GUYANA STANDARD
Section 9 - Structural Steel
 Scope
 This code deals with the design and construction of
steel buildings
Design
Material Standards
Steel for structural applications in buildings shall
conform to the “Standard Specification for General
Requirements for Rolled Steel Plates, Shapes, Sheet
Piling and Bars for Structural Use” by the American
Society for Testing Materials, or the equivalent
British Standard.
The design, fabrication and erection of cold formed
stainless steel construction shall conform to the
“Specification for the Design of Cold Formed Stainless
Steel Structural Members” of American Iron and Steel
Institute or the equivalent British Institution.
Design - Cont’d
 The design and construction of cold formed steel
structural members shall be in accordance with Part 2
Section 7 B, Sub-Section 14, of the Caribbean Uniform
Building Code (CUBIC)
 The design, fabrication and erection of open web steel
joist construction shall comply with the following
specifications:
- Standard Specifications for Open Web Steel
Joists, H-Series adopted by the American Institute of
Steel Construction or
- Part 2 Section 7B Sub-Section 17 of CUBIC
Open Web Steel Joist
.
Design - Cont’d
Welding
The design, techniques and workmanship for welding
shall conform to:
- Structural Welding Code by the American Welding
Society or equivalent British Standard
- Specifications for Welding Sheet in Buildings
by the American Welding Society or equivalent British
Standard
Design - Cont’d
Design Loads
Designs shall be based on dead, live, wind and other
loads as set forth in CUBIC, ASTM or BS.
Minimum Thickness of Material
In accordance with BS 5950 “Structural Use of
Steelwork in Buildings” or equivalent American
Standard a minimum web thickness of 6mm (0.25 in)
is recommended for steel used in buildings or other
structures to resist wind forces and where members
are exposed to corrosive agents.
Design - Cont’d
Minimum Thickness of Material
For primary members used for interior works, the
minimum thickness shall be 5 mm (o.20 in)
Steel used in exterior walls of structures should be at
least 5 mm in thickness when protected, and at least 6
mm thick when not so protected.
Pre-fabricated Steel Buildings
 Prior to design and construction of pre-fab steel
buildings, testing of elements should be carried out by
a recognised testing laboratory and copies of
certificates filed with the Authority.
 A developer must provide calculations or test results
for the proposed design for a building that is resistant
to the wind and other loads. The steel members must
be protected from corrosion, and the building must
have the fire resistance required for the class of use.
Construction
 Handling
Before fabrication, steel work should be cleaned of
rust by shot or sand blasting and then painted with
two coats of red lead oxide metal primer
General Review by the Authority
 All proposed technology will be considered and
examined by the Authority or an experienced engineer
appointed by the Authority, to determine whether the
building is acceptable.
 The building Engineer can/must recommend changes
which are needed to make the building resistant to the
environmental hazard.
 It is the responsibility of the developer to show by
supporting documentation that the building proposed
is structurally adequate.