1. Introduction
Steel stands out as an indispensable structural material in the modern construction industry. Especially in earthquake-prone countries like Turkey, steel's high strength and ductility play a critical role in the safety of structures. In this context, the structural performance and application areas of different steel profile types are continuously evaluated and developed. The main purpose of this article is to compare traditional hot-rolled steel sections with welded fabricated steel sections (built-up sections) and to examine in detail the advantages offered by built-up sections in particular. Welded fabricated sections are increasingly important in today's construction projects, especially in pre-engineered buildings (PEB).1
Turkey's unique building regulations and seismic design requirements directly affect the suitability and advantages of different steel profile types. The design flexibility and customization possibilities offered by welded fabricated sections provide the potential to meet the structural performance required by these regulations more effectively. The global spread of pre-engineered buildings and the significant role of welded fabricated sections in this type of structure 1 demonstrate that this profile type also offers a considerable advantage in terms of speed and efficiency of construction. Therefore, understanding and evaluating the potential benefits of welded fabricated sections in the Turkish construction sector is of great importance.
2. Hot-Rolled Steel Sections
Hot-rolled steel sections are defined by their manufacturing methods rather than their properties. These sections are produced by shaping semi-finished steel products such as ingots or billets by heating them to high temperatures (usually above 1700°C), which exceeds the recrystallization point of most alloys.12 The hot rolling process begins with a billet, which is a large rectangular piece of metal. The billet is first heated and rolled into a large roll. While still hot, it is passed through a series of rotating cylinders to achieve the desired dimensions. In sheet metal production, the rolled steel is then wound into coils and left to cool. In the production of other forms, the processed material is cut into specified units and packaged.13 This process allows the steel to be shaped and processed more easily.
Hot-rolled steel sections are usually available in standard shapes (I, H, L, C channels, angles, etc.).20 The cross-sections of these profiles are generally uniform, and the possibilities for customization according to specific design needs are limited. Since the hot rolling process involves processing steel at high temperatures, slight shrinkage may occur during cooling. This results in less control over the final shape of the product. Therefore, hot-rolled steel is generally used in applications where very tight tolerances are not required.13
3. Welded Fabricated Steel Sections (Built-Up Sections)
Welded fabricated steel sections (built-up sections) are sections formed by welding steel plates or other rolled sections together to achieve the desired shape.40 These sections are called "built-up" because they can be specially designed and manufactured according to specific needs. The welded fabrication process involves cutting the plates to the desired dimensions, joining the flanges and webs with appropriate welding techniques (such as MIG, TIG, or submerged arc welding), and quality control stages.47
Common types of welded fabricated sections include I-sections, H-sections, box girders, and other non-standard shapes with customized flange and web dimensions.36 This production process offers engineers a high level of customization in terms of dimensions, thicknesses, and even the steel grade used for different components.40 This creates the potential to optimize structural performance and material usage.
4. Advantages of Welded Fabricated Steel Sections Over Hot-Rolled Sections
Welded fabricated steel sections offer a number of significant advantages compared to hot-rolled sections:
Design Flexibility and Customization Options: Welded fabrication allows engineers to design sections with specific dimensions (height, flange width, web thickness) to perfectly meet the load requirements of a particular structural element.21 It is also possible to create special shapes that are not available as standard hot-rolled sections.36 In addition, strength and cost optimization can be achieved by using different steel grades for flanges and webs (hybrid girders).40 This design flexibility is particularly valuable when dealing with complex structures or unique architectural designs, offering more efficient and aesthetically pleasing solutions compared to the limitations of standard hot-rolled shapes.36
Strength and Weight Optimization: Built-up sections can be designed with variable web and flange thicknesses (tapered sections) along their length according to bending moment and shear force diagrams, which leads to weight savings.1 Especially in cold-formed built-up sections, there is the potential to achieve higher strength-to-weight ratios compared to uniform hot-rolled sections.62 Lower weight means reduced material costs, easier transportation and handling, and potentially smaller foundation requirements, all of which contribute to overall project economy.1
Suitability for Wide Spans and High Loads: Welded fabricated sections, especially box girders and deep I-sections, are ideal for spanning long distances without intermediate supports. Their high load-bearing capacity makes them suitable for industrial buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure projects.21 In Turkey, for projects requiring large, column-free spaces such as industrial facilities or airport terminals, welded fabricated sections offer a superior structural solution compared to the limitations of standard hot-rolled sections.
Cost-Effectiveness and Construction Time: Although initial fabrication costs may be higher, there is potential for overall cost savings due to weight optimization, reduced on-site welding, and faster erection, especially in PEB construction.1 The role of welded fabricated sections in the efficient assembly of PEBs leads to faster project completion.1 In Turkey's construction market, where time and budget constraints are often critical, the use of welded fabricated sections in PEB systems can offer a significant advantage in terms of project delivery.
Ease of Use in Pre-engineered Buildings: Welded fabricated sections are ideal for pre-engineered buildings due to their precise manufacturing and easy assembly using bolted connections.1 They offer benefits in terms of reduced on-site labor and improved quality control in a factory environment. The increasing adoption of prefabricated construction methods in Turkey can be further supported by the use of welded fabricated sections, offering benefits in terms of quality, speed, and reduced on-site labor.
Table 1: Comparison of Hot-Rolled and Welded Fabricated Steel Sections
5. Application Areas of Welded Fabricated Steel Sections
Welded fabricated steel sections have a wide range of applications in the construction industry:
Industrial Facilities: They offer ideal solutions for structures such as wide-span warehouses, factories, and power plants with high load-bearing capacity.9
Commercial Buildings: They are frequently preferred in commercial buildings such as shopping centers, airports, stadiums, and exhibition centers where architectural flexibility and large open spaces are important.9
Infrastructure Projects: They are commonly used in infrastructure projects such as bridges, viaducts, and railway stations where high strength and large spans are critical.9
Other Special Structures: They offer suitable solutions for special design needs such as buildings with integrated crane systems and structures requiring special ductility and strength properties in earthquake zones.
Table 2: Application Areas and Suitable Profile Types
6. Steel Structure Standards in Turkey and the Role of Welded Fabrication
The design and construction principles of steel structures in Turkey are determined by various regulations published by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. Especially in regions with high earthquake risk, the earthquake-resistant design and construction of buildings is of great importance. The design flexibility and strength optimization of welded fabricated steel sections can help engineers meet these specific Turkish standards and potentially achieve more efficient and safer designs. For example, higher strength or ductility may be required in certain parts of buildings in earthquake zones, and this can be achieved with welded fabricated sections using different steel grades.40
There are no direct restrictions on the use of welded fabricated sections in the current regulations in Turkey. On the contrary, designers are granted the freedom to produce solutions in accordance with engineering principles in structural analysis and design. Considering the advantages offered by welded fabricated sections, especially for structures with wide spans and high load-bearing capacities, the more widespread use of this profile type in the Turkish construction sector can be encouraged. It is critical for engineers to have a good understanding of Turkish steel structure standards and the potential benefits offered by welded fabricated sections in terms of compliance and advantages within the local regulatory framework.
7. Conclusion and Evaluation
Welded fabricated steel sections offer a number of significant advantages over hot-rolled sections, such as design flexibility, strength and weight optimization, wide span and high load-bearing capacity, cost-effectiveness, and construction time. These features make welded fabricated sections suitable for a wide variety of applications in the Turkish construction sector, including industrial facilities, commercial buildings, and infrastructure projects. Especially their efficiency and ease of assembly in pre-engineered building systems (PEB) make this profile type an increasingly attractive option.
Structural engineers and construction professionals in Turkey should consider the advantages and application areas of welded fabricated steel sections to fully evaluate the potential of this profile type. The informed use of welded fabricated sections can significantly increase the potential for innovation, efficiency, and cost savings. Further promotion of research and development in the field of welded fabricated steel sections in the Turkish context will help to fully utilize the potential benefits offered by this profile type and address any possible challenges or limitations.
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PEB (Pre-Engineered Building) systems are a modern construction method where structural components (steel columns, beams, roof and wall panels, etc.) are designed and manufactured in a factory and then assembled on-site. These systems offer numerous advantages compared to traditional construction methods.
Design of Flange Bracing in PEB System is so important.
Prefabric Concrete - Steel Structure (PEB) Comparison