Time:2025-11-26 07:12:35 Source:Sanjian Meichen Steel Structure
In the petrochemical industry, ensuring quality, safety, and cost control in the construction of steel structures is paramount. The key to achieving this is the establishment of uniform design standards for all steel structures used throughout the project. By standardizing design, procurement, and construction processes, we can streamline project execution, reduce costs, and improve overall efficiency.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the importance of standardizing the design of steel structures for petrochemical projects, discuss the principles behind this standardization, and outline the specific guidelines to ensure safety, quality, and modularity in project execution.
The primary goal of standardized steel structure design is to achieve uniformity across all aspects of construction, from material selection and fabrication to assembly and installation. By following these uniform guidelines, we can achieve several key objectives:
Uniformity: All steel structures within the facility, including process units, piping racks, equipment frames, platforms, and ladders, must follow consistent design specifications, including materials, section sizes, and connection details.
Standardization and Modularization: The use of standardized components and node connections should be prioritized. Modular design is encouraged to minimize on-site welding and accelerate construction.
Cost Efficiency: By standardizing materials and components, it is possible to purchase in larger quantities, reducing procurement and storage costs.
Constructability: Design should focus on simplifying the installation process, reducing complexity and facilitating pre-fabrication and installation.
Aesthetic Consistency: Exposed steel structures should follow a consistent color scheme and layout to maintain a modern, clean industrial aesthetic.
Main Steel Material: For primary structures (columns and main beams), use Q355B steel (replacing the old standard Q345B), unless special load requirements dictate otherwise. Secondary components (secondary beams, braces) can use Q235B steel.
Section Specifications: Limit the range of steel section sizes to avoid unnecessary complexity.
H-Beams: Prioritize national standard hot-rolled H-beams (HW, HM, HN series), minimizing the use of welded H-beams.
Steel Pipes: Use seamless steel pipes or straight seam welded pipes with a unified specification series.
Bolts and Fasteners:
High-strength bolts should be Grade 10.9, friction-type.
Ordinary bolts should be Grade 4.8 or C-grade.
The specifications for rivets and welds should be unified, ensuring consistency in assembly and safety.
To simplify the construction process, it is essential to establish standardized node designs for key connections:
Column-Beam Connections: Define 2-3 standardized rigid or hinged beam-column connection diagrams for the entire project.
Beam-to-Beam Connections: Standardized hinged connections with high-strength bolts and connection plates.
Column Footings: Standardized footings depending on the base form (rigid/hinged).
Support Nodes: Uniform node plates and connection methods for center supports, eccentric supports, etc.
Overall Node Design: Prioritize bolt connections to minimize on-site welding and support modular construction, speeding up the assembly process.
Coating System: Define a unified corrosion protection coating system (e.g., epoxy zinc-rich primer + epoxy iron middle coat + acrylic polyurethane topcoat).
Coating Color: Ensure all exposed steel structures have a consistent color (e.g., light grey, sea grey), and specify the color code in design documents.
Rust Removal Standards: Standardize the rust removal level for steel surfaces, e.g., Sa 2.5 grade.
Grating Panels: Use G325/30/100 steel grating with specified load requirements.
Stairs: Standardize the stair angles (e.g., 45°), step width, and height, along with handrail height.
Guardrails: Standardize the spacing between vertical posts, along with the dimensions and height of handrails and kick plates.
Guardrail Type: Use standard steel pipe guardrails or wire rope guardrails, with specified node details.
Live Load: Standardize the maintenance live load for platforms across all levels (e.g., 4 kN/m²).
Piping Loads: Establish uniform methods for calculating loads for piping racks, including insulation, medium, and testing water.
Wind and Seismic Loads: Use the same standards and local codes for calculating wind and seismic loads across all steel structures.
Load Combinations: Standardize the load combination scenarios used in the design process.
To ensure smooth project execution, the following design deliverables are required from engineering firms:
Pre-Design Phase: Submit the "Steel Structure Unified Technical Specifications" for review and approval by both the client and the contractor before the start of the project.
During Design: All steel structure drawings (including both preliminary design and construction drawings) must adhere to the confirmed unified specifications.
Final Deliverables: The final construction drawings must include a complete "Steel Structure Design Statement", which reflects all the unified specifications for construction and acceptance.
The execution of these guidelines is expected to deliver the following benefits:
Accelerated Construction: The use of standardized and modular designs significantly increases prefabrication rates, making on-site assembly as fast as "building with blocks," thereby reducing construction time.
Cost Reduction: Bulk procurement of materials reduces material unit prices, while standardized designs help minimize design changes and fabrication errors.
Enhanced Aesthetic Quality: Consistent specifications and colors ensure the entire facility maintains a clean, organized, and professional appearance.
Easier Maintenance and Operations: Future maintenance, repair, and spare parts management will be simplified due to the consistency of components and designs.
Here are some additional recommendations to optimize the design of steel structures for petrochemical facilities:
System Piping Racks: Ensure the design and layout of the piping racks are reasonable, with sufficient spacing to avoid conflicts between pipes and structural components.
Steel Column Footing and Column Design: Standardize column footing and connection details for consistency.
Structural Design for Piping: Ensure piping runs are designed to minimize clashes with structural elements, particularly in high-traffic areas like walkways and overhead passages.
The standardization of steel structure design is a powerful tool in ensuring the quality, safety, and efficiency of petrochemical projects. By implementing these guidelines, project stakeholders can streamline the procurement, construction, and maintenance processes, reducing costs and time while enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal and functionality of the facility.
If you are looking for a partner to help bring your petrochemical project to life with high-quality steel structures, MEICHEN STEEL STRUCTURE is your trusted expert. With over 25 years of experience, we specialize in custom steel structures designed to meet the unique needs of your project, ensuring speed, safety, and cost-effectiveness.
Contact us today to discuss your project requirements and how we can help you implement these standardized designs in your next petrochemical project.
