Watch>> The Role of Steel in the New Central Library

Post Date

November 1 2016

Structural steel plays an important role in executing the design of Calgary’s New Central Library. As a library, the load of the books means the columns of this four-storey building will carry the weight of a building five times its height.

The main entrance of the library has very large spans with no columns. Structural steel is a very efficient material when dealing with such a large span and a heavy load. The main entrance will actually incorporate 55-metre long trusses to create a column-free space. A truss is a structural element that is the most efficient use of material to span a large distance – it’s something you often see in bridges. Another truss on the other end of the building cantilevers over the train tracks.

Learn more from Entuitive Senior Associate Ian Washbrook: