From the very beginning, back in 2011, the underlying philosophy behind the development of the STEEL BRICKS® system has been one of prototyping, testing and development. Designs and solutions have been taken from a simple concept through to an end product by a collaborative approach that combines design, detailing, fabrication and constructability.

Since 2011 the STEEL BRICKS® system has undergone extensive testing. As well as building predictive finite analysis models the team has ensured that the system has been physically tested too. Tests have not been restricted to just individual modules but also extended out to include module-to-module connections; base mat or floor-to-wall connections.

The extensive range of testing includes safety critical scenarios such as missile impact testing and bi-axial testing, used to mimic performance under seismic conditions. Several thermal tests have also been conducted.

In all areas and throughout all these tests the STEEL BRICKS® system proved itself to be highly robust and, in all cases, exceeded expectations. Modular Wallings Systems Limited hold all the resultant test data.

The unique deployment of diaphragm plates or webs provides an abundance of strength while the holes within the diaphragm webs were introduced specifically to enhance and enable concrete flow.

Shear studs embedded into the concrete beneath the external faceplates prevent local buckling, while the faceted design to create a circular configuration avoids the use of curved plates thereby preventing the de-coupling of shear studs that occurs under loading of a curved face plate.

The construction system is a patented next generation Steel Composite (SC) solution born out of nuclear civil engineer solutions

Developed through an iterative design process in a collaborative environment comprising:

• Concept Designers
• Academic Research Consultants
• University Test Laboratories
• Detailed Designers
• A structural steel fabricator/li>
• Expert steel erectors in the field

Usually STEEL BRICKS® are fabricated from flat steel plates that are profiled, folded into ‘L’s and welded together to form ‘U’s

If desired different steel grades could be adopted for each L –carbon steel on one side, stainless on the other

Alternatively, under our European patent, U-Shaped rolled sections, hot rolled columns or beams or even cellular beams (plate girders with diaphragms in the web plate) can also be used

If the design requires shear studs these are welded to the inner faceplates before the Us or individual Steel Bricks components are welded together to form the basic module

Modules can be provided for floors (suspended and basemats), roofs or walls

The webs or internal diaphragm plates have large holes that allow concrete to flow freely throughout the steel structure and provide extraordinary out-of-plane shear capacity

The STEEL BRICKS® system is undoubtedly one of the most tested SC systems on the market

Every weld on the STEEL BRICKS® system is a full strength butt weld (complete joint penetration weld) so naturally meets the requirements of ASME III / Class 1 welds in the Main Primary System

None of the welding takes place in confined spaces, either in the shop or on site / in the field

None of the welding requires the additional cost of backing strips which can often lead to downstream testing verification issues as they may appear as inclusions under NDT

U to U welding has been proven through laboratory research to anneal the system thereby avoiding the introduction of unwanted brittleness in the heat affected zones

Penetrations and differing apertures are easily configured around the diaphragms – windows, personnel doors or larger doors can be accommodated

In plane shear (IPV) test to confirm that our STEEL BRICKS® system can meet the demands of the inner containment of a nuclear reactor. Two different prototypes reflected the base mat to inner wall and an inner wall to inner wall configuration while the other represent the base mat to outer wall and outer wall to wall connection. The wall to wall splice can develop the in plane flexural capacity of the STEEL BRICKS® system before undergoing failure due to cyclic loading simulating the effects of earthquakes along with concurrent accident thermal loading. Tests on both configurations were conducted at an ambient temperature and one thermal.

Base-Mat to Inner Wall and Inner Wall to Wall

Base-Mat to Outer Wall and Outer Wall to Wall

Missile impact testing was conducted to confirm that the modified three step design method can conservatively estimate the projectile / missile impact resistance of the STEEL BRICKS® system. 5 tests were undertaken, all at an ambient temperature, some with the missile fired directly at the centre of the diaphragm plates and some between the two adjacent diaphragm plates.

Missile Impact

Out of plane shear test for a base mat foundation to confirm that the out of plane shear strength of the STEEL BRICKS® system can be calculated conservatively using ANSI/AISC N690 or ACI 349M code provisions before undergoing failure due to out of plane shear / bending loading. Two tests were conducted, both at ambient temperatures but of differing orientations.

Out of Plane Shear

Bi-Axial tension tests were conducted to confirm that the STEEL BRICKS® system inner containment wall and corresponding splice detail can develop yield strength before undergoing failure due to bi-axial tension simulating the effects of accident pressure loading and concurrent thermal loading conditions. Three tests were conducted with one at an ambient temperature and two thermal.

Bi-Axial Testing