Gulf Construction Online - Brimming with confidence

The Big 5

Canam’s open web joists ... elements of high strength.

Brimming with confidence

01 October 2010

CANAM Asia is optimistic about standing proud amidst its competitors as its showcases its entire range of steel construction products at The Big 5 show this year.

“Canam Asia will launch its composite joists for long spans at this year’s Big 5, alongside its wide range of steel products that include open web joists with long-span roof trusses, the Hambro composite floor joist system and standard and composite steel decks,” says Dr Wafik Ajam, technical and marketing manager of the Dammam-based designer and manufacturer of these specialist steel systems and elements.

According to him, these products meet all building needs and are manufactured in the company’s plants to ensure consistent quality at a competitive price.

Elaborating on these products, Dr Ajam says: “Open web joists (OWJ) are economic structural elements of high strength. They are lighter than full web beams of the same depth; can be used to ease the installation of ventilation ducts and plumbing as compared to a W-profile beam; and provide longer spans, reducing the number of columns inside a building.

“Hambro composite floor joists systems (HCFS) consist of a hybrid concrete/steel T-beam in one direction and an integrated continuous one-way slab in the other. The interlocking of concrete with steel provides excellent lateral diaphragm action with the composite joists acting as stiffeners for the entire system.

“They have been used in various types of construction, such as masonry and steel-framed buildings, poured-in-place or precast concrete. Applications range from single-family detached houses to multi-storey residential buildings, shopping centres and office complexes.

“HCFS are custom manufactured to suit particular job conditions and are easily installed. Shallower floor depths can be used because of the increased rigidity of the system resulting from the composite action. Also, the joists spacing and the web opening can accommodate all electrical and mechanical ducting. In addition, the roll bar and plywood sheets are reusable.”

Turning to steel decks, Dr Ajam points out that Canam Asia’s steel deck profiles are generically approved by Underwriters Laboratories. The steel deck sheets used for roofs and floors provide support for gravity loads between the joists or beams.

Once installed, these sheets can also be used as a horizontal brace by designing additional attachments and connections to the joists, enabling the steel deck to act as a diaphragm (The Steel Deck Institute, Diaphragm Design Manual, third edition, 2004), he explains.

“The resistance and rigidity of this bracing method depends upon the geometry as well as the frequency and type of attachment used on the structural elements and side lap joints of the steel deck sheets,” he says. Nominal thickness of these sheets range from 0.76 mm to 1.52 mm and the deck can be rolled from 1.8 m to 12 m in length.”

He continues: “The composite steel deck acts in composite action with the concrete slab, providing the advantages of high strength and larger span.

“By using a composite floor deck, the need for reinforcement at the bottom is eliminated because the embossments in the composite deck create enough friction and push the deck to resist the tension developed by the positive moment.”
Canam Asia is a joint venture between Zamil Industrial of Saudi Arabia and Steel Plus, an affiliate of the Canadian Canam Group. It has factories in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, and Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, which started production in November 2002 and January 2007, respectively. The RAK factory has provision to increase production as needed at short notice. The total area of both factories is around 17,000 sq m, with a combined annual capacity of 14,000 tonnes of joists, and 16,000 tonnes of metal deck per shift of operation and an approximate turnover of $10 million. Canam Asia products are manufactured over a total area of 6,350 sq m in three independent areas – joist and girder (3,400 sq m), Hambro (1,200 sq m) and decking (1,750 sq m). The joist and girder area comprises two lines, one for short and long span and the other for girders.

The company also has six sales offices in Dammam, Riyadh, Jeddah, Qatar, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and intends to open additional offices in the region. It employs more than 140 people.

While sales levels have admittedly been lower than last year given a market where decision-making is protracted, Dr Ajam is optimistic of registering increased sales amid improving prospects in the regional construction sector.
Canam Asia will be present at Stand 8A336 at The Big 5.