Projects

#24 Next Generation of Robust and Fire-resilient Light Gauge Steel Systems for Mid-Rise Buildings (Umbrella Project)

Light gauge steel (LGS) offers significant advantages over other materials including good strength for weight properties, ability to pre-fabricate, quicker construction times, non-combustibility and resistance to rotting, shrinking, warping and termite attack. Today, it is not clearly understood what tools and inputs are considered at the early planning phase, for a LGS solution to be a

viable structural construction alternative to timber, hot rolled steel and other structural systems, particularly in mid-rise building applications.

Following the findings and recommendations from Phase 1, the key industry problems pertain to the challenges and barriers hindering the adoption of LGS in the Australian mid-rise building market. This project should provide a side-by-side evaluation of LGS against the incumbent systems to demonstrate LGS as a viable alternative, with minimal disruption to current design and engineering processes. This project is divided into two sub-projects to address the above mentioned industry problems:

1) Systems and methods for robustness of LGS mid-rise buildings (#20 ext) 2) Fire Resistance of LGS Floor Systems (#21)