The new European easy-to-use tool for cold-formed steel building design

A new tool for the design of low-rise cold-formed steel buildings is under preparation and will be online in next April 2009.

The WiSH method is an easy-to-use design tool, addressed to architects, builders and design offices, that consists of a 1) set of clear conception rules for the design of the building, 2) a design method by means of an user-friendly software online based on the Eurocodes and 3) a library of constructional details.

The scope of the WiSH method is clearly defined: residential or office buildings up to two storeys, galvanised steel S350, a given set of C and U profiles and a clear definition of the fasteners to be used, namely screws and bolts.

The countries of application are, at the moment, France, Belgium and Spain. The conception rules provided in the method are based on standard practice and guide the user through the design process.

The WiSH method allows to design a wide range of low-rise and standard cold-formed steel buildings, covering thus a relevant part of the day-to-day design requirements in standard engineering or architectural practise. Thanks to its flexibility, the method can also be used to design in a simple way separate parts of the structure such as floors, trusses or lintels.

In our understanding, the development and diffusion of easy tools like this, based on Eurocodes and devoted to the simple design of cold-formed steel houses, is a key factor to introduce architects and designers to the cold-formed steel technology.

* The partial financial support of the RFCS project TR: RFS2-CT-2007-00028 (WiSH) is gratefully acknowledged

Pilot of the project : ArcelorMittal Research Liege

The partners involved are : CSTB, CTICM, UPC, GREISH, COBIM , S4E.