Steel Connection Design in London
Steel connections are where beams meet columns and each other — and they are as important as the members themselves. Connection design provides the calculations and details a steel fabricator needs to make the connections correctly, so the frame works as the engineer intended.
Scope of work
- Design of bolted and welded connections between steel members
- Connection calculations to the relevant design standards
- Detailed connection drawings for the fabricator
- Base plate and holding-down bolt design for columns
- Coordination with the overall steelwork design
Typical applications
- Steel frames for large extensions and open-plan layouts
- Goalpost frames supporting walls above new openings
- Cranked and spliced beams in loft conversions
- Any project where a fabricator needs connection details
Our design process
- 1
Initial enquiry
Tell us about your project through the contact form, including any drawings or photographs you already have.
- 2
Review of information
We review the available information — existing drawings, architectural proposals, site measurements and photographs — and confirm what is needed.
- 3
Quotation
We agree the scope and fee with you before any design work begins, so you know exactly what will be provided.
- 4
Design and checking
We carry out the agreed calculations, drawings or specifications, checked against the relevant standards.
- 5
Issue of deliverables
The agreed drawings, calculations or design notes are issued to you electronically, ready for your builder or building control.
Information we will need
- The overall steelwork layout or structural drawings
- Member sizes where already designed
- Fabricator preferences or standard details, if any
- Site constraints affecting connections, such as access for installation
Deliverables
- Connection calculation sheets
- Connection detail drawings for fabrication
- A connection schedule where the project has several connection types
Limitations and approvals
Connection design is normally provided alongside or after the main steelwork design. Fabrication and erection are carried out by the steelwork contractor. Site welding has specific requirements and is avoided where bolted connections are practical.
Frequently asked questions
- Why do connections need separate design?
- Members are designed for the forces in them; connections transfer those forces between members and have their own failure modes, so they are checked separately.
- Can my fabricator just use standard details?
- Standard details cover many simple connections, but where loads are significant or the geometry is unusual, project-specific calculations are the safe route.
- Do you provide fabrication drawings?
- We provide the connection details and calculations the fabricator needs; full fabrication workshop drawings are normally produced by the fabricator themselves.
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