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Structural steel hollow sections can provide a cost-effective alternative and offer additional benefits when compared to hot-rolled open sections.

Why Choose Hollow Section 
Over Open Section?

Cost-effective

Higher strength-to-weight ratio

High structural capacity against compression and contortion

Higher rigidity and greater spans

Why Use The 
Section Translation Guide?

Those wanting to utilise the resource simply have to select the desired details, such as open section, variant percentage and effective length, and the STG instantly provides tables with comparable data.

Evaluate

Comparisons carried out can be in bending, deflection, compression and tension. In fact, the STG is the only resource that shows deflection comparisons in the simplest form by way of second moment of area.

Compare

When making a comparison with the STG, users will find that the hollow steel sections may provide a substantial percentage of weight savings, enabling cost-effective design solution outcomes.

Savings

quick comparison

THE INDUSTRY DEMANDED IT            OUR ENGINEERS DEVELOPED IT            ORRCON STEEL DELIVERED IT

Projects Built Using Hollow Steel

Alfasi Steel Constructions, who specialise in the construction of high-profile and complex architectural steel structures, worked together with Orrcon Steel on this iconic Australian sporting venue.

The redevelopment also included construction of new world class seating in the Northern Stand. Here too, Orrcon Steel made its mark through the timely delivery of Australian-Made precision Smart Steel Hollow Sections. The new seating provides optimum comfort and visibility of the playing area for members and spectators. 

Director of Alfasi, Mr. Gill D’Vier, said:

“The MCG structure involved constructing a cable-stay roof, a steel structure incorporating Orrcon Steel’s Smart Steel Hollow Sections, and held in place by large diameter cables... we were able to shop detail, fabricate and erect this steelwork to the highest standards."

"These cable stay structures, once fully assembled on the ground, had to be craned into place with extreme accuracy. At 40 metres long and weighing up to 20 tonnes, we created a very detailed erection methodology to ensure a correct fit and maximise safety for construction staff.”

Developers, Surfers Paradise Beach Resort Pty Ltd, teamed with Orrcon Steel, Sun Engineering and Sunland Constructions to design, fabricate and erect the 90 metre high visionary steel spire, which sits atop Q1’s 80 storeys. The tower is located on the southern fringe of Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast and offers sweeping views south to Byron Bay and north to Brisbane.

Sun Engineering used Orrcon Steel’s Smart Steel Hollow Sections to fabricate the crown. Sun Engineering’s Managing Director, Mr. Sean McMonagle, said that he knew from Orrcon Steel’s involvement in other major construction projects we had the right experience and capabilities to meet their requirements.

“The tolerances we required on the curved sections provided by Orrcon Steel were, by definition, much more precise, and Orrcon Steel came through.”

Orrcon Steel’s structural hollow sections support the stadium’s innovative roof structure – a cutting edge Bioframe design with a geodesic dome roof. Supplying 1,300 tonnes of steel to Grocon for the project, products include Circular Hollow Sections 139.7 – 457 OD and also heavy walled pipe in 508 OD. The hollow sections were utilised for their aesthetic qualities, as well as their strength and versatility to be fabricated into complex geometric shapes, which would have been far more difficult to achieve when utilising open sections.

Steve Dawes, Orrcon Steel Southern Region Manager - Pipelines & Infrastructure, said

“When we first approached Grocon to discuss this iconic structure, it was proposed that early involvement by Orrcon Steel as a manufacturer of structural sections would increase the likelihood of delivering the construction program and achieving their goal of delivering a world class stadium. Once this approach had been agreed, we provided technical assistance and materials management activities such as the development of specifications, material optimisation, production planning, sourcing, logistics management, fabrication programming and QA documentation.”

An exacting and constant steel pipe and RHS supply schedule over several months was also necessary, with each part of the crown built to completion by Sun Engineering, then disassembled for a police-escorted truck delivery to the Gold Coast construction site.

The stunning Q1 crown is a testament to the creative applications for Orrcon Steel’s Smart Steel Hollow Sections, and the company’s exceptional manufacturing capability and standards.

The Section Translation Guide (STG) is a FREE online resource, purpose built to assist 

The STG removes the need to pore through design manuals and make endless calculations. 

About Us

Orrcon Steel provides high-quality steel products and solutions. Our product line includes locally manufactured structured tubular steel, such as RHS, SHS, CHS and firepipe. In addition, we source an extended range of hot -dipped gal pipe, hot-rolled structural steel, fencing and roofing to sell through our distribution network.

The STG was created because Orrcon Steel recognised the need for a resource that would enable cost-effective design solution outcomes for engineers, architects and builders.

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Terms and Conditions:
Relevance of this Guide to Orrcon Steel’s Structural Steel Hollow Sections The tables, charts, diagrams, data and information contained in this guide related to cold-formed structural steel hollow sections manufactured and supplied by Orrcon Steel and should not be relied upon as applying to cold-formed structural steel hollow sections manufactured or supplied by other organisations. Such products can be inferior and may differ in critical product attributes such as gauge, size, grade, tolerance, feed, physical properties, chemical requirements and quality.

© Copyright Orrcon Steel 2024

Orrcon Steel’s Section Translation Guide has revolutionised the way engineers and designers carry out comparisons of open steel sections to hollow steel sections. Discover the benefits when you sign up today.

Hollow Section Vs Open Section

reduce Costs and Boost Efficiency

Compare sections with the free online Section Translation Guide 
(STG) and uncover the benefits of choosing hollow section steel.

Discover greater productivity

Discover Greater Productivity and Responsive Design Capabilities

reduce costs and boost efficiency

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TITLE, COMPANY

The Section Translation Guide

DISCOVER A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF Cost Savings, Productivity And Design Capabilities

Compare sections with the free online Section Translation Guide (STG) and uncover the benefits of choosing hollow section steel.

Watch the demo below to see its use cases and how easy it is to navigate and use.

How Does The STG Guide Simplify Calculations? 

how it works

Uncover the benefits of choosing hollow section steel

The Section Translation Guide (STG) is a FREE web-based calculation tool purpose-built to allow design engineers to evaluate and select structural steel hollow sections as suitable alternatives to hot-rolled, open-section steel design solutions.

specifiers

to understand and achieve comparable hollow section solutions easily and quickly.

designers

architects

engineers

Specify

Access an incredibly simple specification tool that provides a quick method of comparing open sections to closed sections.

The guide incorporates several major elements to achieve a quick comparison:

You will find each Comparison Table comprises design capacity data for various grades of rectangular, square and circular hollow sections. The guide is arranged such that data in each Comparison Table can be easily compared with design capacity data contained for the selected hot-rolled open section. Designers can therefore easily compare and identify which structural steel hollow sections possess capacities that equal or exceed a particular UB, UC or PFC.

Discover The Advantages And Cost Savings

STRUCTURAL STEEL HOLLOW SECTIONS

Aesthetics

Structural steel hollow sections are aesthetically superior which can result in eliminating or reducing the need for embellishment often required for visible structural steel sections in architectural situations. Another advantage is in terms of accommodation of services as they can disguise or hide service wiring, cabling and pipework.

Structural steel hollow sections are more aerodynamic which may result in design capacity superiority to similar sized hot-rolled structural sections. 

Structural steel hollow sections can possess less surface area and weight compared to equivalent structural steel sections resulting in potential savings associated with the application of finish coatings. 

With a superior surface finish, the application of paint coatings are standard in the manufacturing process. The painted finish provides short term corrosion protection during storage and transportation resulting in easier, cheaper and faster preparation for fabrication and any final surface coatings. Conversely, hot-rolled structural sections are typically unfinished comprising mill scale and thus subject to possible premature surface corrosion. 

The specification and application of cold-formed structural steel hollow sections in certain situations can result in tangible cost savings compared to traditional hot-rolled structural steel sections. 

Available in a very broad range of sizes and wall thicknesses compared to hot-rolled structural sections which means designers have greater potential to reduce costs as substantial over-specification can be minimised. 

Design Capacities

Offering greater design capacities than similar sized hot-rolled structural steel sections in certain design situations resulting in reduction in weight. The Translation Tables contained in this guide highlight numerous such instances. 

Weight Advantages

Cost Savings

Broad Range Of Sizes

The Section Translation Guide Benefits

Access specification information in an improved and uniquely comparative form using a familiar industry style and feel.

Easy Comparison

Compare traditional hot-rolled sections with cold-formed structural steel hollow sections through the conceptual to final design stages of a project, providing the possibility of alternative solutions at a glance.

Simplified Form

Topics are introduced in a very general form so they may be applied to any type of structural steel member in any particular design scenario.

Examples Provided

Examples have been provided to assist in understanding the common use of the associated tables and charts for each section.

Familiar Language

Created in a similar format to the ASI Design Capacity Tables Volumes 1 and 2 for ease and familiarity for those using existing methods of finding relevant data using these design capacity tables.

Compare sections with the free online Section Translation Guide (STG) and uncover the benefits of choosing hollow section steel.

Cost savings arise because cold-formed structural steel hollow sections offer: 

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Why Choose Hollow Section Over Open Section?

THE INDUSTRY DEMANDED IT
OUR ENGINEERS DEVELOPED IT
ORRCON STEEL DELIVERED IT

The Section Translation Guide (STG) is a FREE online resource, purpose built to assist 

Why Use The 
Section Translation Guide?

to understand and achieve comparable hollow section solutions easily and quickly. 

You will find each Comparison Table comprises design capacity data for various grades of rectangular, square and circular hollow sections. The guide is arranged such that data in each Comparison Table can be easily compared with design capacity data contained for the selected hot-rolled open section. Designers can therefore easily compare and identify which structural steel hollow sections possess capacities that equal or exceed a particular UB, UC or PFC.

THE INDUSTRY DEMANDED IT            OUR ENGINEERS DEVELOPED IT            ORRCON STEEL DELIVERED IT

THE INDUSTRY DEMANDED IT
OUR ENGINEERS DEVELOPED IT
ORRCON STEEL DELIVERED IT

proudly working with:

certifications:

The Section Translation Guide

DISCOVER A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF Cost Savings, Productivity And Design Capabilities

Watch now

Introducing STG with V8 Supercar driver Mark Larkham

Why choose Hollow section over open section?

Cost-effective

Higher strength-to-weight ratio

High structural capacity against compression and twist

Higher rigidity and greater spans

proudly working with:

Discover Greater Productivity and Responsive Design Capabilities

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