What Key Points Should Be Paid Attention To When Constructing Steel Structures In The Severe Cold Areas Of Northeast China?

What key points should be paid attention to when constructing steel structures in the severe cold areas of Northeast China?

Steel structure construction in Heilongjiang Province has to face extreme cold conditions of minus 35 degrees Celsius, as well as difficulties caused by two meters of frozen soil. If the material selection is not up to standard and the workmanship is not up to standard, it will easily cause brittle fracture of the components, or cause delays in the construction period, which will directly affect the safety and cost of the project.

Material low-temperature toughness is the primary threshold

When carrying out steel structure construction in the Heilongjiang area, the impact resistance of steel components under low temperature conditions must meet standards. The toughness of general steel is significantly reduced at minus 30 degrees and is prone to brittle fracture. Therefore, when carrying out the material selection process, priority should be given to Q355D or Q345D grade low-alloy high-strength steel to ensure that the structural stability can still be maintained in extreme low-temperature environments. At the same time, welding rods and wires must also be adapted to the low-temperature environment to prevent the weld from becoming a weak link.

Envelope systems must be cold and wind resistant

The enclosure panels of factories or warehouses must not only be insulated, but also must be able to withstand strong winds above level 8 in spring. In a logistics park project in Harbin, due to the use of ordinary color steel plates, cold bridge condensation and air leakage occurred in winter, and subsequent maintenance costs increased by nearly 20%. It is recommended to use polyurethane sandwich panels or rock wool fireproof boards with a thickness of not less than 100 mm, and ensure that the joints are tightly sealed to reduce heat loss.

Install on site to avoid low temperature periods

Steel structure installation is suitable to be concentrated between May and October. During this period, the average daily temperature is above 5 degrees . Steel structure engineering subcontracting riveting and welding services will make it easier to control the quality of welding work. If the construction period must span winter, a temporary insulation shed will need to be built, and the welding parts must be preheated to above 150 degrees and slowly cooled after the welding is completed. In 2023, there was a factory in Qiqihar due to forced construction in winter, and cracks appeared in the welds. What should we pay attention to when constructing steel structures in the severe cold areas of Northeast China? It took a month to rework.

Frozen soil foundation construction must be handled in advance

In Heilongjiang, the depth of frozen soil can reach 2 meters. When spring thaws, the bearing capacity of the foundation will suddenly decrease. Therefore, foundation construction should be completed in the autumn, taking advantage of the stable period before the permafrost freezes to pour concrete. If the project starts subcontracting riveting and welding services for the steel structure project in the winter, it will be necessary to carry out manual replacement of the foundation or use pile foundations to prevent the foundation from settling later in the year and causing the steel structure to deform. There is a grain storage project in Daqing. It conducted a frozen soil survey in advance and shortened the construction period by 15 days.

Riveting and welding services require professional certification

The riveting and welding link of steel structure engineering subcontracting will have a direct impact on the overall safety and must be carried out by welders holding special operation certificates. In low temperature environments, the frequency of weld flaw detection must be increased. I have been exposed to a project in Mudanjiang. Due to illegal operations by the welders, cracks appeared at the main beam connection, and the final reinforcement cost exceeded the budget by 20%. Choosing a service provider with Level 2 or above construction qualifications can effectively avoid such risks.

Whole-process quality control cannot be ignored

From the beginning of production of steel components to the entire process of hoisting on site, specialized personnel must be assigned to conduct quality inspections at every step. When the steel enters the site, the material certificate needs to be checked. After the welding is completed, ultrasonic flaw detection must be carried out. Before the components are hoisted, the anti-corrosion coating must be checked to see if it is intact. An auto parts factory in Harbin adopted a supplier with integrated service characteristics and carried out comprehensive control from design to installation. There were no structural problems within three years after delivery, which greatly reduced the cost of later maintenance.

When you are carrying out a steel structure project in Heilongjiang, what worries you most is the quality of material selection or the construction period. Tell us about your experience in the comment area, give it a like and share it so that more colleagues can avoid those pitfalls!