ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses applications of thin-walled steel structures in the building sector, recent advances and innovations, and introduces the key parameters that provide and enhance the fire resistance of thin-walled steel construction. Thin-walled steel structural components are made using a cold-forming process at ambient temperature. Unlike hot-rolled and welded heavy steel sections, which are only available in limited shapes and sizes, thin cold-formed steel sections can be custom designed and made to enhance structural and cost efficiencies and to suit specific applications. Thin-walled steel sections are not limited to non-load-bearing units such as partitions in buildings and are increasingly used in many primary load-bearing applications. Thin-walled steel sections and structural systems can be easily manufactured. The availability of new automated roll-forming facilities means that complex and optimised thin-walled steel sections can be easily cold-formed to produce them with tight tolerances and custom cut lengths.
