendicular to the main structural lines of the
aligned in a uniform way, that spacing is material, which has helped in achieving credits towards trusses or joists? Are the services to be painted out or accentuated? Typically you will see sprin-
kept consistent, and that the surfaces of a LEED Silver Rang. (lower cost premium with standard kler runs and HVAC equipment integrat-
joists)
the members are properly prepared to ed into most AESS 1 type ceilings. In the
accept uniform nishes and coangs. A case of retail (big box) stores, you might
greater level of consistency in the use of connecons, bolts, and welds is also required. also see a high level of signage that will
serve to take the focus away from the
These types of applicaons may or may not require special re protecon design. This is deter- steel systems and therefore allow for a
mined as a funcon of the use of the space. In some situaons the steel may be le completely lower level of nish and detailing.
unprotected or sprinklered, and so it will need to receive only a paint nish. Intumescent coat-
ings could be found where the rang would be one hour or greater; however, this might not be a Depending on the environment
common choice due to the cost of the coang system. The detailing on AESS 1 elements should (moisture level in the case of rinks and
not be greatly impacted by the relave thickness or nish of the intumescent coang, as much of chemicals in the case of swimming pools,
this type of steel will be located well above eye level and out of range of touch. industrial plants, etc.) this type of steel
20 may need special coang treatment to
As it is ancipated that many AESS projects will specify more than one Category of steel, it will prevent corrosion. This will impact the
be common to specify AESS 1 for the ceiling elements of a design, where the distance to view is Ricoh Centre, Toronto, ON: Although the trusses that span overall cost of the installaon.
in the 6 m or greater range, and use a di
erent class of AESS for those elements, like columns, the arena proper in the Ricoh Centre are somewhat closer
that are located at a closer proximity. to view, they fall into AESS 1 given their more roughly
detailed design style as well as the less rened nature of the
space. (low cost premium through the use of standard sec-
ons and connecons that are removed from view)

CISC AESS Guide – 2 Categories - 13

AESS 2 – Feature Elements includes structure that is intended to be viewed at a dis-
tance > 6 m. It is suitable for “feature” elements that will be viewed at a distance greater than
six metres. The process requires basically good fabricaon pracces with enhanced treatment of
welds, connecon and fabricaon details, tolerances for gaps, and copes. This type of AESS might
be found in retail and architectural applicaons where a low to moderate cost premium in the
range of 40% to 100% over the cost of Standard Structural Steel would be expected.

AESS 2 will generally be found in buildings where the expressed structure forms an important, in-
tegral part of the architectural design intent. The dening parameter of viewing distance greater
than 6 metres will infer that you might
nd this sort of steel in high-level roof or
ceiling applicaons. For this reason you
might be specifying AESS 2 steel for the 23 24
distant components of the structure and
a higher grade of AESS for the low-level Pierre Ellio Trudeau Airport, Montreal: The trusses supporng this skylight are quite characterisc of
AESS 2 type steel. The viewing distance is over 6 metres but the design needs something more than a
elements of the structure. These should
standard joist or truss. The detailing is simple, and the viewer is not close enough to see the texture of the
be clearly marked on the drawing sets connecon, only the form of the truss.
so that the treatments can be di
eren-
ated and the respecve cost premiums Works Yard O ce. There are some specialty details added to the repertoire, centred around the
separated out. support of the PV skylights and the wood structure.

It will be more common to see W or HSS
members specied for this category,
rather than more industrial members
such as OWSJ. This type of applicaon
may use a combinaon of bolted or
welded connecons. As the viewing
distance is great, there is normally less
concern about concealing the connecon
aspects of larger pieces to each other –
hence no hidden connecons.
Edmonton City Hall uses square HSS members to create a very complex high-level truss system to
support a pyramidal skylight. The viewing distance has permied a less fasdious level of ll and
21 nish on the members, as these are not in close range of view or touch. The structure appears
to use all-welded connecons. For the straight-run truss elements, the square HSS secons align
Naonal Works, Vancouver B.C.: The project uses a more
fairly cleanly. This becomes more di cult at the angled junctures of the roof. But given the pyra-
arculated steel design, predominantly with W-secons.
Much of the structure is located at ceiling height, so at a
distance for viewing and therefore allowing for a lower
level of detailing and ne nish. This structure interacts
with wood, which will change aspects of its detailing and
coordinaon during erecon.

In the case of the Naonal Works Yard,

the use of exposed steel has reduced
nishes and helped in achieving a LEEDTM
Gold rang. The predominant secon 26
choice is a W-shape, and the detail-
ing has been kept fairly standard. The
specialty details that support the roof
structure and the Parallam wood beams
remove the details from close scruny.
The primary connecon choice to join
22 major secons is bolng; however, the
Naonal Trade Centre, Toronto, ON: The project makes elements themselves have been shop-
use of relavely standard steel secons, but the design and welded prior to shipping. Although the
fabricaon employ a higher standard in terms of arrange- steel can be viewed more closely from 25 27
ment and detailing. There is some secon bending required the upper oor level, a decision was Edmonton City Hall: The trusses that support the pyramidal glass roof are created using square HSS sec-
which increases fabricaon costs and can impact detailing. made to maintain the tectonic of the ons. The viewing distance varies but is typically greater than 6 metres, even from the upper levels. An up-
Much of the structure is sll located in excess of 6 metres W-secons and bolted connecons con- close inspecon reveals many inconsistencies that are reasonable to leave “as is” due to the view distance.
above view. The extra expense to ll, grind and carefully align the members would be lost on users of the building.
sistent, given the use of the building as a

CISC AESS Guide – 2 Categories - 14

midal shape, round HSS members were not deemed appropriate so a detailing compromise was or characteriscs of the steel are not
required at the junctures, and the viewing distance made this workable. thoughully considered, the AESS for
the project can easily be priced higher.
The cost premium for AESS 2 ranges from 40 to 100%. There may be lower costs associated
with the clean use of standard structural shapes with bolted or simple welded connecons, and The cost premium to be found in
higher costs associated with the use of HSS shapes, complex geometries and a predominance AESS 3 steel will depend greatly
of welded connecons. As one of the common applicaons of AESS 2 will be for roof, skylight or upon the types of members chosen,
ceiling support systems, the re-protecon method must be known from the outset of the proj- the nature of the connecons, and
ect. If intumescent coangs are used, these can help to conceal any inconsistencies in surface the desire of the designer to either
condions. conceal or express the materiality of
the steel itself. As can be seen later in
this document under Characteriscs, it
AESS 3 – Feature Elements includes structures that will be viewed at a distance  6m. is assumed that e
ort will be put into
The Category would be suitable for “feature” elements where the designer is comfortable allow- further surface preparaon to increase
30
ing the viewer to see the art of metalworking. The welds should be generally smooth but visible
and some grind marks would be acceptable. Tolerances must be ghter than normal standards. The Canadian War Museum in Oawa uses AESS to create
As this structure is normally viewed closer than a highly arculated and rugged expression of the steel in
Regeneraon Hall. In this instance a combinaon of welded
six metres, it might also frequently be subject
connecons and exposed plate-to-plate moment connec-
to touch by the public, therefore warranng a ons at the connecon points between square HSS secons is
smoother and more uniform nish and appear- the feature of the appearance. Due to the irregularity of the
ance. This type of structure could be found in structure, ght tolerances are required. The proled decking
airports, shopping centres, hospitals or lobbies is also le exposed to view.
and could be expected to incur a moderate
cost premium ranging from 60% to 150% over its smoothness and ensure that some of the natural n-
standard structural steel as a funcon of the ish on the steel and mill marks do not show through the
complexity and level of nal nish desired. paint.
31
There may be more
In the Canadian War Museum there are
28 welded connec- exposed welded and bolted connecons.
ons in AESS 3 steel. Square plates have been welded to the
O’Hare Internaonal Airport in Chicago was the rst
airport to use AESS. Much of the steel is well within
Where welds cannot HSS members that provide surface for
range of view and touch. A variety of steel shapes be done in the shop, bolts on all sides of the connecon to
and connecon types have been used. The complex where condions ensure a uniform appearance. Flat plates
nature of the secons and connecons called for a are more controlled have been used for the lap-type hinge
ghter sizing tolerance and even nish applicaon. and jigs can be used connecons on the diagonal members,
creang a degree of uniformity within
to ensure precise
When AESS structural elements are brought into close the scheme.
alignment of the
range for view and potenally for touch, it is necessary components, it must
for the team to come to a clear understanding about the be realized that large amounts of site welding of complex
level of nish that is both required and expected of the elements will result in cost premiums. Some site welds
steel. The natural look of welds that would be out of view may not be of the same quality as can be expected of shop
in AESS 2 steel will now be visible to the occupant in the welds. It would be expected that the welds will be of a
space. Simple bolted connecons may need to be de- 29 32
higher quality than those for AESS 2 structures where the
signed to look more arul if they are to become part of the The Palais des Congrès in Mon- Oawa Internaonal Airport: The welds would be out of view and touch due to their height.
architectural language. Connecons will come under closer treal uses specialty W secons with steel trusses and sloped column sup- AESS 3 welds will be expected to have a very uniform ap-
scruny, so their design, tolerances and uniform appear- trimmed cutouts. Although the steel ports are within view and touch by
pearance. Although some touch-up grinding of the welds
ance will become more important, and the workmanship is all painted grey, and intumescent the passengers. The geometry of the
coangs are used, the coloured light steel is complex, and the tolerances
may be required to ensure uniformity, complete grinding of
required to improve these beyond both Standard Structural
through the curtain wall gives ad- and nish requirements are character- all welds would not be included in this category of steel. It
Steel and AESS 1 and 2 could have a signicant impact on is assumed that good quality, uniform welds would be le
dional texture to this expression of isc of AESS 3 Feature Element type
the cost of the overall structure. If the required aributes steel. steel. exposed.

CISC AESS Guide – 2 Categories - 15

Where bolted connecons are employed, more care will be taken to ensure that there is an On many of these projects the
aesthecally based uniformity in the connecons which will likely require more fabricaon me edges of the steel have been n-
and potenally more material. Simple approaches such as ensuring all bolt heads are located on ished to be very sharp and precise.
uniform sides of the connecons can greatly enhance the details with lile extra cost. If bolted The straightness of the line of these
connecons are required for erecon ease but are visually unacceptable, concealed connecons members is a crical aspect of their
can be employed to give the appearance of a seamless or welded connecon without the associ- fabricaon that is a requirement of
ated price tag. For these types of connecons the aaching plates are kept within the general their architectural use.
line of the members, so that cover plates can be aached over the bolted elements. If this is to
be an exterior applicaon, concealed connecons must be made corrosion-resistant to prevent AESS 4 makes extensive use of
hidden rust. welding for its connecons. In most
cases the weld is ground smooth
Underlying AESS 3 steel is the idea that it is possible to change the appearance of the nal and any member-to-member
product to make it smoother to the eye, but it is not always necessary to use more expensive transions are lled and made
fabricaon techniques to arrive at this point. As will be seen under Characteriscs, it is possible extremely seamless in appearance. 34
to use simpler methods to surface ll or provide the appearance of a connuous weld without This type of nish will result in Pearson Internaonal Airport in Toronto uses a combinaon
actually welding. signicant increases in fabricaon of AESS 4 for the columns and supports that are visible in the
cost, and so they are appropriate pedestrian areas, and Custom for the “wishbones” that form the
for use in this sort of high-expo- supports for the roof trusses. The supports make use of more
AESS 4 – Showcase Elements or “dominant” elements is used where the designer standardized shapes where the “wishbones” require signicantly
intends that the form be the only feature showing in an element. All welds are ground, and lled sure, upscale applicaon.
more e
ort on the part of the fabricator in the creaon of spe-
edges are ground square and true. All surfaces are sanded and lled. Tolerances of these fabri- cialty secons from plate steel.
cated forms are more stringent, generally to half of standard tolerance for standard structural Such special members oen require
steel. All of the surfaces would be “glove” smooth. The cost premium of these elements would be addional care in transportaon
high and could range from 100% to 250% over the cost of standard structural steel – completely and handling, as the maximum amount of work is normally carried out in the fabricaon shop to
as a funcon of the nature of the details, complexity of construcon and selected nishes. maintain the highest quality of work performed in controlled condions and with more access to
liing equipment to posion the elements for nishing operaons. This type of AESS is oen also
AESS 4 Showcase Elements represents the highest standard quality expectaons of AESS painted in the fabricaon shop, again to achieve the best quality nish. Protecon of these mem-
products. The architectural applicaons of this category of steel included in the guide are very bers during transportaon and erecon is crical in order to prevent undue damage to the nish.
representave of the diverse
nature of these projects. As can It is common in some showcase
be seen, there is a wide variety of applicaons to see the use of stain-
member types employed, each for less steel glazing support systems in
their specic purpose within the conjuncon with the use of AESS 4
structure or connecon. Many of regular carbon steel. Stainless steel
the column or spanning members is being used frequently to connect
have been custom-fabricated. In and support large glazing walls,
some cases this may be due to oen with quite innovave custom
the very large size and structural systems used to aach the spider
capacity required of the member. connecons to the steel. Such sys-
In other cases it is due to the par- tems require even ner tolerances
cular architectural style desired in order to achieve the proper t
in the exposed structure. Many of between the structural members,
33
the members tend to employ steel 35 glazing systems and AESS. Extra
BCE Place in Toronto by Spanish Architect Sanago Calatrava care in paint applicaon is required
plate that has been custom-cut to The Newseum in Washington, D.C. by Polshek Partnership uses
uses AESS 4 quality fabricaon and nish on the lower poron of
the tree supports in the Galleria space. All of the members use odd geometries. Such geometries, a combinaon of AESS 4 quality steel with some custom specialty to prevent overspill onto the adja-
when not based on a combinaon elements in this invenve support system which forms the sup- cent stainless surfaces.
welded connecons with a hand-smooth nish and no apparent
blemishes. Given the arculaon and complicated geometry, tol- of simple circular holes and straight port and wind bracing for a large mullionless glazed wall at the
erances for this structure were even less than one-half standard cuts, will increase the fabricaon front of the building. Stainless steel brackets hook on to parallel
fabricaon. The “canoes” that form the support for the skylight tension supports that are braced on either side of the façade by
costs of the project. these vercal trusses fabricated from parallel secons of plate
are well above view level and use a combinaon of welding and
bolng. steel.

CISC AESS Guide – 2 Categories - 16

AESS C – Custom more sculptural in nature. In some
instances the nature of the steel is
Elements was created to allow intended to be a highlight of the
for a custom selecon of any of the
nished project, and in other cases,
Characteriscs or aributes used
the nature of the steel is to be
to dene the other Categories. It
concealed and the nal product to
will allow exibility in the design of
look more “plasc” in nature. The
the steel but will therefore require
former may require less care and
a high level of communicaon
the laer a higher degree of nish
among the architect, engineer and
and workmanship than would be
fabricator. The premium for this
required even for structures in the
type of AESS could range from 20%
AESS 4 range.
to 250% over regular steel. A wide
range may seem odd for “custom”
36 The use of stainless structural steel 38
elements, but the lower bound
will also be addressed in this cat-
of this Category also includes Heathrow Terminal 5 in London, England by Sir Richard Rogers Angus Technopole, Montreal is a unique reuse applicaon of
egory, as this material has di
erent
specialty reused steel for sustain- Architect uses a range of AESS Category types throughout the ter- a former locomove shop as o ces and commercial space.
minal. These specialty connecons use a combinaon of custom specicaons and parcular issues The riveted steel was le “as is”, with minimal cleaning and no
able purposes, and steel that might
work for the central hinge, casngs to connect the ends of the that must be included to ensure a repainng, to preserve the original look and feel of the building.
be purposefully less rened in its
large HSS supports and truss members to the hinge, and show- high quality of installaon. Where new steel is required in this project, a custom specicaon
Characteriscs.
case level of fabricaon and nish for the legs/column supports. is required in order to make it t into the aesthecs of the old
You need to be ying Brish Airways to come across this steel! building.
The Custom Elements checklist in
the Matrix will also allow design
teams, which may have become familiar with the new AESS specicaon suite, to create their
own checklist for a project so as to beer reect the nature of the project’s aesthecs or func-
Mixed Categories are to be expected on almost all projects. Generally no more than two
categories would be expected. It will be very common to specify, based on the viewing distance,
on. The Custom checklist also allows for the addion of extra fabricaon criteria that must
lower-level categories for roof/ceiling framing elements and higher-level categories for columns
be agreed upon among team members and used to achieve parcular or unusual nishes. This
and secons that are nearer to view and touch.
category will be suitable where specialty casngs are used, as these require di
erent handling
This will require that the Architect put a “cloud”
and nishing than do standard steel secons due to their inherently di
erent surface nish as a
note around secons or members on their
direct result of the casng process.
contract drawings and clearly indicate the AESS
Category.
With increases in the reuse of steel
for sustainably-minded projects,
It is also possible to mix categories on individual
a unique set of criteria will come
elements. This may be done for secons with
into play. Requirements will center
a side exposed to view/touch and a side that is
around the presence of exisng
buried or otherwise hidden from view. In this
nishes, corrosion, inconsistencies
case a high-level of nish may be required on
between members, and whether
the exposed AESS face, and a nish as low as
the project needs to showcase the
Standard Structural Steel on the hidden face.
reuse or blend the material with
This is of great nancial benet when nishing
new material. As some historic
extremely large members. Again there should
steel is fastened with rivets, dif-
be a “cloud” drawn around the member and the
37 ferent treatment may be required 39 specic combinaon of categories noted. When
where new connecons are mixed
University of Guelph Science Building Courtyard uses special with old in order to create visual The Bow Encana, Calgary uses an AESS 4 nish on using the Categories to this level of detail, it is
casngs to cleanly join mechanical pipe and a structural tree the front two faces of this very large trianglular sec- also advantageous to be sure that this is clearly
coherence.
that stands in the centre of the courtyard. The requirement for a on in order to achieve a very straight edge along and personally communicated to the fabricator
seamless transion from the pipe to the casng required unusual the length of the member. As the rear face of the prior to bidding the job. The fabricator may have
welding and lling of the connecon, as well as grinding of the The Custom Category will also member will be hidden from view, it is nished as some useful cost-saving suggesons which can
surface of the casng so that its normal textured nish would provide the ability to create a structural steel to save on fabricaon costs. These posively impact the overall project.
match the surface condion of the adjacent pipe. checklist for members that may be members are shipped singly to prevent damage.

CISC AESS Guide – 2 Categories - 17

3 Characteriscs
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MATRIX
A set of Characteriscs is associated with each Category. Higher-level Categories include all of the
Characteriscs of the preceding Categories, plus a more stringent set of addional requirements.
The Characteriscs listed below form the basis for di
erenaon of the AESS Categories and are
listed in this order in the Matrix. It is suggested that, when using the suite of AESS documents, all
41 42
of the Characteriscs associated with each of the Categories be included in the contractual ar-
rangements. For clarity, visual references in the form of steel samples (courtesy of the American Fig. 1.1B As can be seen from the images above, shot blast cleaning can take what may appear to be rusted
Instute of Steel Construcon) have been included in the ensuing descripons. This Guide also steel, and transform it into a product that is smooth in nish and ready to receive subsequent treatments
and coangs.
includes visual references in the built context to assist in clarifying the intenon of each bulleted
point. It should be noted that one of the alternate surface preparaon standards, SP-3, commonly
used for structural steel elements, only provides for power tool type cleaning, and should not be
AESS 1 – Basic Elements would be the rst step above Standard Structural Steel. AESS 1 fabri- relied upon to provide adequate cleaning for consistent-looking nishes in AESS applicaons.
caon and erecon specicaons would include Characteriscs 1.1 to 1.5.
1.2 All of the sharp edges are to be ground smooth. Rough
1.1 The surface preparaon of the steel must meet SSPC SP-6. Prior to blast cleaning, any surfaces are to be de-burred and ground smooth. Sharp edges
deposits of grease or oil are to be removed by solvent cleaning, SSPC SP-1. resulng from ame cung, grinding and especially shearing are
to be soened.

Sharp edges, characterisc of standard structural steel, are

considered unacceptable in any AESS applicaon. Even if located
out of close viewing range, as in AESS 1 type applicaons, this
type of nish condion is not adequate in the nal fabricaon
and installaon.

1.3 There should be a connuous weld appearance for all

welds. The emphasis here is on the word “appearance”. Intermit-
43
tent welds can be made to look connuous, either with addion-
al welding, caulking or body ller. For corrosive environments, Fig. 1.2 Sharp Edges ground
all joints should be seal welded. The seams of hollow structural smooth. (Courtesy of AISC)
secons would be acceptable as produced.

In many projects fabricators are oen

40 asked to create connuous welds when
they are structurally unnecessary. This
Fig. 1.1A Sample sheet showing the nish appearance for steel surface preparaon standards. AESS starts adds extra cost to the project and takes
assuming SP-6 nish. (Image courtesy of Dry-Tec)
addional me and may create distor-
ons. If not structurally required, the
Commercial blast cleaning is intended to remove all visible oil, grease, dust, mill scale, rust, welds themselves need not be connu-
paint, oxides, corrosion products and other foreign maer, except for spots and discoloraons ous. Prior to the applicaon of the nal
that are part of the natural steel material. By using this as a starng point, there should not be nish, appropriate caulking or ller can
issues with the applicaon of the range of nishes that would be required for AESS 1 through 4 44 be applied between the intermient
type applicaons, as these are normally out of immediate eye range due to their typically high welds to complete the appearance.
Fig. 1.3 Filling between the intermient welds to give a Filling between the intermient welds
locaons.
connuous weld appearance
also helps in the cleaner applicaon of

CISC AESS Guide – 3 Characteriscs - 18

nishes and prevents the buildup of dirt in the joints which can be problemac to clean. Care AESS 2 – Feature Elements includes structures intended to be viewed at a distance > 6m.
should be taken in the applicaon of ll materials so that the surfaces beneath are clean, adher- AESS 2 includes Characteriscs for AESS 1, and also Characteriscs 2.1 to 2.4.
ence is ensured, and compounds are compable with the type of nish applicaon.
2.1 Visual Samples – This Characterisc is noted as an oponal requirement for this and all
1.4 It is assumed that bolted connecons will use standard structural bolts. When bolng, subsequent Categories due to issues of suitability, cost and scope.
the heads should all be located on one side of the connecon, but they need not be fasdiously
aligned. There should also be consistency from connecon to connecon. Visual samples that might be used to validate the intenon of the nal installed product for
AESS can take a variety of forms. Visual samples could be a 3D rendering, a physical sample, a
This characterisc requires that some addional care be given when erecng the structure. It rst-o
inspecon, a scaled mock-up or a full-scale mock-up, as specied in contract documents.
is reasonable to expect that all of the bolt heads will be posioned on the same side of a given Visual samples could range from small pieces of fabricaon which might include connecons or
connecon and all such connecons will be treated in a similar manner, so that the look of the nishes, to full-scale
overall structure is consistent. It is not reasonable to expect bolts to be ghtened with the heads components.
idencally aligned. The structural ghtening of the bolts must take priority.
Not all projects would
benet from the
construcon of large-
scale mock-ups, hence
making this Character-
isc oponal. In some
cases it is suggested
that an agreement to
49 50 incorporate full-scale
mock-ups in the nal
Fig. 2.1A A digital mock-up was done for this connecon. It allowed the client
project would make
45 47 to understand how the detail would look. It was an e cient method that
46 praccal and eco-
did not slow down the process. The image above is part of the fabricator’s
Fig. 1.4A Standard structur- Fig. 1.4B Standard struc- Fig. 1.4C Standard structural bolts detailing package. Fully rendered 3D models can also be used as a point of nomic sense. Again this
al bolt components include tural bolt alignment will are carefully aligned with nuts all clear communicaon between the pares, to speak more to the nal nish decision would depend
the TC bolt. vary for ghtening. facing the same direcon. appearance, including colour. on the parcular job
requirements. It is very
important to bear in mind the potenal for delay and addional costs when requiring physical
1.5 Weld splaers, slivers, surface disconnuies are to be removed as these will mar the visual samples in the meline of the project. If a fabricator is expected to create a large element,
surface, and it is likely that they will show through the nal coang. Weld projecon up to 2 mm this will delay the fabricaon of similar elements unl the approval is reached. There are costs
is acceptable for bu and plug-welded joints. associated with the creaon of large physical mock-ups that must be integrated into the contract
price. For projects with very complex details that are essenal to dening the style and reading
This expectaon would hold for both procedures carried out in of the architectural intenon, mock-ups can be essenal to the AESS project.
the fabricaon shop prior to erecon as well as weld splaer and
surface connuies that might happen during or as a result of erec-
on. Such a case would follow the removal of temporary steel sup-
ports or shoring elements used to facilitate the erecon process.
When these elements are removed, the marred surfaces should be
properly repaired, and any oxidized surfaces repaired prior to nal
nish applicaons.

It was decided to include all weld splaer removal so as to avoid

potenal conict in deciding on the minimum diameter or intensity
of splaer to be removed.
48 51 52
Fig. 1.5 Natural splaer due Fig. 2.1A A special physical mock-up was made for Pearson Internaonal Airport. Although minor modi-
to the weld process is to be caons were made to the detailing for subsequent elements, it was incorporated into the project without
removed. any issue.

CISC AESS Guide – 3 Characteriscs - 19

2.2 One-half standard fabricaon tolerances, Ulmately this would indicate that more of the
as compared to the requirements for standard welds might be carried out in the fabricaon shop to
structural steel in CSA S16, will be required for reduce site welding where the condions may not
this Category. This is to recognize the increased be opmum. This can impact the design of joints as
importance of t when assembling these more well as the transportaon of potenally larger pre-
complex components. assemblies and the erecon on site. This does not
infer that high quality site welding is not possible,
Large tolerances can lead to a sloppier appear- only that it might incur a cost premium over shop
ance and lack of uniformity in the connecons welding.
and, potenally, problems in the erecon of
53
complex geometries. This has a direct impact AESS 3 – Feature Elements includes structures 56
on the erecon process and the potenal cost Fig. 2.2 One-half standard fabricaon tolerances that would be viewed at a distance  6m. This
are required for all elements to be incorporated Fig 2.4B Welds are plainly visible but of good,
implicaons of making site modicaons to increased proximity in viewing distance begins to uniform quality so complimentary to the
members that do not t. This level of t is essen- into AESS 2 and higher. place the evidence of certain fabricaon processes structure.
al for all structural members, plates, angles and into close viewing range. Where some of the natural
components comprising the project. In highly arculated projects there is no play in the erecon evidence of the materiality and connecon methods
of the connecons. Cumulave dimensional errors can be disastrous in the ng of the nal ele- of steel might be acceptable at a greater viewing distance, the same might not be acceptable “up
ments of each erecon sequence. close” where the nal product can be both viewed and touched. In many cases these markings
will need to be carefully posioned so that they cannot be seen, removed, or concealed.
2.3 Fabricaon marks (number markings put on the members
during the fabricaon and erecon process) should not be 3.1 Mill marks are to be removed so as not to be visible in the nished product. Removal of
apparent, as the nal nish appearance is more crical on these these marks would typically be accomplished by grinding.
feature elements.
3.2 Bu and plug welds are to be ground smooth and lled
There are di
erent ways of making these markings not appar- to create a smooth surface nish. Caulking or body ller is ac-
ent. In some instances the marks could be le “as is” but located ceptable.
away from view. In other cases they may be lightly ground out.
They could also be lled prior to nishing. The treatment of These kinds of welds can result in the presence of addional
these might vary throughout the project as appropriate by mem- material or slight depressions in the members. These imper-
ber and locaon. fecons will be visible aer nishing. If addional material is
54
present, it should be ground smooth. If there are depressions,
Fig. 2.3 Fabricaon marks not the voids can be lled with body ller and the surface ground
apparent. (Courtesy of AISC) smooth prior to nish applicaons.

2.4 The welds should be uniform and smooth, indicat-

ing a higher level of quality control in the welding pro-
cess. The quality of the weld appearance is more crical
in AESS 2, as the viewing proximity is closer.
Quality welding is more stringent in AESS 2 categories
and higher. This is a key characterisc, and ensuring good
quality welds can save substanal cost in a project. If
welds are uniform and consistent in appearance, there
may be less need for grinding the weld. Too many welded
connecons are subjected to needless grinding, which
can add substanal increases to a project budget. Weld-
ing is a natural condion of steel connecons and, if
neatly done, should be able to remain as part of the nal
product.
55
Fig. 2.4A The grinding of these welds
incurs a cost premium but is necessary
for the seamless look of the connecon.
This is not universally necessary, espe-
cially considering the viewing distance
of AESS 2 elements. This treatment
should be saved for AESS 4 Character-
isc 4.3 Surfaces lled and sanded,
where the elements are in close viewing
range and somemes can be touched.
3.3 The normal weld seam
57 that is the product of creang
Fig. 3.1 Mill marks removed. HSS shapes is to be oriented
(Courtesy of AISC) for reduced visibility. In general
the seams are to be oriented
away from view in a consistent manner from member to mem-
ber, or as indicated in the contract documents.
Welded seams are a natural nish appearance which is part of
the manufacturing process of HSS members. When choosing
HSS, this is important to bear in mind. A seamless nish is not 58
possible without signicant added expense and me. There are Fig. 3.2 Bu and plug welds
other opons to grinding the seams. The seams can be consis- ground smooth. Right side
tently located to give a uniform appearance. If HSS seams can be shows groove weld ground
oriented away from direct view, this is an acceptable soluon. smooth. (Courtesy of AISC)

CISC AESS Guide – 3 Characteriscs - 20


59
Fig. 3.3A The natural weld seams
on these connecng HSS secons
may have been beer detailed if
they had been aligned.
-the-shelf” structural secons that will have had lile
60
Fig. 3.3B The seams on the square
HSS secons have been aligned
and, even on the outside face of
the connecon, seem in keeping
with the overall design intenon.
61
Fig. 3.3C Given the complexity of the structure
and the lighng condions, the seams of the
round HSS secons are not apparent to view.
If the seams are located in members whose viewing angles
are mulple, then greater care must be taken in detailing the
members to achieve a consistent look. If two HSS members
are joined (see Fig 3.3A), then ensure that the weld seams are
aligned.
3.4 Cross-seconal abung surfaces are to be aligned. The
matching of abung cross-secons shall be required. O sets
in alignment are considered to be unsightly in these sorts of
feature elements at a close range of view.
Part of this characterisc may be enhanced by ensuring
that the steel conforms to Characterisc 2.2, half standard 63 64
tolerances, but this will not guarantee completely precise
Fig. 3.5A Joint gap minimized. The gaps on the le Fig. 3.5B This exposed bolted connecon is ghtly
alignment of abung members - parcularly when using are standard structural steel, and on the right sized designed and demonstrates uniformity in the
“o
for AESS. (Courtesy of AISC) joint gaps.
specialty fabricaon work done to them (see Fig. 3.4). There
may also be a need to shape or grind the surfaces at the point
of connecon to ensure that the surfaces are aligned. In some 3.6 AESS 3 Feature Elements may require all-welded connecons. This is noted as oponal;
lighng condions, shadow casng may be more problemac acknowledging that a parcular aesthec might purposefully call for bolted connecons.
than others. Where the inconsistencies are small, be sure to
incorporate advanced knowledge of the nal nish coat as it This will be addressed in greater detail in Secon 5, Connecons, but much of the overall aes-
may either help to conceal or exacerbate these slight misalign- thec intenon of a project is held in the decision to use an all-welded structure over one that
ments. either uses some or all bolted connecons. Welded connecons are easier to fabricate in the
shop. The erecon condion on the site might require temporary shoring to hold the geometry
3.5 Joint gap tolerances are to be minimized. This Character- in place while welding is completed. There may be addional work to repair surfaces that have
isc is similar to 2.2 above. A clear distance of 3 mm between been damaged due to the removal of temporary steel such as backing bars.
abung members required.
In some situaons, whether due to access constraints or issues of me, welded connecons
The use of bolted connecons is quite common in many AESS might not be possible. Alternavely, if an enrely welded appearance is desired, hidden bolts
applicaons. Bolted connecons may be advantageous for
may be considered as an acceptable soluon (see Fig. 3.6A, where a bolted connecon is con-
erecon purposes or constructability, and might also suit the cealed behind the cover plate). If this connecon is used in an exterior environment, care must
aesthec of the project. In keeping with ghter tolerances on be taken to seal the joint to prevent water from becoming trapped.
the members themselves, the reducon of joint gaps in bolted
connecons aids in ensuring consistency and ghter design.
62 65 66
Fig. 3.4 This column splice is within touching range, Fig. 3.6A Pictured is a cover plate over a hidden Fig. 3.6B This design used all-welded connecons,
but the column anges do not line up and the con- bolted connecon. The appearance of a complete- even for this anchoring detail of the truss to the
necon plate seems too short. ly welded structure is kept, but erecon simplied. base plate. Bolted connecons were not desired.
CISC AESS Guide – 3 Characteriscs - 21
AESS 4 – Showcase or Dominant Elements would be used where the designer intends the allow for shop fabricaon and minimizing site work. This brings in transportaon issues and site
form to be the only feature showing in an element. The technical nature of the steel is to be hid- access if the resultant members are very large. Also such pieces must be carefully handled and
den or downplayed. All welds are ground and lled edges are ground square and true. All surfaces stored on the site to prevent damage.
are sanded and lled. Tolerances of these fabricated forms are more stringent, generally to half of
standard tolerances for structural steel. All of the surfaces would be “glove” smooth. 4.3 Steel surfaces are to be lled and sanded. Filling and sanding is intended to remove or
cover any steel surface imperfecons, again due to the close range of view of the members. This
4.1 The normal weld seam in an HSS member should not be apparent. This may require grind- parcular point can incur a high cost premium and is a parcular case in point that all AESS need
ing of the weld seam. not be created equal. Procedures such as this are not required where the members cannot be
seen.
If it is not possible to orient the natural weld seam in the HSS secons away from primary view,
or if the viewing angles to the structure are from all sides and it is crical that the HSS appear Great care must be taken to ensure that the lled and sanded surface is consistent with the
more plasc, then the seams may need to be ground and lled. In some instances where there nished surface of the adjacent steel, or variaons will be revealed aer the nished coang is
are numerous weld seams to conceal, it might be praccal to choose mechanical pipe over round applied. Steel casngs for instance have a di
erent surface than adjacent HSS secons, so any
HSS. Mechanical pipe has the advantage of normally being seamless but has a surface texture joining surface treatment must mediate the two nishes.
more like an orange peel. It also has di
erent
physical properes and may require alternate
approaches when fabricang details. In any case
a change in secons must be approved by the
structural engineer.

4.2 Welds are to be contoured and blended. In

addion to a contoured and blended appear-
ance, welded transions between members are
also required to be contoured and blended. 67 70 71 72
Fig. 4.1. This project uses mechanical pipe instead Fig. 4.3B Surfaces lled and sanded. These three examples show very di
erent applicaons of AESS 4
This type of detailing should be reserved for the of HSS, as the three-dimensional nature of the whose details require extra care and high-level consistency such that any and all imperfecons are lled
most parcular applicaons, those in very close structure made posioning seams out of view dif- (typically with body ller) and sanded prior to the applicaon of the nish coang. It is parcularly impor-
proximity for view and touch and those whose cult, and a seamless appearance was important. tant in the le and right images where a glossy nish is to be applied.
form, t and nish require this type of seamless Grinding of the seams would have been prohibi-
vely expensive as well as me-consuming.
appearance. Grinding and contouring welds is
me-consuming and thereby very expensive. It 4.4 Weld show-through must be minimized. The markings on the back face of the welded ele-
is more easily done in the fabricaon shop, in a controlled environment and where the pieces ment caused by the welding process can be minimized by hand-grinding the backside of the weld.
can be manipulated (by crane if necessary) so that the ironworkers can properly access the The degree of weld-through is a funcon of weld size and material thickness.
details. In situ high quality welding might require the erecon of addional secure plaorms to
access the welded connecons, which adds expense to the project. Therefore part of the nego-
AESS C – Custom Elements was
aon for this type of detailing must begin by looking at maximizing the sizes of the pieces to
created to allow for a completely
custom selecon of any of the
characteriscs or aributes that
were used to dene the other
categories. It would allow complete
exibility in the design of the steel,
but would therefore require a high
level of communicaon among the
architect, engineer and fabrica-
68 69
73 74 tor. The premium for this type of
AESS could range from 20% to
Fig. 4.2A Welds contoured and blended. The Fig. 4.2B It is easy to see that this detail relies on Fig. 4.4 Weld show through is minimized. The le-hand images
250% over standard steel. A wide
le-hand sample shows typical structural welds. a high level of nishing – including grinding and show weld show-through from a connecon on the far side of the
plate. The right-hand image shows how it has been concealed. range may seem odd for custom
The right-hand sample shows how they have been contouring of the welds to achieve its form, t
(Courtesy of AISC) elements, but the lower bound of
welded and contoured. (Courtesy of AISC) and nish.

CISC AESS Guide – 3 Characteriscs - 22

this category also includes specialty reused steel for sustainable
purposes, and steel that might be purposefully less rened in its
characteriscs.

It is strongly recommended that the team sit down with the Matrix
and specicaon documents in hand and manually go through
the list of characteriscs. As is illustrated by the range of projects
pictured, the complexity, size, level of nish and types of members
used can greatly vary in custom projects, leading to a wide varia-
on in the cost premium to be expected for this type of project.
The unusual areas of concern for AESS custom projects might
include:
• oversized members
• extraordinary geometries
• curved members
• accessibility issues
• unusual nish requirements
• high levels of grinding and lling for connecons
• transportaon problems associated with member size
• di cult handling or extra care needed to protect pre-painted
components
79
78 Complex geometry, odd angles and extremely
The quality of the ironwork, welding and nish on heavy elements add a cost premium to this proj-
this museum in inner China was extremely low. ect. The level of form, t and nish on this project
75 The welds were sloppy. The intumescent coang is exceponally high. In the UK a high level of
appeared to have been applied when the project tradion of AESS has been established which has
In this project the arst very
was sll open to the weather, resulng in dirt resulted in a highly skilled labour force.
much wanted the rough
streaks down all of the members. In spite of the
nature of the steel to show
overall creave energy of the design of the build-
through, so many aspects that
ing, the lack of care in workmanship due in part
would normally be removed in
to problems in communicaon, supervision and
an AESS project were purpose-
understanding of the role of AESS undermined this
fully retained to enhance the
understanding of the material-
installaon.
ity of steel.

Working Outside of Canada

Projects located outside of Canada will bring their

76
Seamless curved structures have their own
fabricaon and erecon concerns.
77
Very precise details require special fabricaon,
erecon and handling.
82
own unique issues to the table. An even higher level
of communicaon and agreement will be required
when working with team members that may include
fabricators, erectors and ironworkers who may be 80
unfamiliar with the level of expectaon of AESS
projects in Canada.
There is a high level of similarity and communicaon
between Canadian and American systems, as well as
a large number of Canadian fabricators and erectors
accustomed to supplying steel to U.S. locaons.
83
Some countries that have made AESS a part of their The scale and complexity of this welded project
architectural tradion for the past decades boast meant high cost premiums and addional fabrica-
highly skilled fabricators, erectors and ironworkers. 81 on and erecon me. The project was addion-
Others clearly do not. When working in distant loca- ally complicated as a result of fabricaon and
ons, cauon is urged. Request to see sample proj- The Chinese Naonal Theatre uses large plate erecon in China. There is far less AESS work that
ects as a demonstraon of quality of workmanship. steel members to create its trusses. These in turn is rounely made a part of Chinese construcon,
are braced by solid rods that use a half-sphere to so skilled labour can be an issue. The secons
Ensure that local or site personnel are quite familiar
manipulate the curve of the connecon. The form, were created using plates and, given varied light-
with Canadian specicaons and expectaons. In t and nish on the project are very high. This was ing condions, many of the welds were visible.
many cases a cercaon may be needed. undoubtedly the result of signicant coordinaon The overall aesthec of the project could accom-
and close supervision of the work. modate this level of texture.

CISC AESS Guide – 3 Characteriscs - 23

 makes lile sense if these are to be coated with
4 Coangs and Finishes a heavy material. Conversely, if an extremely
glossy nish is desired, this might lead to design
decisions that favour welded condions over
bolted ones given the inference of clean lines.
GENERAL ISSUES Welded Versus Bolted Structures. Di
erent
The Matrix and AESS Specicaons were intenonally designed to exclude coangs as a param- coangs, nishes, and types of texture of the
eter or characterisc. The issue of coangs and nishes is a highly complex area of concern and coangs and nishes may be more or less ap-
one that may override the decision-making process regardless of the AESS Category. propriate as a funcon of the tectonic expres-
sion of the structure. Much of the tectonic 86
The selecon of coangs and nishes for AESS work needs to be known at the outset of the proj- character will be dened simply by the choice
The white painted nish on this exposed steel
ect. In many cases, the nature of the nish will begin to dictate the level of surface preparaon to use welded or bolted connecons as the
exterior stair was not a good choice. Salt applied to
required for the various elements of the structure as well as much of the fabricaon detailing. main method of aachment for the structure. the treads has resulted in rust stains on both the
The properes of di
erent coangs can even begin to skew the decision-making process outlined supporng steel and the concrete below.
within each of the disnct categories of the Matrix. Shop Versus Site Painng. It may be much
more expedient and desirable to pre-nish AESS
Generally speaking, coangs can be divided into two general categories: structures in the fabricaon shop. Controlled
• those that reveal or exacerbate the surface condions and potenal imperfecons in the condions can lead to a beer nal product.
steel (thin coat or glossy nishes), and This is even more the case if the geometries are
• those that conceal such surface condions and potenally hide aspects of intended details highly complex or if there will be accessibility
(thick coats and mae or moled nishes). issues in painng the structure on site. There
are situaons where the erecon of sca
olding
Coangs will also be inuenced by interior or exterior locaons. This will include issues of is prohibively expensive or strategically impos-
weathering, exposure to ice, snow and rain, as well as atmospheric polluon. Details will have to sible. If it is the intenon to pre-nish members,
be designed to drain, shed water, and coangs chosen to prevent corrosion on both the exterior then extra care will be required to transport
and interior of members. If similar members are being used on the interior and exterior of the the elements to the site as well as during the 87
project, consideraon must be given to a coang selecon that will work with the details in both erecon process. Even with extraordinary care,
The painted white structure at the TGV Staon at
places. touch ups can be expected.
Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris has proven dif-
cult to keep clean. Access is not possible over the
The selecon of the nish may be governed by re protecon concerns rather than aesthecs. Cleaning and Maintenance. AESS installaons full width of the staon, leading to severe buildup
This would be the case with the choice to use intumescent coangs over a regular painted n- might never look as good as on the day on of grime over part of the structure. The structure
ish. Where some intumescent coangs are fairly thin and allow details to show through, others which the building was opened. Seldom consid- is easily viewed from above, making the surface
ered in many projects are issues related to the condion even more obvious.
are by their nature quite thick. Spending project dollars on highly complex arculated details
maintenance and cleaning of the structures.
White is a fashionable colour for AESS, yet
where it is installed in areas of high urban pol-
luon, it can age quickly. Certain steel shapes
can be more easily cleaned by high pressure
washing than others. Flat surfaces and ledges
can provide areas to collect debris. Both the
details and the durability of the coangs must
take into account the urban menace presented
by pigeons. Their droppings are corrosive as
well as a nuisance.
84 85 88

Extreme care and highly specialized detailing was required to join the branches of this tree to the casng Ledges provide an excellent roosng place for pi-
nodes. Mechanical pipe was selected for its seamless appearance and structural properes. The surface geons. Remember to install pigeon-deterring fences
had to be perfect given the applicaon of a glossy painted nish and focus lighng. and surfaces to prevent roosng and the associated
soiling of the structure and spaces below.

CISC AESS Guide – 4 Coangs and Finishes - 24

DETAILS General Notes About Painng
Steel exposed to view is generally painted for appearance. A one-coat paint system, such as
performance specicaon CISC/CPMA 1-73a, is su cient for standard warehouse structures
Surface Preparaon
that will not be top coated (Standard Structural Steel and AESS 1). Since the building environ-
Surface preparaon will be done in accordance with the chosen AESS category (1 through 4 or ment is controlled, no corrosion occurs once the building is enclosed. These buildings perform
Custom). Where there are di
erent AESS Categories used in the project, there may also be dif- adequately throughout the country. One-coat systems are referenced in Clause 28.7.3.3 of CSA
ferent surface preparaons and di
erent nishes required. In AESS applicaons, it is essenal to Standard S16-09.
apply the proper surface preparaon. If the surface is not adequately cleaned prior to the ap-
plicaon of the coang system, the coang system may fail or the surface deciencies will show Steel buildings require no paint when the steel is hidden behind drywall and suspended ceil-
through. ings. The humidity in such buildings is below the threshold limit for steel corrosion to occur
(Clause 6.6.2 of CSA Standard S16-09). Buildings that have exceponally high humidity, such as
Finishes for exterior steel structures will require special aenon to prevent corrosion. Paint will swimming pools and water treatment plants, are excepons and should be treated as exterior
not make up for design deciencies. Even the most sophiscated epoxy and vinyl paint coat- exposed steel.
ings cannot compensate for details that create opportunies for corrosion to occur. The basic
selecon of member type and connecon detailing for exterior structures should ensure that Steel exposed to view that will be top-coated for
there are no places where water and debris can collect or puddle. With some care and aenon, appearance (AESS 2 and above) requires a prime
orientaon problems can be overcome. Beams and channels should be orientated with the webs coat for adhesion. A fast-dry primer, such as CISC/
vercal so that water cannot collect and stand for any period of me. Exposed steel on which CPMA 2-75, is su cient to provide the necessary
moisture can collect should be detailed with a slope to ensure drainage. Drain holes can be base. To ensure that this system will perform for
added if the secon cannot be orientated or sloped to drain. longer periods, a greater degree of cleanliness is
required by the specicaon. Hence AESS requires
When using hollow secons or composite members that create voids on exterior applicaons, it surface preparaon to a minimum SP-6. Consul-
is also necessary to prevent corrosion of the interior surfaces. Seal welds are oen specied to tants must ensure that the nish coats are com-
prevent the entrance of moisture or oxygen-laden air into the cavity. For architecturally exposed pable with the primer. Each paint system oen 90
steel that is to be painted, seal welds may be specied to prevent unsightly rust bleeding. has its own primer. Alkyd primers are acceptable
but epoxy primers are not. Once the building is This AESS structure is located in a parking struc-
Seal welds may be specied on parts to be galvanized to prohibit pickling acids and/or liquid zinc enclosed, no corrosion occurs. ture in a dusty urban environment. The top of
the HSS tubes is covered with grime, and there
from entering into a specic region during the galvanizing process; however, a closed volume
is evidence of dirt dripping to the underside of
should never be galvanized as it will cause an explosion. Aired access should be provided for the Structural steel that is exposed to view and the the tubes.
molten zinc to reach all surfaces and therefore avoid explosions. For HSS, it is beer simply to elements on the exterior of buildings require
provide drainage at the boom of the element to ensure that gasses do not get trapped. Proper more thorough cleaning and nishing to ensure
communicaon is important when deciding on the method of prevenon of moisture entry on long-term performance. Higher degrees of cleanliness along with beer quality mul-coat paints
sealed joints. Seal welds can alter load paths and are prohibited in some structural situaons. It should be considered under these circumstances. Epoxy systems over compable primers are
might be beer to provide a vent space and also galvanize the interior of hollow secons. This usually most suitable. Urethanes should be used when wear is a consideraon.
will increase costs but will potenally provide a
more durable exterior coang. Tender documents should include the following informaon to ensure good quality coang
systems:
Paint Systems • idencaon of members to be painted
• a specicaon for the degree of cleanliness required to ensure performance such as SSPC
The selecon of the paint or coang system Surface Preparaon Standards
should be done at the outset of the project, as • compable primer, intermediate and nish paints and if applicable:
both the colour and nish will impact detailing de- - the manufacturer’s product idencaon
cisions and, therefore, cost. If a high-gloss nish is - the average dry lm thickness per coat
desired, it will reveal every minute imperfecon in
the steel. Flat nishes are more accommodang. 89 It is recommended to review the painng with a local fabricator or supplier to ensure that the
Light-coloured paints will quickly reveal corrosion This AESS structure has been sandblasted prior most suitable system is chosen for a specic applicaon.
and dirt. Thin nishes will reveal surface imperfec- to painng to arrive at this uniform textured
ons. Thicker coangs, such as intumescent re surface. The treatment helps to conceal potenal
protecon, can cover or conceal imperfecons as fabricaon inconsistencies in this high-prole
structure.
well as ne details.

CISC AESS Guide – 4 Coangs and Finishes - 25

Shop Versus Site Painng The required thickness of the coang is in turn de-
termined by the thickness of the structural steel
The painng of an AESS structure can take place in the fabricaon shop or on the site. Many member. Thin or light members will require more
fabricators can o
er shop painng which can ensure a more consistent, higher quality nish. coats than heavier members. It is somemes
Naturally it is expected that the paint nish will be free of drips and runs. Access to the installed more cost-e
ecve to increase the thickness of
structure for paint applicaons can be a logiscal issue. Shop-applied paint nishes will likely the steel as it can decrease the number or thick-
need to be touched up aer erecon, but this is less problemac than the complete painng of ness of the intumescent coangs – the increased
the structure on site which rarely occurs. cost of steel being signicantly less than the extra
cost to increase the thickness of the intumescent
Pre-painted structures will require extra care and protecon during transportaon, handling material. Structural steel is inherently a more sus-
and erecon. Pre-painted structures will be more in need of “just in me” delivery to the site to tainable material, so the reducon of the amount 92
prevent site-generated damage. Pre-painted structures may also require beer staging areas on of coangs is preferable. Applying intumescent reproof coang on a steel
site – again to prevent damage to the painted nishes. structure
Intumescent re protecon applicaon is preced-
Careful preparaon of the steel, including basic removal of sharp edges (Characterisc 1.2), will ed by the applicaon of an approved primer. Not
allow for a more even applicaon of the paint and beer coverage on the corners. The spray all primers can be used, so you must check with
applicaon of the product on sharp corners is di cult and, if these are not ground or rounded the intumescent coang supplier to determine an
o
, can lead to premature wear on the edges of the structure. In an exterior applicaon, this can acceptable primer. If the wrong primer is applied,
lead to corrosion. it will interfere with the successful applicaon of
the intumescent coang system.
Primers
Tradionally, intumescent coangs have been
The selecon of the primer will be a funcon of the choice of the nish coang. Not all nish applied on-site to steel structures during the con-
coang systems take the same base primer, so revisions in the nal nish type may require reme- strucon phase of the building. In-shop applica-
dial correcon of primers to ensure compability. Care in applicaon of the primer is important on is a more common pracce as beer control
as any drips and runs will show through both paint and intumescent coang nishes. Addion- of applicaon condions is possible. Shop applica-
ally, not all nish systems require a primer. If not required, this can represent a cost and me ons can provide for the controlled venng need- 93
saving. ed for solvent-based systems. Shop condions
The intumescent coang on the legs was shop-
can also provide more control of temperature and applied. In spite of e
orts during transportaon
Intumescent Coangs relave humidity, and hence beer drying. Con- and erecon, many touch-ups were necessary.
trolled drying in the shop means beer nish as The thick coang is also quite vulnerable to
Intumescent coangs simultaneously provide a re resistance rang and a painted appearance the coated steel secons cannot be moved unl abuse at street level.
to exposed steel. They contain a resin system “pigmented” with various intumescent ingredi- they are hard enough to resist damage. These
ents which, under the inuence of heat, react members must be more carefully handled during
together to produce an insulang foam or “char”. transporaon and erecon as any damage must
This char layer has low thermal conducvity as be properly repaired in order to preserve the
well as a volume that is many mes that of the integrity of the re protecon system.
original coang. The char layer reduces the rate
of heang experienced by the steel, extending its Intumescent coangs are either acrylic or epoxy-
structural capacity and allowing for safe evacua- based. Acrylic coangs can be either water or
on. As this material can extend the re resis- solvent-based, and they are eld-applied. The
tance rang of exposed steel to a maximum of 2 water-based material is “greener” but takes some-
94
91 what longer to dry and is mostly used for interior
hours, it has become quite popular for use with
The intumescent coang on this structure is quite applicaons. The solvent-based coang is more The intumescent coang on this structure is quite
AESS applicaons. The re resistance rang is in thick. The detailing used seems appropriate to
part dependent on the type and thickness of the thick. Nonetheless, the weld seam on the HSS robust and can also be used on the exterior.
column remains visible. Given the scale of the the level of detail that is revealed through the
coang as well as on the type of re that might be coang. The connecons are all welded. Lile
project and the grinding of the weld between the Epoxy coangs are normally shop-applied and
ancipated in the building use. Increasing the re conical base of the column and the cylindrical grinding was necessary as the seams are in part
resistance rang is usually achieved by applying can be used on interior or exterior applicaons. hidden by the coang. Bolted connecons would
leg, it was deemed unnecessary to grind the
mulple coangs of the product. They are more durable than acrylic coangs and have been unsuitable.
seam weld for this 27 metre-long member.
can also be used to provide corrosion protecon.

CISC AESS Guide – 4 Coangs and Finishes - 26

 Where access for nishing may be an issue, shop-applied that would be unacceptable if a standard paint
epoxy coangs may o
er savings. nish were employed. If a very smooth high-gloss
nish is desired, this system requires addional
Water-based coangs are typically applied when relave surface treatment.
humidity is between 40% and 60%. Solvent-based coangs
can be applied with relave humidity up to 85%. If there is Care should be taken when using thick coangs
concern about the presence of high VOCs on the project, a in high-tra c areas or where they can be subject
water-based product can be used if the humidity levels are to vandalism. The damaged intumescent coat-
kept low. It is important to allow the layers to dry thoroughly ing must be properly repaired to maintain the 97
between coangs. Water-based products take longer to dry required re resistance rang. Colour matching
Cemenous nishes can be commonly found on
where humidity levels are high and temperatures are low. can also be an issue. exposed steel used in parking garages. While not
95 Solvent-based products can dry faster but can also strike falling in a regular AESS category, care has been
back to dissolve prior layers if insu cient drying me is Cemenous/Fibrous Fire Protecon taken here with the design of the support system
The colour and texture of intumes- permied between layers. in the garage.
cent coangs are not the same as
normal paint, so it is necessary to Although not the usual case for AESS installaons,
detail items like these columns to The intumescent coang system can include a top coat. cemenous or brous re protecon might be used. This could be the case if the steel is lo-
recognize that the nishes are not This provides a hard protecve coang to the product. It is cated at a distance from view or touch, as in the case of AESS Categories 1 or 2. If such a nish is
the same. Here a band of a di
erent important to note that white or light colours will tend to yel- to be applied, there need not be the same level of surface preparaon required, and the Matrix
colour highlights the change. low with me, so if colour matching is an issue, this should should be customized to remove characteriscs very early on in the scheduling of the project to
be taken into account when mixing intumescent and painted avoid wasted me and expense.
nishes in a project. If combining intumescent and regular paint-nished steel, note that exact
colour matches are not possible. The nature of the intumescent nish will alter the colour of Galvanizing
the coang. It will be necessary to detail the structure to account for this slight change in hue or
tone. Without a top coat, intumescent coang surfaces don’t clean as well as with a top coat and Galvanized nishes are increasingly seen in AESS applicaons. It is important to remember that
will also show nger prints. Any poron of the structure at “hand” level should have a top coat in the view of the steel industry, galvanizing was not intended as a nish, but as a preventave
for ease of cleaning and maintenance and to prevent permanent blotching and stains. measure against corrosion. The speckled grey nish is guaranteed to vary from batch to batch,
even from the same manufacturer. It will also vary as a funcon of the applicaon technique and
Addionally there are two types of intumescent coangs: thin and thick systems. A thin coat- the style, size and shape of the member to which it is being applied.
ing is considered to exist for thicknesses from 0.5 to 6 mm, and a thick coang for thicknesses up
to 13 mm. Because the wet lm needs to be relavely thick, of several hundreds of microns ac- Achieving a good quality coang requires a surface that is free of grease, dirt and scale of the
cording to the parcular formulaon, intumescent coangs are oen thick to avoid slumping and iron or steel before galvanizing. When the clean steel component is dipped into the molten zinc
runs while sll wet. Several coats may need to be applied to build up to a total dry coat thickness (approx. 450°C), a series of zinc-iron alloy layers are formed by a metallurgical reacon between
in order to give the required re protecon. the iron and zinc. When the reacon between iron and zinc is complete, there is no demarcaon
between steel and zinc but a gradual transion
Although these coangs provide the appearance through the series of alloy layers which provide
of a painted nish, the texture is not the same. the metallurgical bond. This helps to make the
Thin-coat intumescent systems will result in a galvanized nish highly durable as it cannot easily
nish that resembles an orange peel. The thicker be chipped away. The thickness of the coang is
system has enough substance to conceal some of determined by the thickness of the steel. The gal-
the ner details that might go into the design of vanized coang can be made thicker by roughen-
the AESS connecons. If badly applied, a thick sys- ing the steel, thereby creang more surface area
tem can give a very uneven, textured appearance. for the metallurgical reacon to take place.
Intumescent coangs, although allowing exposed
steel use in an increased number of occupancies, Galvanized coangs protect steel in three ways:
are not always deemed by architects to be the 96 98
1. The zinc weathers at a very slow rate, giving a
best soluon as they can somemes result in a long and predictable life. As can be seen in this galvanized exposed steel
This thick intumescent coang is constantly being
thick-looking nish that can obscure some con- repaired due to its high tra c locaon as well 2. The coang corrodes preferenally to pro- exterior shading system, a variety of nishes
necon details. The use of intumescent coang as repeated incidences of gra  removal. The vide sacricial protecon to small areas of steel can be seen on the di
erent hot dip galvanized
oen precludes the need for ne nishing, as it colour matching on some of the supports is more members. This is to be expected in this sort of
exposed through drilling, cung or accidental
is thick enough to cover up surface imperfecons di cult to achieve. applicaon.
damage.

CISC AESS Guide – 4 Coangs and Finishes - 27

3. If the damaged area is larger, sacricial protecon prevents sideways creep which can under-
mine coangs.

No post-treatment of galvanized arcles is necessary. Paint or a powder coang may be applied

for enhanced aesthecs or for addional protecon where the environment is extremely aggres-
sive.

The resistance of galvanizing to atmospheric corrosion depends on a protecve lm which forms
on the surface of the zinc. When the steel is lied from the galvanizing bath, the zinc has a clean,
bright, shiny surface. With me this changes to a dull grey pana as the surface reacts with
oxygen, water and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This forms a tough, stable, protecve layer 102
99
that is ghtly bonded to the zinc. Contaminants in the atmosphere will a
ect this protecve lm. One of the technical realies of using galvanizing
Seal welds have been used to connect the various
The presence of SO2 greatly a
ects the atmospheric corrosion of zinc. as a nish lies in the inconsistency of the product.
components of this exterior galvanized steel fea- The di
erence in this photo is due to nishing tem-
ture railing. There is a large opening at the base peratures. If galvanizing is used as a nal coang
Complex shapes and most hollow items can be galvanized, inside and out, in one operaon. of the square HSS post to allow any water that
Where AESS is being installed in an exterior environment, it is crically important that all on an AESS project, di
erenals in nish must be
may enter the railing an opportunity to drain. both understood and detailed into the project.
surfaces be coated. For HSS members, this will mean coang the interior of the shape as well –
increasing the surface area for coang and potenally increasing the cost. Good member design
requires:
• means for the access and drainage of molten zinc
• means for escape of gases from internal compartments (venng)

It is important to bear in mind that the steelwork is immersed into and withdrawn from a bath of
molten zinc at about 450°C. This temperature can cause distoron in thinner steels. If the use of
the galvanized coang is known early on during the design process, it may be decided to increase
the thickness of the steel to prevent distoron.

Any features which aid the access and drainage of molten zinc will improve the quality of the 100
coang and reduce costs. With certain fabricaons, holes that are present for other purposes The base connectors for these hybrid steel and
103
may full the requirements for venng and draining; in other cases it may be necessary to pro- glulam mber members have been fabricated
vide extra holes for this purpose. For complete protecon, molten zinc must be allowed to ow from galvanized steel. The posion of the connec- Galvanizing is a suitable nish for an exterior AESS
freely to all surfaces of a fabricaon. With hollow secons or where there are internal compart- tor in the building put it at greater risk of mois- structure that will be constantly subjected to
ments, galvanizing internal surfaces eliminates any danger of hidden corrosion during service. ture exposure, so painted steel was not desired. weathering as in this expressive railing system.

From a design perspecve, it will be important to understand the physical limitaons of the
galvanizer’s facility. To be specic, what is the size of the bath? It is not usual to dip pieces that
are 20 metres in length, but this limit must be veried as it impacts member size. This limit on
the member size may result in the need for addional connecons. Double dipping is not an ef-
fecve soluon.

Metalizing

Metalizing is a substute for painng structural steel that protects steel for signicantly longer
than paint alone. It is more expensive than galvanizing. Steel of every shape and size may be
metalized either in-shop before construcon or on-site instead as an alternave to painng. 101
104
Metalizing is a very versale and e
ecve coang for protecng steel structures that are to be Here galvanized steel members are mixed with
connuously exposed to weathering. zinc painted grey steel. It was decided not to gal- Galvanizing is very popular as a nish, but remem-
vanize some of the members due to the chance ber that its basic purpose is as a corrosion-preven-
of deformaon in the hot zinc bath and potenal on coang. The nature of the nish will not be
The metalizing process begins with proper surface preparaon. Next, aluminum wire or zinc
stress release of the welds. consistent from batch to batch.
wire is connuously melted in an electric arc spray or gas ame spray gun. Clean, compressed

CISC AESS Guide – 4 Coangs and Finishes - 28


of water from upper
105
This garden wall is made from weathering steel.
Although durable in appearance, you can see
the destrucve markings on the surface made by means that there is virtually no risk of heat distor-
users of the space. It is essenal to detail these
types of installaons so that the run-o
water
does not stain surfaces below the wall.
106
This wall is made from weathering steel. The
nal colour of the steel will be slightly darker
than what is pictured here. The material must go
through a number of weng and drying cycles
for the coang to cure. It is not possible to select
or carefully predict its nal hue.
107
Care must be taken in detailing weathering steel
to avoid having the natural oxidizing process cre-
ate stains on the surfaces below the material.
air strips droplets of molten metal from the wire,
deposing these parcles onto the steel forming
the protecve coang. This sprayed metal coang
is both a barrier coang and a galvanic coang in
one. A single metalized coang can protect steel
for 30 years or longer depending upon the ap-
plicaon, coang thickness and sealing.
Metalizing is thought of as a cold process in that
the aluminum or zinc is deposited onto steel by
spraying rather than by dipping the steel into a
bath of molten zinc as with galvanizing. The steel
remains relavely cool at about 120O-150OC. This
on or weld damage by metalizing.
There are no VOC’s (volale organic compounds)
in the metalized coang. There is no cure me or
temperature to limit metalizing, so metalizing may
be applied throughout the year, virtually regard-
less of temperature.
There are three types of wire that are used to cre-
ate three specic coangs. Sprayed aluminum is
preferred for use in industrial environments, par-
cularly where there are high concentraons of
sulfur dioxide and other pollutants. Zinc provides
greater galvanic protecon than aluminum. Its
greater galvanic power protects gaps in the coat-
ing beer than pure aluminum. It is marginally
easier to spray pure zinc than pure aluminum by
some ame or arc spray systems. Zinc with 15%
aluminum wire combines the benets of pure
zinc with the benets of pure aluminum in the
metalized coang. It is very oen used as a sub-
stute for pure zinc because it is somewhat more
chloride and sulfur dioxide-resistant than pure
zinc, while retaining the greater electro-chemical
acvity of pure zinc.
Weathering Steel
Weathering steel has a unique characterisc such
that, under proper condions, it oxidizes to form
a dense and ghtly adhering barrier or pana
which seals out the atmosphere and retards fur-
ther corrosion. This is in contrast to other steels
that form a coarse, porous and aky oxide which
allows the atmosphere to connue penetrang
the steel. The oxidized layer on weathering steel
in many climates does not consume a signicant
amount of steel in its formaon. However, climate
is important – the oxide layer will form provided
there are wet/dry cycles.
Words of cauon: runo
porons of a structure tend to produce long-
lasng streaks or other paerns of redder oxide
on lower porons. Therefore, special aenon
must be paid to the drainage of storm water (or
condensate) to prevent staining of surrounding
structures, sidewalks, and other surfaces.
Weathering steel is also available in sheets, for
roong and cladding. However, they were not
meant for architectural applicaons. Weather- 108
ing steel must be kept free from debris such as
leaves, pine needles, etc. These waste products This weathering steel has been badly located as it
is staining the concrete wall below.
retard the wet/dry cycle necessary for weather-
ing steel, and corrosion is accelerated. Also, in an
accelerated environment, loss of material may be
more signicant and could cause perforaon of
very thin sheets. In addion, for green building
design, one should know that a thin weathering
steel roof has low solar reecvity, i.e. it is a “hot
roof”.
In terms of availability, few steel service centres
will stock a large inventory of weathering steel
because of its specic bridge applicaon. How- 109
ever, they will order it from the mill on request These welded steel secons may look like
but usually for bridge applicaons. Unfortunately, weathering steel but they are actually fabricated
when steel is needed for an exterior wall element, from regular carbon steel that is coated with an
that usually represents low tonnage for a service applied “weathering steel nish”. Although con-
venient, it will not provide lasng protecon.
centre.
Aer about two years, which is the me it takes to develop the oxide skin, the colour is going
to be much darker and reddish brown. As we are dealing with “living steel”, the colour will not
be consistent from project to project or even within a project. In weer climates the colour of
weathering steel will generally have an overall redder cast relave to those exposed in drier
climates. However, one can be most certain that the nal colour will have a rich dark earthy tone
and will be low-maintenance, durable and beauful, provided one is careful about the details. If
it is desired to use weathering steel in an interior applicaon, it must be noted that the requisite
wet/dry cycles are absent and it will not age (very quickly). If desired it can be pre-aged outside
and then installed inside. Otherwise be prepared for the nal surface state to take many years to
develop.
Weathering steel is not readily available in W shapes and HSS from Canadian sources. It is not
appropriate for green roofs. However, it is low-maintenance; no paint is required, and properly
used vercally, it can add a disnct and green character to your project.
CISC AESS Guide – 4 Coangs and Finishes - 29
Weathering Steel Finish is a new coang that is available for use. This is a shop- and eld-applied
nish that gives the appearance of weathering steel but does not create the same oxidized layer
as actual weathering steel. It is applied to standard structural steel materials. It provides a similar
5 Connecons
looking nish and so might be useful where certain sizes, shapes and thickness of material are
not available. The coang must also be applied to site welds to result in a uniform appearance.
This coang does not produce rust runo
.
DETAILING REQUIREMENTS FOR AESS CONNECTIONS
Stainless Steel
General Issues
Stainless steel has the advantage of having its corrosion protecon quite integral to the struc-
tural member. It is an iron-based metal that has at least 10.5% chromium as well as quanes of AESS structures, by their inherently exposed nature, put a greater than normal emphasis on con-
nickel, molybdenum and manganese that assist in resisng oxidaon. The chromium combines necon design. The detailing language of the connecons must feed into the overall aesthec
with oxygen to create a barrier to the rust that would normally form due to the iron content. As desired for the structure. Connecon details must be constructable and within reason to erect.
a result, it has a remarkable nish and requires far less ongoing maintenance than does regular Although the details normally used for AESS structures include some fairly standard connecon
steel protected through methods of galvanizing, metalizing, or with painted or intumescent coat- methods, these are mostly modied as a way of enhancing the architectural expression of the
ings. structure, and by their nature are likely to present challenges for both fabricaon and erecon.

There are signicant cost premiums for stainless steel as a material, and from a structural per- Connecon types can be subdivided into structures that use shapes (such as W, C and
specve it also requires a di
erent set of calculaons as its behaviour is very di
erent from regu- L-shapes), and those that use hollow secons. These typologies can be further subdivided into
lar mild carbon steel. Stainless steel has a very low carbon content. There are 50 di
erent grades the choice of predominantly welding or bolng the connecons. Plates can be worked into both
of stainless steel, of which ve are most commonly used for structural applicaons. These vary types of connecons. AESS connecons will oen incorporate specialty items such as rods and
due to their alloy content. 304 is the most commonly used for exterior architectural applicaons, tensile connectors.
being easy to form and fabricate and available in a variety of forms. 304L is a low-carbon version
of 304 and is specied where higher corrosion resistance is needed as well as the welding of In turn there are shop-fabricated connecons and site-erected connecons. As a general rule,
heavy secons. 316 o
ers heavy corrosion resistance and is used in harsh environments. 316L of- it is beer to maximize the number of connecons, parcularly welded connecons, that can
fers extra corrosion resistance and heavy welding. 430 is a chromium ferric material that is used be done in the shop over those, usually bolted, that must be done on site. There is more quality
in interior applicaons. 305 and 410 are used for bolts, screws and fasteners. control in the shop. Jigs can be set up for repeve assemblies to ensure consistency in appear-
ance and nish. It is easier to turn and x the members into posion for welding with crane as-
Stainless steel is available in plate, wire, tubes, rods and bars. Extruded shapes are not common sistance. The applicaon of primer and even nish painng is more e ciently done in the shop.
but can be fabricated by special order.
In the end, the maximum size of member that can be transported to site will oen determine
Only stainless steel fasteners should be used to join stainless steel members. Other metals can the scope of shop-fabricated connecons and the number and type that must be done on
result in chemical reacons between the materials, which can lead to failure. Stainless steel is site. Although it is possible to transport oversized pieces to the site with a police escort, it does
also readily welded; however, the welding rods and techniques are quite di
erent from those increase the cost of the project. Likewise, when the site is constricted and the staging area either
involving regular carbon steel. Stainless steel casngs can be fabricated to form connecons
between members.
Only dedicated tools must be used to cut and
nish the steel. Tools used with carbon steel will
embed small parcles of carbon steel in the stain-
less, causing rust spots to occur.

The fabricator chosen for creang an AESS struc-

ture from stainless steel should be experienced in
the material.

110
111 112
The Domes at Robson Square in Vancouver have
been fabricated from stainless steel tubular sec- Connecon detailing must meet the end requirements of the AESS Category and also take into account
ons. the cost, constructability, fabricaon and ease of erecon.

CISC AESS Guide – 5 Connecons - 30

small or non-existent, pre-assembling the pieces on site on the ground might also not be pos-
sible. Most urban sites will require “just in me” delivery of steel pieces and carefully planned
erecon to make the best use of the staging area as well as preserve an area for staging that
might be required to the last moment of steel erecon.

Hidden or discrete connecons can be used where there are transportaon and erecon
limitaons. If a standard bolted connecon is unsasfactory from an aesthec point of view, and
a welded site connecon is impraccal and expensive, alternaves can be provided. Large pieces
can be transported and erected e ciently using bolted connecons that are hidden or made
discrete.

Connecon Mock-Ups
113 116
The issue of mock-ups (Characterisc 2.1 - Visual Samples) plays heavily into the design issues 3D modelled detail which can be used to verify Tubular members can be connected using very in-
related to connecons. Most architects would ideally like to be able to see and feel specialty connecon details through a digital mock-up. venve means. This combinaon of plates allows
connecons before they commit to their mass fabricaon. This is not always possible or prac- for constructability, minimal on-site welding and
cal due to issues of ming and cost. The fabricaon of large specialty items is expensive and enhanced interest in appearance.
me-consuming. Physical mock-ups can create delays, not only by their fabricaon but also by
requiring all pares to be present for approvals. Viewing distance also needs to be taken into
account when looking at a physical mock-up. Normally those present are examining the sample
at close range when in fact the in situ connecon may be many metres out of range of view and
touch. The AESS Category must be kept in mind when viewing physical samples. It may be pos-
sible to verify most of the appearance issues associated with the connecons and receive design
approval through the use of 3D drawings – a combinaon of those produced by the fabricator’s
detailing soware and the ones produced with 3D modeling soware. This approach can save
me and money. It may also be possible to reference a fabricator’s previous work to establish a
baseline for discussion when using digital references.

If 3D or other sorts of digital models are to be used as the basis of agreement for details, it is 114
important to discuss the ner aspects of welding, bolng and nishing as these are likely not rep- 117
resented fully in the digital model. This building uses extensive diagrids formed with
W-secons. These are very simply aached using
A combinaon of smaller physical mock-ups of aspects of detailing and nish might be used to splice plates on both sides of the ange.
accompany digital representaons to achieve a good level of communicaon about the expecta-
ons of the project details.

Which Type of Connecon Should I Choose?

The connecon type will be dependent on the structural requirements of the assemblies, the
shapes and types of steel members that are to be connected as well as the aesthec that is de-
sired. The type of connecon that is most appropriate for a project might not be clearly evident
from the outset. As previously menoned, there are many di
erent types of connecons, and it
115
may be necessary as well as desirable to use di
erent types in a project as are suited to the spe-
cic range of requirements and AESS Categories (recognizing that viewing distances throughout a The large “wishbone” secons used at Pearson
project may vary). For overall clarity of the design, these di
erent connecons may use a similar Internaonal Airport were special enough to
language and form a “family” of typical condions. warrant a full scale mock-up. The size and cost of
the mock-up were such that it was made to be 118
incorporated into the project. Although there may Varying approaches to bolng are used to achieve
As with any project, the overall structural consideraons – loads, clear spanning requirements be slight di
erences in the nal design, these are the splicing of the W-secons and the joining of
and support locaon – will form the starng point for the design. More pragmac issues such impercepble in situ. the square HSS members to the truss.
as the type of project, use of the space, exposure to weather and atmospheric grime and choice

CISC AESS Guide – 5 Connecons - 31

of re protecon method will begin to inuence the choice of AESS Category. It makes lile
economic sense to invest in highly arculated details if the connecons are either out of view
or concealed in part by thicker intumescent coangs. If there is signicant dirt present in the
environment, or if cleaning and maintenance of the structure is di cult, it is best not to create
ledges that will collect dirt and surfaces that will highlight lack of maintenance.

Transportaon and access to the site will require breaking up the overall concept into smaller
elements that may be shipped as well as t into erecon limitaons on the site. The majority
of site connecons tend to be bolted. This does not preclude the use of welded connecons on
site. Site welding does mean addional costs to put temporary shoring or supporng pieces in
place while welding is carried out, and to remove and make good surfaces when these are no
longer required. It is also possible to suggest aesthecally pleasing bolted connecons. 119
The aesthec of this project included a high level 122
Budget will also directly impact detailing. If the project can be broken into di
erent Categories of of texture using standard structural shapes, and so
Although the overall form of this box truss appears
AESS, then the more visible areas can be more expensively detailed. Refer to the Matrix for sug- bolng was chosen.
complex, the 100% welded connecons have been
gested cost premiums for the AESS Categories, and discuss the same with your Fabricator. designed with simple geometries.

Bolted Connecons

Bolted connecons are normally chosen to achieve a more rugged aesthec for AESS or as a
result of erecon issues and constraints. Bolted connecons are oen chosen when using W, C
or L-shapes. The more industrial look of these secon types seems more aesthecally suited to
bolted connecons. Oen the detailing used on these types of bolted AESS connecons is very
close to the connecons that would be used in standard structural steel. The organizaon and
alignment of members is likely to be either more careful or more creave than is to be found in
standard structural steel.

When designing bolted connecons, aenon should be given to specifying the type of bolt to 123
120
be used (Characterisc 1.4) as well as the consistency of the side on which the bolt head is to
be found. As the structural requirements of the bolted connecon dictate how far it needs to be Welded connecons have been used here in Space frame systems used to be rounely used
conjuncon with the selecon of W-members to to connect large nodes of HSS members. This has
ghtened, it is not reasonable to expect the rotaon of all heads to align.
create a very technical feel for the Works Yard. given way to the use of all-welded connecons in
current AESS projects.
Bolted connecons are also used with hollow structural members. The typical, praccal HSS
connecon is to weld the intersecng HSS elements in the shop and create stubs with oversized
end plates to facilitate erecon. If these end plates are not aesthecally sasfying, cap plates and
plates slit into the HSS can be detailed to make the connecons more discrete. These details are
automacally more expensive.

This can be seen in the connecons of square HSS members for the Canadian War Museum (Fig.
124). Two types of bolted connecons have been employed. One featured a set of overlapping
plates (at the X intersecon), and the other was designed to facilitate erecon using a more stan-
dard approach where the plates are welded to the ends of the HSS members and then bolted.
The aesthec of the space and the desire to mimic a twisted war-torn landscape inspired these
connecons.
121

Welded Connecons Good quality welding should require no special

aer-treatment (grinding) for the majority of AESS
applicaons (Categories 1 through 3). Grinding
Shop-welded connecons are used on a high proporon of AESS structures. Welding gives a would be considered only for Category 4 applica-
clean, uncluered appearance. Welding is oen used on hollow structural shapes and less oen ons if a seamless appearance is important.
for W, C or L-shapes. That is not to say that welding is not used with W-shapes. Both the Naonal
124
These square HSS members are connected both by
using overlapping splice plates as well as welded
end plates for ease of erecon.

CISC AESS Guide – 5 Connecons - 32


erenated from the larger welded expanses of steel.
erent challenges for the fabricator as a funcon of the connec-
ordable and for beer quality and alignment, it will be necessary to maximize the amount of
125
Complex connecons using square HSS members
are very di cult when it comes to alignment. Cir-
cular members are more forgiving. This connecon
is located on a high-level skylight, so the alignment
issue is not really visible.
126
These tubular members were welded, using both
tube-to-tube connecons as well as X-shaped
plate fabricaons to resolve the geometry of the
transion.
127
Modern equipment makes precision cung of
these intersecng round HSS members much
simpler.
128
The large HSS members used on this bridge have
helical welds. Although unusual in appearance,
they were aesthecally worked into the design.
129
It was important for the form, t and nish in this
building to have a seamless transion between
these two HSS members, so a welded connecon
was used. All evidence of the joining of the two
members was concealed.
130
A higher cost is the result of this level of complexity
for a welded connecon. The reveal detail of the
connecon of the upper structure to the column
makes the connecon simpler to erect.
Works Yard (Fig. 120) and Art Gallery of Ontario (Fig. 101) incorporated welded connecons
within the larger poron of the shop-fabricated assembly, and bolted connecons for the site
work. In the Seale Public Library (Fig. 117), bolted connecons are used for splices between the
larger shop-welded secons of the larger diagrid found in the building. In situ, these splices can
hardly be di
Welded connecons present di
on geometry as it is combined with the choice of member. For complex geometries to be more
a
work that can be done in the fabricator’s plant so that proper jigs, liing and clamping devices
can be used to manipulate the materials. It will be necessary to understand transportaon
restricons when working through the details of these connecons. There will be a maximum
member size that will be able to clear bridge overpasses and road widths to avoid clearance
mishaps or frequent police escorts or road closures. Where highly arculated assemblies must
be broken into smaller elements due to transportaon and liing limitaons, it will be helpful
to discuss the details of these more signicant site connecons with the fabricator if a totally
welded appearance is the desired end result. It is possible to create site connecons that give
the appearance of being welded but that are discretely bolted, with the nal connecon con-
cealed with cover plates.
When deciding upon the level of nish of a welded connecon, it is extremely important that the
viewing distance and AESS type and associated characteriscs be respected. One of the major
reasons for cost overruns in AESS has historically been the tendency of welded connecons to be
overworked. Welds are oen ground, lled or smoothed out unnecessarily. Welds are structural,
and overgrinding of welds can diminish their strength. Only in Custom or very high-end AESS 4
should grinding be considered as an opon for welded connecons. Except in the instance of
structural necessity, or for seal welding to prevent moisture entry, welding may not even need to
be connuous.
Tubular Steel
Tubular steel – generally hollow structural secons or occasionally mechanical pipe – is oen
chosen when creang AESS projects. In the case of HSS, the secon shapes can be square,
rectangular, round or ellipcal. Mechanical pipe is only produced round and cannot be used in
seismic applicaons. The choice of the member shape will have a tremendous impact on the de-
sign and appearance of the connecons. The geometry of the connecon – planar, simple angle
or mul-member intersecon – will impact the cost and complexity of resolving mulple HSS
shapes. In some instances the joint can be resolved by cung and welding. In other instances
plates may be needed to simplify the intersecon and erecon.
In general, HSS tends to be produced using a welding process, whereas pipe tends to be the re-
sult of an extrusion process. All HSS secons start out round and are formed to alternate shapes.
There will be a welded seam along the HSS, whereas in pipes the shape will be seamless. When
designing with HSS the AESS characteriscs require that you look at the orientaon of this weld
seam in the design. A welded seam will tend to be visible even aer grinding, depending on the
coang process used, as one can only grind perpendicular to a surface. Although there is vari-
ance of nal texture in extruded shapes and on the coang system used, the nal look is likely
to reect the inial relief of the surface. As grinding may not completely conceal the weld seam,
even aer nish coangs are applied, it is preferable (and less expensive) simply to orient this
CISC AESS Guide – 5 Connecons - 33
natural occurrence consistently or away from the dominant angle of view.

The surface of a welded HSS tends to resemble that of a rolled shape, whereas a pipe may ex-
hibit a light texture akin to an orange peel. This textural di
erence may be signicant if combin-
ing hollow secon types with other structural shapes in an AESS applicaon where a high level
of consistency of nish is desired. Pipe secons are rarely used and are considered a backup plan
for most applicaons.

There will be a variability in the availability of di

erent secon sizes, and it is not the same for
di
erent diameter ranges. Check with your local service centre for current availability. For large
quanes (i.e. over 50 to 70 tonnes) an order can be placed directly to the structural tubing mill.
HSS secons with a diameter greater than 400 mm generally require special ordering. Larger
diameter tubes (diameter > 500 mm) will be custom-manufactured and will require a minimum 131 134
100-tonne quanty when ordering unless they can be bundled with another job. As helical welds
This is a cast connector that would form the end All of the primary connecons on this project are
are somemes proposed for large tubular secons, it is important to discuss this with your fab-
condion of a round HSS secon or pipe. You can fabricated from cast steel.
ricator and explicitly exclude these in your AESS specicaon documents if they are not accept- see the “orange peel” like nish of the raw casng.
able.

Tapered tubes are not a regular manufactured product. They must be custom-fabricated from a
trapezoidal plate that is rolled to form a tapered pole and the seam welded.

Cast Connecons

Cast connecons are being used increasingly in projects in Canada. The characteriscs of today’s
steel casngs have nothing to do with its earlier cousin: cast iron. Steel casngs are higher
strength, weldable and more ducle. You generally see casngs in conjuncon with cable and
glass structures, or in complex tubular joints for buildings or bridges. While they bring with them
the added advantage of handling complex, curved geometries without the di cules found
using mulple combinaons of tubes and plates, they do require a di
erent level of engineering
132 135
and tesng experse. Economy is found in the mass producon of the elements. One-o
casngs
or small runs can be very expensive. Custom casngs are used to connect the mber These complex connecons made appropriate use
columns to the concrete foundaons. of casngs to resolve complex geometries cleanly.
For casngs to work, a reason is needed. Is there repeon (so the cost of making the mould
is partly amorzed – a must)? Are there many elements coming to one point? Do you want to
use casngs in a high-stress zone? Is there a foundry in your area that has the experse? Would
casngs provide aesthec advantages? If the answer is yes for at least 3 of these quesons, then
maybe these are appropriate for your project. A rough rule of thumb is that, if the connecon
starts to cost four mes as much as the material it is made of, then steel casngs start to be
economical.

A cast member has a di

erent nish. This is due to the manufacturing process and a funcon of
the material that creates the form for the casng. For example if a sand casng is used, the sur-
face texture of the nished steel will have a rough sand-like appearance. Special nishing will be
required if a seamless nal appearance is sought between the casng and the adjacent tubular
member. For higher levels of AESS categories, this can mean signicant grinding and lling to
smooth out the rougher nish of the casng, or remove casng mill marks. 133 136
Casngs used as tension anchors can vary greatly A large steel casng was used in this tree-like
Casngs can be formed hollow or solid. Solid casngs are usually found in smaller connectors in size, from these pictured here to much smaller structure to join several mechanical pipe secons.
like the ones used to form the terminus of tension rod-type structures. Hollow casngs are used ones used to aach rods for stayed structures. The joints were lled and sanded to conceal them.
for larger members, as it would be di cult to achieve uniform cooling with solid casngs and

CISC AESS Guide – 5 Connecons - 34

also more expensive. Non-uniform cooling
can create internal stresses. Non-destrucve
evaluaon of each casng, including 100%
ultrasonic tesng, should be considered as a
minimum. When selecng a caster, be sure
that appropriate tesng will be performed.
Large specialty casngs require specic test-
ing to ensure that they are properly designed
and capable of resisng stresses. Cast steel
exhibits isotropic properes, making it quite
suitable for transferring forces through the
connecons in a reliable manner, so as to
erence if the steel shape is to be bent
resist shear, moment and torsional stresses.
It accomplishes this by working the geometry
as a funcon of variaons in the wall thick-
ness, independently of the nished form of
the exterior. Unlike fabricaons made from
tubes or plates, the interior dimensions of
the void in a casng do not have to match the
exterior form of the object.
Solid casngs are being e
ecvely used in
seismic installaons.
References
• “Convenient Connecons”, Carlos de Oliveira
and Tabitha Sne, Modern Steel Construcon,
AISC, July 2008
• “Branching Out”, Terri Meyer Boake, Modern
Steel Construcon, AISC, July 2008
137
Although steel can be curved to very ght radii, it
makes a di
arrangements to sub out work that they cannot handle.
“the hard way” or “the easy way”. It will depend on
the depth of the secon and the curvature. If curves
are very ght, some deformaon is likely to occur.
It is best to check with the fabricator early on in the
design process when specifying curved steel.
138
The high prole and very exposed nature of the
round bent steel tubes that support this pedestrian
bridge meant extra care in bending, splicing and
erecng the structure.
139
Steel bending is done at a special facility. The equip-
ment and dies slowly push the steel into the desired
curve aer several passes through the machine.
6 Curves and Cuts
DESIGNING FOR CURVES AND COMPLEX CUTS
Modern bending equipment, plasma cuers and CNC equipment allow for a wide range of
interesng variaons in AESS projects. As much of this work is highly equipment-dependent, and
such equipment is very costly, it is a good idea to verify the capabilies of fabricators that might
be bidding the job to ensure that their shop can handle the work on site, or that they can make
Bending
Bending steel is a specialty subset of fabricaon and is becoming increasingly popular in AESS
work. Most steel fabricators do not own bending equipment and will subcontract this work out.
Bending steel requires specialized equipment. There are also limits on the ghtness of the radius
that steel can be bent to as a funcon of:
• the diameter or overall secon dimensions of the steel
• the thickness of the steel
• the type of secon
• the direcon of the bending (perpendicular or parallel to its weak axis)
In general terms, “easy way” is bending the steel around its weak axis and “hard way” is bending
the steel around its strong axis.
If bending ghter than the advised ghtness of radius, deformaon or distoron will occur. If the
deformaon is small enough, and the steel is AESS 3 or 4, out-of-plane surfaces may be lled and
sanded prior to painng to hide the defects. If the distoron is small and the steel is AESS 1 or 2,
viewed at a greater distance, there may not be any need for correcve work.
It is preferable if the bent steel member can be designed to be connuous. If splicing needs to
occur to achieve a longer piece, or to join two secons of a complex project together, it is next to
impossible to ensure that the pieces will align properly due to the natural distoron of the steel
shape during the bending process. This is more easily done using W secons, but very di cult
when designing with HSS shapes or pipe. It is important to be realisc about the expectaons of
the connected pieces. Connecon styles may be considered that do not aempt to create the
impression of awless connuity.
A certain length of steel is lost to the bending process. The lengths of the member clamped at
either end in the equipment are not bent. Extra steel will need to be purchased for each piece to
ensure that the lengths delivered to site are long enough.
Reference
• “What Engineers Should Know About Bending Steel”, Todd Alwood, Modern Steel Construcon, AISC,
May 2006.
CISC AESS Guide – 6 Curves and Cuts - 35

Angle Rings Heel Up
Ellipcal Tubes
Ellipcal tubes are relavely new to the AESS
Angle Rings Leg Out scene. Their use started in Europe and is mak-
ing its way into North American architecture.
EHS have greater bending capacity than circu-
Angle Rings Leg In
lar hollow secons of the same area or weight,
due to their strong and weak axis direcons,
Channel Rings but sll maintain a smooth closed shape. There
Flanges In is also reduced visual intrusion compared to
regular circular HSS, if the member is viewed
from one predominant direcon.
Channel Rings
Flanges Out
All EHS are produced, with major-to-minor
axis dimensions of 2:1, as hot-nished hollow
Beam Rings
The Hard Way structurals. They are produced as connuously
welded secons, joined by high-frequency
inducon welding and nished to their
Beam Rings
The Easy Way nal shape at extremely high (normalizing)
temperatures, with the outside weld bead
removed but the inside weld bead typically le
Channel Rings
The Hard Way in place. Due to the hot nishing process, EHS
have a ne grain structure, uniform mechani-
cal properes, excellent weldability, negligible
140 residual stress, are suitable for hot-dip galva-
nizing and are applicable to dynamic loading
The minimum bending radius permied will depend
on the secon type and its orientaon.
situaons. Ellipcal tubes have similar material
properes to regular HSS members, and similar
connecon methods can be used in their con-
necon detailing. They are oen used in front
of glazing, as their shape is less obtrusive and
erent steel-cung methods. These include
blocks less of the view and light coming into
the space.
References
• “Going Ellipcal”, Je
Packer, Modern Steel on shops, parcularly in AESS work.
Contrucon, AISC, March 2008
• “Ellipcal Hollow Secons – Three-Part Series,
Part One: Properes And Applicaons “, Je
Packer, Advantage Steel No. 35, CISC, Fall 2009
141 • “Ellipcal Secons – Three-Part Series, Part Three:
EHS Connecon Design”, Je
Packer, Advantage 143
Ellipcal tubes are a new product that is seeing in-
erent thicknesses using
Steel No. 37, CISC, Summer 2010
creasing use. These tubes are used to support a high
curtain wall in an airport. The weld seam is located
on the top of the member as the predominant view-
ing angle is from below.
CISC AESS Guide – 6 Curves and Cuts - 36
SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT
When steel enters the fabricaon shop, it is normally inially sized by sawing. New specialized
equipment, oen using robocs to control welding, cung, drilling and punching, are addion-
ally used to alter the steel. This specialized equipment allows for a very high level of precision
when fabricang complex geometries. When examining bids for any job that might require the
use of such equipment, it will be necessary to determine the shop capabilies of the fabricators
bidding the job. Such equipment is very expensive. The use of such specialty equipment may en-
able increased fabricaon speed and the inclusion of ne details but is likely to incur an increase
in cost to the project. It is common for fabricators to sub out work to another shop that may own
such equipment.
Shearing
Shearing, also known as die cung, is a metalworking process which cuts stock without the
formaon of chips or the use of burning or melng. If the cung blades are straight the process
is called shearing; if the cung blades are curved then they are shearing-type operaons. Sheet
metal or plates as well as steel rods are com-
monly cut by shearing. The edges of sheared
steel are typically sharp and will require nish-
ing when used in AESS applicaons.
CNC Cung
A “Computer Numerical Controlled” device
can be used to facilitate more complicated
or repeve cung. The full potenal of the
142 device can only be realized if taking its instruc-
This curved secon is distorted at its splice, making ons from CAD/CAM soware. A CNC method
a smooth welded connecon di cult to achieve. can be used in conjuncon with a number of
di
torch cung, roung, plasma cung, water
jet cung and laser cung. It can also be used
to control hole drilling. CNC processes have
become very commonly used in steel fabrica-
Plasma Cung
Plasma is a gas in which a certain percentage of
parcles is ionized. Plasma cung is a process
for cung steel of di
The curved steel W-secons in this exposed installa- a plasma torch. In this process, an inert gas (in
on are joined with moment-resisng connecons. some units, compressed air) is blown at high
The overall aesthec is rougher, and with the steel speed out of a nozzle; at the same me an
located at a high ceiling level, the nish require- electrical arc is formed through that gas from
ments would be less than for curved steel located at the nozzle to the surface being cut, turning
a more easily viewed level using welded connecons
some of that gas to plasma. The plasma is suf-
and HSS members.
ciently hot to melt the metal being cut and
 moves su ciently fast to blow molten metal away from the cut. Plasma cung is e
ecve for
material no greater than 50 mm.

Torch or Flame Cung

144
Modern hole-drilling equipment is clean, quick and
precise. 148
Automated torch cung of a piece of steel plate.
If torch cung is used on AESS material, the
edges will need treatment to make them smooth
for even-nish applicaons.
Torch cung is also called oxy-fuel cung. This process uses fuel gases and oxygen to cut the
steel. In oxy-fuel cung, a cung torch heats metal to kindling temperature. A stream of oxygen
is trained on the metal, and metal burns in that oxygen and then ows out of the cut as an
oxide slag. Oxy-acetylene can only cut low- to medium-carbon steels and wrought iron. Since
the melted metal ows out of the workpiece, there must be room on the opposite side of the
workpiece for the spray to exit. This type of torch can be part of a large roboc device or a small
portable handheld device.
The way that steel is cut will inuence the level of detail as well as the amount of remediaon
required. Most cung today is performed using CNC control although manual cung can sll
be done. Manual cung requires more clean-up depending on the skill of the operator and the
level of AESS expected.

Thickness limits:
• Plasma cung: The thickness of steel with this method is typically ¼” to 1-¼” (6 to 30 mm).
145 • Oxy-fuel cung: This is the most common method and the thickness of material is unlimited.
Plasma cuers can facilitate the cung of more • Water jet cung: This method is less common and the limits on steel thickness are not
complex shapes. known.
• Laser Cung: This method is used on material in the range of 1/16” up to a praccal limit of
¾” (1.5 to 20 mm).

For exceponally thick steel, in the range of 150 mm or greater, oxy-fuel cung would normally
149 be used. Plasma and oxy-fuel require moderate to heavy amounts of grinding if all cung marks
Several kinds of cuts are required to connect
are to be eliminated from the plate edges. Laser and water-jet cut edges require minimal grind-
this plate to the HSS member to create a pin ing. Any cut perpendicular to the material can be accomplished using CNC; however, plasma and
connecon. oxy-fuel have limitaons on width-to-thickness raos of cuts. For example, you cannot prac-
cally oxy-fuel cut a hole with a diameter smaller than the thickness as this will result in too much
146
melng and poor quality.

Plasma cuers combined with CNC equipment can

Hole Punching and Drilling
achieve a very ne level of detail.

147
Grinding is done by hand to remove or smooth out
the nish where operaons must be concealed. This
adds signicantly to the me and, therefore, cost of
the fabricaon.
150
The drilling of holes is an automated process.
This ensures that holes are drilled with very even
spacing on each member.
Modern equipment has greatly improved hole punching and drilling, allowing for the high level
of precision that is required in complex AESS structures. It is essenal that the steel used in the
project meet the half-standard tolerance characterisc of precision drilling in order to be of
ulmate benet to the project. Hole drilling can be done in conjuncon with CNC equipment
for greater precision and speed. For the cleanest results in hole punching, the plate thickness
should be no greater than 1” (25 mm). The correct size relaonship between the punch and the
die hole will produce a cleaner top edge, straighter hole and minimum burr on the boom edge.
The hole size should be no greater than the plate thickness plus 1/16” (1.5 mm) to the maximum
of 1” (25 mm).
Although very complex shapes are possible using modern equipment, this does come at some
cost to the project. It is good to remember that holes, circles and lines can be used in combina-
on to make clean cut-outs which do not require the extra expense of specialized equipment.

CISC AESS Guide – 6 Curves and Cuts - 37


7 Erecon Consideraons
HANDLING THE STEEL
Transportaon Issues
As quality of nish and precision of installa-
on are paramount with AESS, it is necessary
to maximize the amount of fabricaon and
painng that can be carried out in the fabrica-
tor’s shop. This may mean that members can
become increasingly large and di cult to
transport. It will be essenal for the fabricator
to map the clearances from the shop to the
site to ensure that the pieces will t for easy
transport, including turning radii for narrow
ect the types of connecons
streets. It is obviously beer (and less expen-
sive) to avoid requiring an escort or street
closures. The standard limit for size would be
to ship on a atbed trailer.
To prevent damage, members may have to be
shipped separately rather than maximizing the
allowable tonnage per trailer. More delicate
members may require the use of temporary
steel bracing to prevent distoron from road
movement, o
-loading and subsequent liing. 152
Sequencing of Lis
Just-in-me delivery is needed to ensure
proper sequencing and avoid damaging the
pieces. Many sites are constricted and have
insu cient staging area to provide holding for
the steel. The erector will arrange li sequenc-
es to minimize the amount of steel that is on
the site at any me.
Construcon sequencing for architecturally
exposed steel members places further limita-
ons on detailing and increases the challenge
of erecon. The 90-foot-long steel columns
that support the upper structure of the addi-
on to the Ontario College of Art and Design
were pre-nished at the fabricaon shop with
a coloured re-resistant intumescent coat-
ing. Not only was the street access extremely
CISC AESS Guide – 7 Erecon Consideraons - 38
151
Only one piece of steel will be shipped on this truck
to prevent damage to the piece.
There was virtually no staging area at this busy
A temporary piece of steel joins the two points to
stabilize the piece during shipping and erecon.
153
These pieces were so long that they could not t on
a normal trailer bed but were ed with separate
wheels on the back. This conguraon also allowed
for these extra long members to navigate around
di cult corners.
restricve, but also care had to be taken to
preserve the integrity of the intumescent coat-
ing during handling and erecon. A custom
set of supports (blue) was constructed to
hold the members in place unl proper lateral
bracing could be provided. The nish had to
be touched up intermiently throughout the
construcon process due to unavoidable nicks
and scratches, the result of roune construc-
on processes – processes that would not
154 cause extra expense on a more roune use of
structural steel.
The erecon that took place at this end of the build-
ing was extremely challenging as the crane operator
was below the pieces he was erecng, and the small Site Constraints
staging area was bordered by hydro wires. With such
a small staging area and the complex geometry, it is It is not uncommon for sub-assembly to occur
not uncommon to require more than one aempt to on site in the staging area for oversized or
t a piece. geometrically complex members. The size of
the staging area will gure into design deci-
sions that will a
that are employed in aggregang very large
members. Where quality welding can be easily
carried out in the shop, such will not be as
easy in the staging area without benet of jigs.
If an all-welded appearance is desired, the de-
sign may need to make use of invenve hidden
bolted connecons to simplify erecon.
Constricted sites are common in dense urban
155 areas. Lane closures may be required on front-
ing streets to provide for staging and erecon,
downtown intersecon, so the lis all had to take parcularly when building to the lot line.
place quickly at night. Hidden bolts were used on this
seemingly all-welded structure to facilitate erecon. Care in Handling
AESS requires more care in handling to avoid
damage to the members. Oddly shaped or
eccentric members can easily be distorted
or bent if improperly handled. Many of the
members that come to the site might also be
pre-nished (paint, galvanizing or intumescent
coangs), so padded slings will be required to
avoid marking the nish coat.
The more precisely fabricated the pieces, the
156 less force will be required to t them during
The blue frames are temporary supports that were erecon.
constructed to shore up the sloped columns precise-
ly, using padded support points so as not to damage Oen steel will be shipped with temporary
supports, backing bars or bridging aached to
the intumescent shop-applied coang.
prevent deformaon during shipping and erecon. These supports are removed aer the steel is is a much stronger material, a hybrid wood/
lied into place and the weld marks removed prior to the applicaon of nishes. steel truss design should have the wood on
top of the truss (in compression) and the steel
Erecon Issues at the boom chord (in tension). In this way,
the wood elements bu against each other
Erecng AESS will vary with the complexity of the project. If the steel members have been with very lile bolng. This also avoids large
accurately constructed with no less than half the standard tolerances, ng issues should be connecons at the boom truss since steel is
minimized but may not be eliminated. transferring the high-tension forces.

With odd geometries and asymmetry of members, the liing points will need to be more care- Both materials have issues with moisture. Steel
fully pre-calculated. Standard structural steel elements tend to be more regular, with vercal 157 is subject to oxidaon while wood is subject
columns and horizontal, relavely uniform beams. The liing points are predictable and make to decay.
These special galvanized ngs work well with the
assembly on site roune and quick. With diagonal or unbalanced members, gravity will not be of glued-laminated mber system. Part of this canopy
assistance and liing points may require more calculaon than normal. There may be erecon will be exposed to humidity and so corrosion protec-
There are concerns where wood and steel
delays in projects where each element is unique, as each will present a di
erent challenge to be on is required. Also, the nish will last a long me come into direct contact with each other. Steel
solved that may have no precedent. It is not unreasonable for some members to require more and the connecons would be di cult to access for needs to be protected, by galvanizing or coat-
than one aempt due to alignment or geometry issues. There can be holes or small aachments renishing. ing with a specic paint system, in order to re-
to the steel strictly to facilitate erecon. Care must be taken to minimize and remove these ele- sist the humidity changes in the wood. It also
ments. helps to use dry wood instead of green wood
at the interface if possible because it moves
Where steel is pre-nished, extra care must be taken during erecon so as not to damage the n- less over me. Because it is important to limit
ish. In some cases padded slings will be used in conjuncon with regular liing chains to prevent the restraint imposed by the steel connecng
damage to nishes. This might also be done with primed steel where a high-gloss nish is anci- elements, a bolted steel connecon should
pated, again to prevent damage to the surface of the steel. not span the full depth of a wood element. On
bridges, where mber decking is supported
Combining Steel with Timber by steel girders, the two materials should be
separated by a waterproof membrane.
Steel is oen used with structural mber. Pairing steel and wood in a single project can lead to
unique assemblies of sustainable and aesthecally pleasing hybrid structures. The strength of 158 Steel is a crucial element in the design of
steel lessens the bulk and provides an economy of structure that would not be possible with an hybrid structures because it allows the use of
The curved glulam facade of the Art Gallery of slender, delicate proles that would not be
all-wood design. The warmth of wood can add a welcoming touch to an all-steel building.
Ontario is enrely supported by a steel frame that
possible with wood alone.
takes its eccentric, twisng load back to the building.
Steel and wood are two very di
erent materials and combining them can be a challenge to de- A combinaon of painted grey and galvanized steel
signers. Steel is a manufactured product – strong, predictable and innitely recyclable. Wood is a is used. When using steel and wood together, the
natural material – relavely weak, variable in strength but renewable. Temperature di
erenals designer has to be very aware of balance. On
cause steel to expand and contract but have lile e
ect on wood; however, changes in humidity, a primarily AESS structure, there has to be
which have lile e
ect on steel, can cause wood to shrink and permanently change its dimen- enough wood to warm up the building, and
sions. Wood is described as a heterogeneous, hygroscopic, cellular and anisotropic material. That on a primarily wood structure, there has to be
means it is made up of a diverse range of di
erent items, it aracts water molecules from the enough steel to provide some interest.
environment though absorpon or adsorpon, it has a cellular structure and its properes are
direconally dependent. From a fabricator’s perspecve, a hybrid
project can be carried out in the steel fabrica-
Because of their di
erent properes, connecons between wood and steel can be di cult. A tor’s shop. It is helpful if the fabricator has
major issue is the di
erent expansion and contracon coe cients when combining AESS with some experience with working with wood, as
wood. Addionally, steel excels in tension while wood reacts much beer to compression. the processes and connecon details di
er
There are analycal programs available now to help set up the structure needed when combin- 159 from straight AESS work. There are concerns
ing the materials, so in considering AESS with wood, make sure that the fabricator is familiar or about damaging the wood in the shop, either
The steel and glulam arches of Brentwood Staon through handling or by welding or heang
has experience with the applicaon. In some cases, sloed holes in the steel can allow for some
were fabricated at the steel fabricator’s plant to
movement of the wood. The important thing in creang a hybrid structural system is to remem- steel too close to the wood in the structure.
ensure proper t and coordinaon of the erecon
ber the strengths of each material and in what context each of them works best. Because steel process. The use of a heat shield can protect the steel

CISC AESS Guide – 7 Erecon Consideraons - 39

from scorching during adjacent welding. The expansive glazed applicaons:
1 The Challenge
wood needs to maintain its protecve cover-
ing unl it arrives on site, only peeling away
• The steel framework is used simultaneously
as the structure and the method of holding the
areas requiring work. The wood should not glass in place, whereby the glass is virtually in
be walked upon, as is customary in working the same plane as the steel.
large steel, as damage can result. Covering • Larger steel members are used directly be-
saw horses with wood and carpeng and using hind (or in front of) the glass system to provide
nylon slings to move the wood beams rather wind bracing; these members can be installed
than the chains and hooks usually used with vercally or horizontally at the mullions and
steel will minimize problems. In selecng a usually do not also support the oor loads
fabricator it is important to make sure that ev- 160 163 above; structural steel secons, trusses or
eryone in the shop is aware of the di
erences Steel connecons are used to join this mber struc- The AESS system illustrated here uses a specialized
cable systems are used.
in the materials. ture. It can be seen that the steel connecon pieces vercal truss-like column formed from round HSS • The steel structure sits back from the glass
are ed with a plate that penetrates the end of the secons and plates, with holes cut into the plates to to provide the lateral support and creates a
The staging and erecon of a hybrid system mber. Bolts through the assembly secure the plate lighten the appearance of the system, to act as the separate, unique structure of its own; an inter-
is similar to regular AESS with the excepon to the mber. In this case the penetraon slot is le lateral wind load support for this very tall expanse of sal support system (oen cables) is used to
that the wood must be handled more gently. exposed. These will oen be lled or hidden to make glass at Pearson Airport. The thin prole of the steel connect the glass to the steel.
Depending on the size and complexity of the the connecons more mysterious. appears as a simple extension of the curtain wall.
members, the physical connecons between Tempered glass is most commonly used in
materials can either be done in the fabricaon these applicaons. Glass is tempered by heat-
shop, then shipped, or combined on site in the ing it to 650 to 700o C and rapidly cooling it so
staging area. Precision in t is even more im- the centre retains a higher temperature than
portant as wood members cannot be forcibly the surface. As the centre cools, the resulng
t, or cracking will occur. Padded slings need contracon induces compressive stresses at
to be used to li the members so as not to the surface and tensile stresses in the core
damage the wood. Protecve wrappings need which can produce a pane of glass four or ve
to stay in place unl well aer the erecon mes stronger than annealed or oat glass.
is complete to connue to provide weather Protecon against breakage can be enhanced
protecon. by laminated units where mulple layers of
161 164 glass are bonded by a layer of plasc sheet
Most importantly, someone has to take charge The heavy mber on this scupltural project is really A highly arculated vercal truss at either end of material. The combinaon of di
erent layers
of the project. This is the only way to ensure a “for show” as the main support system is all steel a cable system is used to provide wind support for improves post-breakage behaviour of the glass
proper t between the materials and to ensure and the large square wood secons are used only to a large expanse of glass at the Newseum. Stainless and gives designers and building owners more
bulk out the form and provide a contrast with the steel clamps connect the spider connectors to the
coordinaon from start to nish. It is possible steel used to support the glass. condence to use it in larger applicaons.
to have the steel fabricator coordinate shop cables.
drawings, delivery schedule and erecon. Many AESS and glass structures are designed
as signature elements of the building. The
Reference steel interface elements of these signature
• “Steel and Other Materials, Part Two: Steel and structures transfer porons of the wind
Wood”, John Leckie, Advantage Steel No. 30, loads to the steel superstructure, hence the
CISC, Winter 2007
interface elements are generally small, but
a much higher emphasis is placed on their
Combining Steel with Glass visual appeal. The steel fabricator retained
must be familiar with AESS, as the nishes and
New technological developments have both in-
interface tolerances are more stringent than
creased the opons available and reduced the 162 165 for standard structural steel.
di cules in designing, detailing and erecng
AESS steel and glass buildings. The large arches over the Richmond Speed Skang A suite of arculated steel arms canlevers out over Much of the supporng AESS used in these
Oval are fabricated from a combinaon of steel and a hotel drop-o
area. Diagonal rods with stainless systems is welded for a cleaner appearance.
wood, with the majority of the steel hidden beneath
There are three basic ways to consider the connectors support the glazed roof.
the wood cladding of the arches. Bolted connecons are seldom chosen when
way in which steel acts as a support system for

CISC AESS Guide – 7 Erecon Consideraons - 40

creang tall supporng systems for expanses
of glass. Precision in the welding of the steel
elements is parcularly important as the
welding process naturally distorts the steel. If
more welding is required on one side of a long
supporng member, it can result in bowing of
the member.
One of the problems of working with steel and
glass is the relave tolerances in producing the
materials. Glass requires higher precision with
tolerances of ±2 mm while the tolerances for
steel are ±5 mm. The di
erences have to be
accommodated during the installaon in order
to keep the glass panels properly aligned.
Because the glass panels are normally aligned
with the steel elements, poor alignment will
be quite apparent.
erenal
There are a number of methods for connect-
ing the glass panels to the structural supports.
ering deecons at the
The most commonly used is the spider bracket
which has one to four arms coming out of a
central hub. Bolts through the glass panels
are secured to the arms and the brackets are
aached to the support structure. Angle brack-
erenal
ets, single brackets, pin brackets or clamping
devices are all alternaves that are used on
occasion. The panels are usually secured at the
four corners with an addional pair of bolts
in the middle of each side for larger panels. In
Europe parcularly, bolted systems are slipping
from favour and designers there tend to use
erenal
a clip system where the panels are supported
on the side, removing the need to drill holes in
the glass.
It is crical to have a high level of commu-
nicaon between the architect, engineer
and fabricator on these types of projects,
as coordinaon must be very precise. Each
project will have slightly di
erent parameters,
and it is possible to adjust the glass support
system to suit the overall look of the balance
of the AESS on the project. The AESS poron
of the support system can be accomplished in
a variety of ways, all capable of connecng to
the stainless steel spider connectors. Methods
include: vercal trusses, thin vercal columns,
ellipcal tubes, cable net systems, tension
166
Spider connectors are used to connect this mullion-
less glass to a tubular steel frame at the top of the
expanse of window of this Las Vegas Hotel lobby. The
coordinaon for this detail is extremely ght, with
lile room for discrepancy given the proximity of the
steel tube to the inside face of the glass.
167
Although the interior of this lobby would give the
appearance of being supported in heavy mber,
here we can see that the framing is steel with wood
cladding. This permits the connecon of spider con-
nectors to the steel structure hidden inside.
168
This tubular steel framing system connects to the
sloped curtain wall in a more tradional fashion with
slim line supports being fairly concealed behind the
prole of the HSS secons.
169
Alignment issues between the glass and steel sup-
vercal trusses.
port frame are taken care of by levelling mechanisms
that are part of the glass connecon system. These
are located on the rear of the canopy and are not
visible from the front, allowing for clean lines and
uniformity on the public side of the system.
170
The steel supports for this double façade envelope
use a system of clips to support the extra layer of
glass. This alleviates issues of drilling of the glass
and allows for beer accommodaon of di
movement between the systems.
venng unwanted heat gain connue to grow,
171
Stainless steel cables are used in conjuncon with
laminated structural glass and stainless spider con-
nectors to support this large glazed façade at a Berlin
rail staon.
CISC AESS Guide – 7 Erecon Consideraons - 41
rods, stainless steel tension systems (either by
themselves or in conjuncon with larger AESS
carbon steel members). Structural glass ns
can be used as the primary means of lateral/
wind support or in conjuncon with AESS
systems.
The support system can also bear on the oor
or be suspended from the oor above. More
recently some cable systems are spanning
across the width of the glazed facade and
transferring the load to adjacent columns or
In all cases a substanal amount of movement
must be accommodated in the design of the
system. Glazed façades are oen subjected
to high levels of solar gain, and so di
movement in the steel and glass will need to
be accounted for due to temperature. Wind
loads will cause di
centre of the spans versus the top, boom or
side support points. Changes in oor load-
ing both during construcon and during the
life of the building must be accounted for.
Systems must also allow for vercal di
movement, oen achieved by the use of slip
joints that simultaneously allow movement up
and down, while restricng the joint laterally
for wind loads. Silicon is oen used to ll the
gaps between the panels once construcon is
complete.
Glass connues to be very brile and sensive
to local stress concentraons. Hence, much at-
tenon has to be spent designing the interface
between glass and steel to resolve issues of
material compability, and reach the desired
aesthec objecve.
As concerns about energy e ciency and pre-
these sorts of facades promise to be even
more challenging to design as external shading
devices grow in use as a means of lowering
cooling loads.
Reference
• “Steel and Other Materials, Part One: Steel and
Glass”, John Leckie, Advantage Steel No. 29, CISC
Summer 2007
 Members of the Architects and Engineers Who Parcipated
8 Special Acknowledgments CISC Ad Hoc AESS Commiee in Roundtable Discussions

Walter Koppelaar Alain Bergeron

Walters Inc.
Ontario Region – Chairman
The AESS Story in Canada started in 2005 with the CISC Ad Hoc Commiee. The idea
was to create a dynamic industry dialogue, including architects and engineers, in the Suja John
hopes of providing a series of documents that would assist in re-visioning the design, CISC Ontario Region
specicaon and construcon process for AESS.
Alan Lock
CISC Atlanc Region
In the following two years, CISC adapted components of what AISC had developed, but
it also introduced an underlining Category approach and reduced its scope. The com- Peter Timler
miee developed a Sample Specicaon (for engineers), an addion to the CISC Code CISC Western Region
of Standard Pracce (for fabricators) and a Guide (for architects). Common to all these Sylvie Boulanger
ABCP Architecture
Terri Meyer Boake
University of Waterloo School of Architecture
Peter Buchanan
Stantec
Guy Carrier, Ing.
Cima+
François Deslauriers
Saia Deslauriers Kadano

documents is the unique Matrix of Categories and Characteriscs to be used by all. CISC Quebec Region – Secretary Leconte Brisebois Blais

In parallel, several roundtables were held in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, which Peter Boyle Pierre Delisle
MBS Steel Pierre Delisle Architecte
would typically involve architects, engineers and fabricators. Those sessions helped Ontario Region
shape the orientaon and direcon of the commiee’s work on the documents. Michael Heeney
Paul Collins Bing Thom Architects
We wish to acknowledge all the hard work from the commiee members, the round- Collins Industries
Alberta Region Jean Lacoursière
table parcipants, CISC sta
and the author, Terri Meyer Boake. Walter Koppelaar, chair Mesar Consultants
of the commiee, introduced the importance of a strong di
erenaon of Categories. Michel Lafrance
Michel Lafrance suggested the step-like matrix of Categories, which became a central Structal-Heavy Steel Construcon Je
Leibgo
tool in the process. Rob Third was immensely acve in the renement stage of the Quebec Region SBSA Structural Consultants
documents. All CISC regions reviewed the documents and suggested changes. Graham Langford Sol Lorenzo, Martoni
Weldfab Cyr & Assoc. (Now Genivar)
Finally, our warmest thanks go to Terri Meyer Boake. It is with unsurpassed enthusiasm Central Region
and a passion for teaching that Terri has travelled in Canada and around the globe to Andrew Meen
Rob McCammon Bush Bohlman
gain understanding and deliver beauful, inspiring photos. She has asked thousands Iwl Steel Fabricators
of quesons and dug into the topic with the curious eyes of an architect, a teacher, a Central Region Marn Nielsen
photographer, a writer, a detecve and a friend of the industry. Busby Perkins & Will
Jim McLagan
Canron BC Bob Neville
So now the wait is over. The third of the series of CISC AESS documents is available BC Region Read Jones Christo
ersen
in the form of this Guide. May all design professionals wishing to have fun with steel,
to improve communicaon in order to sasfy aesthec, economic and construcon Mike Payne Stéphane Rivest
criteria use this Guide at work, at home, at school and start specifying AESS Categories Waiward Steel Bureau D’études Spécialisées (BÉS)
Alberta Region
in your projects. Enjoy! Jacques White
Rob Third Université Laval School of Architecture
Sylvie Boulanger George Third and Son
CISC BC Region

Harrison Wilson
Ocean Steel
Atlanc Region

CISC AESS Guide – 8 Special Acknowledgments - 42

 9 References and Image Credits Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel: A Design Guide
Modern Steel Construcon | May 2003

Convenient Connecons
REFERENCES by Carlos de Oliveira and Tabitha Sne
Modern Steel Construcon | July 2008
The following arcles, journal publicaons and books were referenced in the creaon
of this Guide: Branching Out
by Terri Meyer Boake
Advantage Steel | Ask Dr. Sylvie Column Modern Steel Construcon | July 2008
An excellent resource included in each Advantage Steel issue from Spring 2003 to Fall
2010 What Engineers Should Know About Bending Steel
by Todd Alwood
Advantage Steel issues are available online at: Modern Steel Construcon | May 2006
hp://www.cisc-icca.ca/content/publicaons/publicaons.aspx
Going Ellipcal
The Canadian Matrix: A Category Approach for Specifying AESS by Je
Packer
A presentaon of CISC’s new Category Approach of AESS1 through AESS4 including a Modern Steel Construcon | March 2008
handy pull-out centerfold of the Category Matrix
by Sylvie Boulanger and Terri Meyer Boake Ellipcal Hollow Secons – Three-Part Series, Part One: Properes and Applicaons
Advantage Steel No. 31 | Summer 2008 by Je
Packer
Advantage Steel No. 35 | Fall 2009
Steel and Other Materials, Part Two: Steel and Wood
A detailed look at the technical aspects of e
ecve design with composite steel and Ellipcal Secons – Three-Part Series, Part Three: EHS Connecon Design
wood structures by Je
Packer
by John Leckie Advantage Steel No. 37 | Spring 2010
Advantage Steel No. 30 | Winter 2007
Understanding Steel Construcon: An Architect’s View
Steel and Other Materials, Part One: Steel and Glass by Terri Meyer Boake, illustraons by Vincent Hui
A look at the detailed interacon of steel and glass in buildings Birkhauser, 2011
by John Leckie
Advantage Steel No. 29 | Summer 2007

Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel: How Is It Dened?

IMAGE CREDITS
by Terri Meyer Boake Front and rear covers and, unless otherwise noted, all photos by Terri Meyer Boake
A look into the design process and criteria that will be used to create the upcoming Sylvie Boulanger (CISC): Nos. 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 53, 56, 70, 71, 89, 92, 95, 102
Canadian AESS Specicaon and Guide American Instute of Steel Construcon: Nos. 43, 54, 57, 58, 63, 68, 73, 74
Advantage Steel No. 22 | Spring 2005 Walters Inc.: Nos. 32, 49, 51, 75, 114, 153, 156
Vincent Hui: Nos. 113, 140
A Categorical Approach: The Canadian Instute of Steel Construcon Is Taking a New
Approach to Specifying AESS Requirements
by Sylvie Boulanger, Terri Meyer Boake and Walter Koppelaar
A detailed look at the new Canadian AESS Matrix.
Modern Steel Construcon | April 2008

CISC AESS Guide – 9 References and Image Credits - 43

Appendix 1 - CISC Code of Standard Pracce
CISC CODE OF STANDARD PRACTICE – APPENDIX I
Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel (AESS)
For a downloadable, electronic version of the CISC Code of Standard Pracce, please visit:
hp://www.cisc-icca.ca/aess/
I1. SCOPE AND REQUIREMENTS
com-
I1.1 General Requirements. When members are specically designated as “Architecturally Ex-
posed Structural Steel’’ or “AESS’’ in the Contract Documents, the requirements in Secons
1 through 7 shall apply as modied by this Appendix. AESS members or components shall
be fabricated and erected with the care and dimensional tolerances that are spulated in
Secons 1.2 through 1.5.
I1.2 Denion of Categories. Categories are listed in the AESS Matrix shown in Table I1 where
each Category is represented by a set of Characteriscs. The following Categories shall be
used when referring to AESS:
AESS 1: Basic Elements
Suitable for “basic” elements which require enhanced workmanship.
AESS 2: Feature Elements Viewed at a Distance > 6 m
erent surfaces or parts of members, the
Suitable for “feature” elements viewed at a distance greater than six
metres. The process involves basically good fabricaon pracces with
enhanced treatment of weld, connecon and fabricaon detail, tolerances
for gaps, and copes.
AESS 3: Feature Elements Viewed at a Distance  6 m
Suitable for “feature” elements – where the designer is comfortable
allowing the viewer to see the art of metalworking. Welds are generally
smooth but visible; some grind marks are acceptable. Tolerances are
ghter than normal standards. The structure is normally viewed closer
than six metres and is frequently subject to touching by the public.
AESS 4: Showcase Elements
Suitable for “showcase or dominant” elements – where the designer
intends the form to be the only feature showing in an element. All welds
are ground, and lled edges are ground square and true. All surfaces
are sanded/lled. Tolerances of fabricated forms are more stringent –
generally one-half of the standard tolerance. All surfaces are to be “glove”
smooth.
AESS C: Custom Elements
Suitable for elements which require a di
erent set of Characteriscs than
specied in Categories 1, 2, 3 or 4.
I1.3 Addional Informaon. The following addional informaon shall be provided in the
Contract Documents when AESS is specied:
CISC AESS Guide – Appendix 1 CISC Code of Standard Pracce - 44
a) Specic idencaon of members or components that are AESS using the AESS
Categories listed in I1.2. Refer to Table I1;
b) Fabricaon and/or erecon tolerances that are to be more restricve than provided
for in this Appendix;
c) For Categories AESS 2, 3, 4 requirements, if any, of a visual sample or rst-o
ponent for inspecon and acceptance standards prior to the start of fabricaon;
d) For Category AESS C, the AESS Matrix included in Table I1 shall be used to specify
the required treatment of the element.
I2. SHOP DETAIL, ARRANGEMENT AND ERECTION DRAWINGS
I2.1 Idencaon. All members designated as AESS members are to be clearly idened with a
Category, either AESS 1, 2, 3, 4 or C, on all shop detail, arrangement and erecon drawings.
I2.2 Variaons. Any variaons from the AESS Categories listed must be clearly noted. These
variaons could include machined surfaces, locally abraded surfaces, and forgings. In addi-
on:
a) If a disncon is to be made between di
transion line/plane must be clearly idened/dened on the shop detail, ar-
rangement and erecon drawings;
b) Tack welds, temporary braces and xtures used in fabricaon are to be indicated
on shop drawings;
c) All architecturally sensive connecon details will be submied for approval by
the Architect/Engineer prior to compleon of shop detail drawings.
I3. FABRICATION
I3.1 General Fabricaon. The fabricator is to take special care in handling the steel to avoid
marking or distorng the steel members.
a) All slings will be nylon-type or chains with soeners or wire rope with soeners.
b) Care shall be taken to minimize damage to any shop paint or coang.
c) If temporary braces or xtures are required during fabricaon or shipment, or
to facilitate erecon, care must be taken to avoid and/or repair any blemishes or
unsightly surfaces resulng from the use or removal of such temporary elements.
d) Tack welds shall be ground smooth.
I3.2 Unnished, Reused or Weathering Steel. Members fabricated of unnished, reused or
weathering steel that are to be AESS may sll have erecon marks, painted marks or other marks
on surfaces in the completed structure. Special requirements shall be specied as Category AESS C.
I3.3 Tolerances for Rolled Shapes. The permissible tolerances for depth, width, out-of- square,
camber and sweep of rolled shapes shall be as specied in CSA G40.20/21 and ASTM A6. The
following excepons apply:
a) For Categories AESS 3 and 4: the matching of abung cross-secons shall be
required;
b) For Categories AESS 2, 3 and 4: the as-fabricated straightness tolerance of a mem-
ber is one-half of the standard camber and sweep tolerance in CSA G40.20/21.
I3.4 Tolerances for Built-up Members. The tolerance on overall secon dimensions of mem-
bers made up of plates, bars and shapes by welding is limited to the accumulaon of permissible
tolerances of the component parts as provided by CSA W59 and ASTM A6. For Categories AESS
2, 3 and 4, the as-fabricated straightness tolerance for the built-up member is one-half of the
standard camber and sweep tolerances in CSA W59.
I3.5 Joints. For Categories AESS 3 and 4, all copes, miters and bu cuts in surfaces exposed
to view are made with uniform gaps, if shown to be open joint, or in uniform contact if shown
without gap.
I3.6 Surface Appearance. For Categories AESS 1, 2 and 3, the quality surface as delivered by
the mills will be acceptable. For Category AESS 4, the steel surface imperfecons should be lled
and sanded.
I3.7 Welds. For corrosive environments, all joints should be seal welded. In addion:
a) For Categories AESS 1, 2 and 3, a smooth uniform weld will be acceptable. For
Category AESS 4, the weld will be contoured and blended.
b) For Categories AESS 1, 2, 3 and 4, all weld spaer is to be avoided/removed where
exposed to view.
c) For Categories AESS 1 and 2, weld projecon up to 2 mm is acceptable for
bu and plug-welded joints. For Categories AESS 3 and 4, welds will be ground
smooth/lled.
I3.8 Weld Show-through. It is recognized that the degree of weld show-through, which is any
visual indicaon of the presence of a weld or welds on the opposite surface from the viewer, is a
funcon of weld size and material thickness.
a) For Categories AESS 1, 2 and 3, the members or components will be acceptable as
produced.
b) For Category AESS 4, the fabricator shall minimize the weld show-through.
I3.9 Surface Preparaon for Painng. Unless otherwise specied in the Contract Documents,
the Fabricator will clean AESS members to meet the requirement of SSPC-SP 6 “Commercial Blast
Cleaning” (sandblast or shotblast). Prior to blast cleaning:
a) Any deposits of grease or oil are to be removed by solvent cleaning, SSPC-SP 1;
b) Weld spaer, slivers and surface disconnuies are to be removed;
c) Sharp edges resulng from ame cung, grinding and especially shearing are to
be soened.
I3.10 Hollow Structural Secons (HSS) Seams
a) For Categories AESS 1 and 2, seams of hollow structural secons shall be accept-
able as produced.
b) For Category AESS 3, seams shall be oriented away from view or as indicated in
the Contract Documents.
c) For Category AESS 4, seams shall be treated so that they are not apparent.
I4. DELIVERY OF MATERIALS
I4.1 General Delivery. The Fabricator shall use special care to avoid bending, twisng or oth-
erwise distorng the Structural Steel. All e-downs on loads will be either nylon strap or
chains with soeners to avoid damage to edges and surfaces of members.
I4.2 Standard of Acceptance. The standard for acceptance of delivered and erected members
shall be equivalent to the standard employed at fabricaon.
I5. ERECTION
I5.1 General Erecon. The Erector shall use special care in unloading, handling and erecng the
AESS to avoid marking or distorng the AESS. The Erector must plan and execute all opera-
ons in a manner that allows the architectural appearance of the structure to be main-
tained.
a) All slings will be nylon-strap or chains with soeners.
b) Care shall be taken to minimize damage to any shop paint or coang.
c) If temporary braces or xtures are required to facilitate erecon, care must be
taken to avoid and/or repair any blemishes or unsightly surfaces resulng from
the use or removal of such temporary elements.
d) Tack welds shall be ground smooth and holes shall be lled with weld metal or
body ller and smoothed by grinding or lling to the standards applicable to the
shop fabricaon of the materials.
e) All backing bars shall be removed and ground smooth.
f) All bolt heads in connecons shall be on the same side, as specied, and consis-
tent from one connecon to another.
I5.2 Erecon Tolerances. Unless otherwise specied in the Contract Documents, members and
components are plumbed, leveled and aligned to a tolerance equal to that permied for struc-
tural steel.
I5.3 Adjustable Connecons. When more stringent tolerances are specically required for
erecng AESS, the Owner’s plans shall specify/allow adjustable connecons between AESS and
adjoining structural elements, in order to enable the Erector to adjust and/or specify the method
for achieving the desired dimensions. Adjustment details proposed by the Erector shall be sub-
mied to the Architect and Engineer for review.
CISC AESS Guide – Appendix 1 CISC Code of Standard Pracce - 45
Appendix 2 - Sample AESS Specicaon
SAMPLE AESS SPECIFICATION FOR CANADA 2. Include details that clearly idenfy all of the requirements listed in secons 2.3
ARCHITECTURALLY EXPOSED STUCTURAL STEEL (AESS) ‘’Fabricaon’’ and 3.3 ‘’Erecon’’ of this specicaon. Provide connecons for
AESS consistent with concepts, if shown on the Structural Design Documents;
“AESS” Subsecon of Division 5 “Structural Steel” Secon 05120
3. Indicate welds by standard CWB symbols, disnguishing between shop and
For a downloadable, electronic version of the Sample AESS Specicaon, please visit eld welds, and show size, length and type of each weld. Idenfy grinding,
hp://www.cisc-icca.ca/content/aess/ nish and prole of welds as dened herein;
PART 1 – GENERAL 4. Indicate type, nish of bolts. Indicate which side of the connecon bolt heads
should be placed;
1.1. RELATED DOCUMENTS 5. Indicate any special tolerances and erecon requirements.
A. Drawings and general provisions of the Contract, including General and Supplementary 1.4. QUALITY ASSURANCE
Condions and Division 1 «Specicaons» Secon, apply to this Subsecon.
A. Fabricator Qualicaons: In addion to those qualicaons listed in other Subsecons
B. For denions of Categories AESS 1, 2, 3, 4, and C as listed in the AESS Matrix (see Table of Division 5 “Structural Steel” Secon, engage a rm competent in fabricang AESS
1), refer to the CISC Code of Standard Pracce Appendix I. similar to that indicated for this Project with su cient producon capacity to fabricate
the AESS elements.
1.2. SUMMARY
B. Erector Qualicaons: In addion to those qualicaons listed in other Subsecons of
A. This Subsecon includes requirements regarding the appearance, surface preparaon Division 5 “Structural Steel” Secon, engage a competent Erector who has completed
and integraon of Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel (AESS) only. comparable AESS work .
For technical requirements, refer to the other Subsecons of Division 5 «Structural C. Comply with applicable provisions of the following specicaons and documents:
Steel» Secon.
1. CISC Code of Standard Pracce, latest edion.
This Subsecon applies to any structural steel members noted on Structural Design Doc-
uments as AESS. All AESS members must also be idened by their Category. D. Visual samples when specied may include any of the following:
B. Related Secons: The following Secons contain requirements that may relate to this 1. 3-D rendering of specied element;
Subsecon:
2. Physical sample of surface preparaon and welds;
1. Division 1 «Quality Control» Secon for independent tesng agency proce-
dures and administrave requirements; 3. First o
inspecon: First element fabricated for use in nished structure sub-
ject to alteraons for subsequent pieces.
2. Division 5 «Steel Joist» Secon;
4. Mockups: As specied in Structural Design Document. Mockups are either
3. Division 5 «Metal Decking» Secon for erecon requirements relang to ex- scaled or full-scale. Mockups are to demonstrate aesthec e
ects as well as
posed steel decking and its connecons; qualies of materials and execuon:
4. Division 9 «Painng» Secon for nish coat requirements and coordinaon a. Mockups may have nished surface (including surface preparaon and
with primer and surface preparaon specied in this Subsecon. paint system);
1.3. SUBMITTALS b. Architect’s approval of mockups is required before starng fabricaon of
nal units;
A. General: Submit each item below according to the Condions of the Contract and Divi-
sion 1 «Specicaons» Secon. c. Mockups are retained unl project is completed;
B. Shop Drawings detailing fabricaon of AESS components: d. Approved full-scale mockups may become part of the completed work.
1. Provide erecon drawings clearly indicang which members are considered as 1.5. DELIVERY, STORAGE, AND HANDLING
AESS members and their Category;

CISC AESS Guide – Appendix 2 AESS Sample Specicaon - 46

 A. Ensure that all items are properly prepared, handled and/or packaged for storage and locaons not exposed to view in the nal structure or as approved by the Architect.
shipping to prevent damage to product. Handle, li and align pieces using padded slings and/or other protecon required to
maintain the appearance of the AESS through the process of erecon.
B. Erect nished pieces using soened slings or other methods such that they are not
damaged. Provide padding as required to protect while rigging and aligning member’s 1.3 ERECTION
frames. Weld tabs for temporary bracing and safety cabling only at points concealed
from view in the completed structure or where approved by the Architect. A. Set AESS accurately in locaons and to elevaons indicated, and according to CSA S16-
01.
PART 2 – PRODUCTS
B. In addion to the special care used to handle and erect AESS, employ the proper erecon
1.1 MATERIALS techniques to meet the requirements of the specied AESS Category:

A. General: Meet requirements of Subsecons of Division 5 “Structural Steel”. 1. AESS Erecon tolerances: Erecon tolerances shall meet the requirements
of standard frame tolerances for structural steel per CSA S16-01;
B. Specialty bolts must be specied.
2. Bolt Head Placement : All bolt heads shall be placed as indicated on the structural
design document. Where not noted, the bolt heads in a given connecon shall be
1.2 SPECIAL SURFACE PREPARATION placed to one side;
A. Primers: Primers must be specied. 3. Removal of eld connecon aids: Run-out tabs, erecon bolts and other steel
members added to connecons to allow for alignment, t-up and welding in the
1.3 FABRICATION eld shall be removed from the structure. Welds at run-out tabs shall be removed
to match adjacent surfaces and ground smooth. Holes for erecon bolts shall be
A. For the special fabricaon characteriscs, see Table 1 – AESS Category Matrix. plug welded and ground smooth where specied;
B. Fabricate and assemble AESS in the shop to the greatest extent possible. Locate eld 4. Filling of connecon access holes: Filling shall be executed with proper procedures
joints in AESS assemblies at concealed locaons or as approved by the Architect. to match architectural prole, where specied;
C. Fabricate AESS with surface quality consistent with the AESS Category and visual 5. Field Welding: Weld prole, quality, and nish shall be consistent with Category and
samples if applicable. visual samples, if applicable, approved prior to fabricaon.
1.4 SHOP CONNECTIONS 1.4 FIELD CONNECTIONS
A. Bolted Connecons: Make in accordance with Secon 05120. Provide bolt type and n- A. Bolted Connecons: Make in accordance with Secon 05120. Provide bolt type and n-
ish as specied and place bolt heads as indicated on the approved shop drawings. ish as specied and place bolt heads as indicated on the approved shop drawings.
B. Welded Connecons: Comply with CSA W59-03 and Secon 05120. Appearance and B. Welded Connecons: Comply with CSA W59-03 and Secon 05120. Appearance and
quality of welds shall be consistent with the Category and visual samples if applicable. quality of welds shall be consistent with the Category and visual samples if applicable.
Assemble and weld built-up secons by methods that will maintain alignment of mem- Assemble and weld built-up secons by methods that will maintain alignment of mem-
bers to the tolerance of this Subsecon. bers to the tolerance of this Subsecon.
1.5 ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW 1. Assemble and weld built-up secons by methods that will maintain alignment
of axes. Verify that weld sizes, fabricaon sequence, and equipment used for
A. The Architect shall review the AESS steel in place and determine acceptability based on AESS will limit distorons to allowable tolerances.
the Category and visual samples (if applicable). The Fabricator/Erector will advise the
consultant the schedule of the AESS Work. 1.5 ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW

PART 3 - EXECUTION A. The Architect shall review the AESS steel in place and determine acceptability based on
the Category and visual samples (if applicable). The Fabricator/Erector will advise the
1.1 EXAMINATION consultant the schedule of the AESS Work.
A. The erector shall check all AESS members upon delivery for twist, kinks, gouges or 1.6 ADJUSTING AND CLEANING
other imperfecons, which might result in rejecon of the appearance of the member.
Coordinate remedial acon with fabricator prior to erecng steel. A. Touchup Painng: Cleaning and touchup painng of eld welds, bolted connecons, and
abraded areas of shop paint shall be completed to blend with the adjacent surfaces of
1.2 PREPARATION AESS. Such touchup work shall be done in accordance with manufacturer’s instrucons.
A. Provide connecons for temporary shoring, bracing and supports only where noted on B. Galvanized Surfaces: Clean eld welds, bolted connecons, and abraded areas and re-
the approved shop erecon drawings. Temporary connecons shown shall be made at pair galvanizing to comply with ASTM A780.

CISC AESS Guide – Appendix 2 AESS Sample Specicaon - 47

CISC AESS Guide – 48
 
Canadian Institute of Steel Construction

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