PREFABRICATED BUILDINGS
LGS system construction
Steel frame construction with galvanized steel profiles
The basis of this “prefabricated and modular” construction system is
LGS system (Light Gauge Steel Framing System) – skeleton construction with galvanized steel profiles. In the world, the following abbreviations are still used for this system: CFS – Cold Formed Steel; LSF – Light Steel Framing; SFS – Steel Framing Systems..
“Prefabricated buildings” with LGS construction are built from the highest quality materials and in accordance with all norms and CE and ISO standards. The advantage of this System is that all buildings can be of different architectural design and “personalized” according to the Investor’s request and built in a short period of time.
Areas of application
LGS construction has found its application in all spheres of the construction industry that deals with “prefab construction”:
- Residential buildings
- Cottages and weekend settlements
- Bungalows for the tourist complex
- Motels and hotels
- Collective accommodation – hospitals, kindergartens, schools and educational centers, nursing home for old people, student dormitories, workers’ accommodation, collective centers for housing vulnerable residents…
- Shops and mini shopping centers
- Office space
- Restaurants, cafes and bars
All buildings can have different architectural style and design – from standard classic, log cabin to modern design – great flexibility in design.
Key characteristics
- Fast and controlled production of structural elements in factories and quick assembly “on the spot”
- Construction quality control throughout the entire process
- Shorter time of execution of works – assembly of finished elements / panels
- Easier forecasting and planning of the construction costs of the desired facility or complex
- Possibility of expansion at any time
- Excellent indicators of energy efficiency – possibility of choosing thermal insulation considering the placement location
LGS system – constructive principle
The picture shows the principle of designing and building the LGS structure. This is a skeleton system of buildings with LGS galvanized thin-walled profiles (most often C and U profiles).
This system of construction of “prefab buildings” is based on the new production technology of cold-rolled profiles – LGS profiles. The finished profiles are produced on precise “rollforming” production lines. Constructive frames are formed from LGS profiles and various claddings are added to them (OSB board, mineral wool, Styrofoam EPS -Demit facade, plasterboards, Farmacel boards, thermopanels, HPL – Trespa, stone, etc.) in this way a prefabricated system – panel is obtained. LGS profiles and frames can be delivered individually or “covered” and mounted in prefabricated panels (walls, floors, mezzanine structures, roofs).
Depending on the type and thickness of the insulation, temperature transmission coefficients can be achieved for low-energy and passive buildings (energy consumption less than 30 kWh/m2 and 15 kWh/m2).
During the assembly of finished panels with LGS construction, large cranes and other auxiliary machinery are not needed, as well as highly qualified installers, which reduces the cost of construction.
Due to the growing problem with the professional workforce in construction, this system is increasingly present as the best solution for construction, because the complete production of buildings is controlled in the factory (controlled and accurate elements for assembly on the construction site come out of production) with fast and efficient assembly of finished prefabricated elements on construction site.
Method of processing and preparation of profiles for LGS construction
- Chamfer Cut
- Swage
- Service Hole
- Web hole 10 mm
- Double Dimple
- Web Notch
- Web hole 10 mm
- Bolt hole 13,5 mm
- Web Hole 10 mm
Within the LGS profiles, there are service openings for mounting all installations.
All types of external facades (contact and ventilated facades) can be used for construction with the LGS system.
Compared to the classic construction method (brick, concrete, reinforcement), the price of this construction method is lower and much better in terms of thermal insulation and seismic stability of buildings.
The LGS system has a high ENERGY EFFICIENCY that enables a better quality of life (better thermal insulation, reduction of moisture and mold inside the space – better vapor permeability) in buildings built in this way and at the same time increases the value of the buildings themselves.
Advantages of the LGS system
- LGS has a high strength in relation to the weight of the construction (5 times lighter than traditional wood or concrete and brick construction)
- LGS galvanized profiles are materials of inorganic origin and, in contrast to wooden structures, there are no occurrences of: fungus and rot, warping and cracking.
- The LGS profile is dimensionally stable and there is not ” expansion and contraction of materials” due to moisture (which is the case with wooden constructions).
- Steel is produced according to certain standards – so there are no differences in the quality of the material (unlike wooden construction).
- Steel is a non-flammable material and fireproof
Materials
“Rollforming” production lines on which LGS profiles are produced are very precise and the profiles are made with the necessary openings for assembly as well as service openings for electrical, plumbing and other installations. Therefore, there is the possibility of a higher degree of prefabrication and thus the time of on-site assembly is reduced. In the production itself, the possibility of error in the measurements is practically excluded because all the measurements are pre-set for the production and previously 3D modeled through a software program that was made just for that production line.
Galvanized sheets with a zinc layer of 275g/m2, quality: S355MC and S550MC (S350GD and S550GD) are used in production. The most commonly used C profile dimensions are 150mm and 75mm or according to the static calculation for each building individually.
Connection of LGS profile in frames is done with screws during installation.
Facade walls can be coated with different materials:
- OSB board
- mineral wool
- contact facades – Demit facade: EPS polystyrene, XPS polystyrene, Neopor…
- facade plasterboard panels (KNAUF – Vidiwall; SINIAT – Aquaboard…)
- facade cement panels (Fermacel panels, KNAUF – Aquapanel, RIVAGIPS – Betopan…)
- facade cement-playwood (FALCO – Betonyp, BZS/VST – CBPB boards…)
- facade thermal panels
- all types of ventilated facades (HPL, WPC, ALU-BOND, facade ceramics, decorative bricks and strips, stone and marble, wooden facades…)
Covering of buildings is possible with all types of covering materials (for pitched and flat roofs).
The LSG construction system is very suitable for regions located in potentially very active seismic zones. LGS constructions, due to their elastic structure and light weight, are highly resistant to seismic activity.
LGS constructions can also be calculated to be highly resistant to wind blows. For each region, the “wind rose” is examined separately and the wind impact on the building is calculated.
Types of buildings for which prefabricated construction of this type is applicable and maximally profitable are:
1. Prefabricated residential buildings for collective housing up to 5 floors high, with or without primary steel structure
- Prefabricated facade wall panels
- Prefabricated toilets (bathroom pods)
- Prefabricated partition wall panels
- Prefabricated panels of mezzanine structures
- Prefabricated roof panels
2. Modular hotels, dormitories, nursing homes, hospitals, schools, with primary steel construction.