Steel Structures

Why is the calculation of metal structures not just a matter of selecting sections from tables?

A metal frame is a system where saving a few millimeters in shelf thickness or an incorrectly calculated interface unit can cost a rework of the entire structural scheme already at the installation stage. The design of metal structures requires the simultaneous solution of three problems: ensuring strength and stability under all design and special combinations of loads, minimizing metal consumption in the interests of the construction budget and preparing documentation ready to pass the examination without comments. AYU-Project develops sections of KM and KMD as part of design documentation and working documentation - from the first design diagram to a full set of detail drawings, according to which the manufacturer will launch the structures into production.

What does a construction company risk if there are errors in section KM?

Errors in the design of metal structures are not cheap - the cost of correcting them is many times higher than the cost of high-quality development of the KM section from the very beginning. An undersized column section or an uncalculated loss of stability of the compressed truss chord will, at best, stop the installation and require urgent on-site reinforcement. At worst, they become the cause of comments from the state expert review, which entail the reworking of related sections: foundations, architectural solutions, fastening points of enclosing structures. For the construction business, these are direct losses: deadlines, money and reputation with the final customer of the project.

Composition of sections KM and KMD: what we are developing

The full cycle of designing metal structures in AYU-Project covers both stages of documentation. At stage DD (section KM) the following are developed: an explanatory note describing the adopted design solutions, calculation justifications, drawings of frame layout diagrams indicating the brands of elements, loads and support reactions, specifications of rolled metal for the section. At stage WD (section KMD - metal detailing structures) a complete set of detail drawings is produced, including:

• Layout diagrams - plans and sections with the arrangement of load-bearing elements, references and marks;
• Detail drawings of elements - columns, beams, trusses, purlins, connections; indicating sections, lengths, holes, milling and factory welds;
• Connection nodes - installation joints with bolts or welding, column bases, junction points of trusses and beams; with calculation of bolt groups and welds;
• Lists of shipping stamps - a systematic list of all factory elements with weight and markings for ordering rental and production;
• Wiring diagrams - sequence and order of assembly of structural elements on the site;
• Specifications of rolled metal and fasteners - with steel classes, standards and design consumption.

What kind of metal structures do we design?

AYU-Project carries out the design of metal structures for a wide range of industrial and civil construction projects. Design objects cover:

• Load-bearing frames of buildings - single-span and multi-span, single-story and multi-story; frame, bracing and combined systems for ensuring spatial rigidity;
• Coverings and floors - beam cages, ribbed and beamless systems; selection of the type and pitch of load-bearing elements based on design loads and required spans;
• Trusses - triangular, trapezoidal, arched; flat and spatial; for roofing coverings, bridge crossings, technological overpasses and pedestrian galleries;
• Columns - solid and lattice, with consoles for crane beams; calculations for central and eccentric compression, checking stability in two planes;
• Connections - horizontal and vertical; calculation of transverse forces and ensuring the geometric immutability of the spatial system;
• Crane beams and crane structures - calculation of fatigue and dynamic loads from overhead cranes of various operating mode groups;
• Overpasses, galleries, platforms - overhead technological routes, transition bridges, service and evacuation sites for industrial facilities;
• Light steel thin-walled structures (light-gauge steel framing) - frames made of cold-formed profiles for low-rise and prefabricated buildings.

How does optimizing metal consumption affect the budget of your construction project?

Reducing the metal consumption of the frame by 10-15% is an entirely achievable result of competent design, which, in terms of a large object, means millions of rubles in direct savings. AYU-Project uses a set of design techniques that ensure rational consumption of metal without compromising on load-bearing capacity: optimization of the grid of columns for specific loads and technology, the use of beams of variable section where the diagram of bending moments allows it, the selection of economical types of trusses with testing of alternative lattice schemes, the use of high-strength steels of classes C390 and C440 where it is possible gives a gain in mass, as well as taking into account the actual range of rolled products on the market - so that the designed sections are available for ordering without a long wait. Each design decision is accompanied by a feasibility study, and is not made according to the usual template.

What standards are used to design metal structures?

The design of metal structures is regulated by one of the most detailed regulatory systems in construction, and compliance with the current editions of all documents is a mandatory condition for completing expert review. AYU-Project carries out all calculations strictly according to current standards:

• SP 16.13330.2017 “Steel Structures” (updated edition of SNiP II-23-81) - the main document regulating the calculation and design of steel load-bearing elements, welded and bolted connections;
• SP 294.1325800.2017 “Steel structures. Design rules" - detailed requirements for calculation methods, stability and limit states;
• SP 20.13330.2022 “Loads and impacts” - standard values of permanent, temporary, snow, wind, crane and seismic loads;
• GOST 23118-2012 “Building steel structures” - technical requirements for manufacturing and delivery;
• GOST 27751 - methodology for ensuring the reliability of building structures and the formation of design load combinations;
• SP 53-102-2004 - general rules for the design of steel structures;
• Government Decree of the Russian Federation No. 87 dated 16.02.2008 No. 87 (as amended on 21.10.2025) “On the composition of sections of project documentation and requirements for their content” - regarding the structure and content of sections KM as part of DD.

How work on section KM is structured: design stages

The design of metal structures at AYU-Project is organized as a controlled, sequential process with checkpoints - each stage is recorded and agreed upon before moving on to the next.

Stage 1 - Collection and analysis of initial data. We obtain and study ToR, architectural solutions, loads from process equipment, climatic conditions of the site, requirements for fire resistance and anti-corrosion protection.

Stage 2 - Development of a constructive concept. We determine the type of supporting system, frame layout, column spacing and connections, system of vertical and horizontal connections. At this stage, we explore alternative options and justify the decision made.

Stage 3 - Calculation justification. We carry out spatial calculations of the structural diagram in a certified software package: selection and verification of sections of load-bearing elements, calculation of joints, checking stability under standard and special load combinations.

Stage 4 - Development of DD (KM). We produce a set DD for passing state or independent expert review: layout diagrams, calculation and explanatory note, specifications.

Stage 5 - Development of WD (KMD). We produce a complete detail kit: drawings of shipping marks, wiring diagrams, statements, specifications - ready for launch into production at the manufacturer.

Stage 6 - Expert review support and production. We eliminate experts’ comments within the framework of the contract, respond to technical requests from the manufacturer, and make clarifications to KMD based on the results of production approvals.

Why do construction companies choose AYU-Project as a subcontractor for the KM structural steel section?

A reliable subcontractor for the KM structural steel section does more than issue a document package: it supports successful expert review, keeps installation on schedule, and prevents fabrication problems. This is what AYU-Project guarantees:

• Accurate calculation of load-bearing elements and components - we use certified software systems and multi-level internal testing; no element is accepted without a calculated justification;
• Optimization of metal consumption - design solutions are developed with analysis of alternative options; excessive safety margin, which increases the estimate, is not our method of work;
• Guarantee of passing expert review - documentation is drawn up in accordance with the requirements of Government Decree of the Russian Federation No. 87 dated 16.02.2008 No. 87 (as amended on 21.10.2025), comments are eliminated free of charge under the current contract;
• KMD, ready for production - detail drawings are developed taking into account the actual capabilities of manufacturing plants and the available range of rolled products, which eliminates production requests for processing;
• Interdivisional coordination - KM is developed in conjunction with the sections of quality of life, foundations, architecture and engineering systems within a single team;
• 8+ years of experience and proven qualifications - membership in SRO, specialists in the NOPRIZ register, completed projects for the largest corporate customers in Russia.

How much does it cost and in what time frame are the KM and KMD sections developed?

The cost of designing metal structures is determined individually - based on the type and purpose of the object, area and number of floors, complexity of the structural design, the presence of dynamic loads and the required documentation. For industrial and administrative buildings of medium complexity, the estimated development time for section KM stage DD is 2-5 weeks; section KMD stage WD - 4-10 weeks depending on the range of shipping stamps. An accurate calculation of cost and timing is provided using ToR or an existing set of initial data - send a request and the project manager will contact you within one business day.