Steel constructions - Assembly methods

While riveting has long been the assembly method of choice for metal structures, :

• ordinary bolts ;

• pretensioned bolts ;

• weld seams.

Assemblies made with these products generally follow very different operating principles.

Two articles on the two main types of assembly follow:

• [C 2 521] "Assembly by mechanical processes;

• [C 2 522] "Welded assemblies".

The focus is solely on elementary assembly means (or assemblers): assemblies as a whole are covered in other articles.

At European regulatory level, steel construction assemblies are subject to the calculation rules set out in EN 1993-1-8, and must comply with the execution rules defined in EN 1090.

This first article is an introduction to the other two, mentioned above, presenting the general context of assemblies, notions concerning execution classes, and the partial coefficients to be used.