The SuperSpan beam achieves 60-metre clear spans by combining a swaged box profile with Direct Strength Method analysis under AS/NZS 4600:2018. The swage geometry creates composite action between the flanges and web that cannot be achieved with conventional rolled sections, producing a very high section modulus relative to steel weight.
A 60-metre clear span eliminates all intermediate columns. For a logistics or distribution facility, this means unrestricted racking layouts, forklift movement without obstruction, and the ability to reconfigure the interior without structural implications. For a sports facility, it means uninterrupted spectator sightlines. For a manufacturing plant, it means process flow is designed without structural constraints.
Most conventional steel portal frames achieve 30 to 40 metres before requiring intermediate supports. The SuperSpan beam extends this to 60 metres at a structural steel consumption that is 47 percent lower than a conventional equivalent.
Conventional cold-formed steel design uses prescriptive methods that apply conservative knockdown factors to account for manufacturing variability. Direct Strength Method (DSM), which is the most rigorous analysis method under AS/NZS 4600, calculates the precise elastic buckling load for each specific section geometry.
DSM eliminates the conservatism of prescriptive design. For a section manufactured to the tolerances that FormSteel achieves, DSM produces a certified capacity that is meaningfully higher than the prescriptive equivalent — allowing the SuperSpan to carry more load with less steel.
The swage — a series of longitudinal deformations formed during the roll-forming process — increases the effective second moment of area of the section without adding material. It creates a geometric stiffening effect that resists local and distortional buckling modes, which are the critical failure modes for cold-formed sections under bending.
The swage profile is proprietary to FormSteel Holdings. It cannot be replicated by standard cold-formed section manufacturers because it requires the specific roll-forming tooling developed by Freeway Design Limited.
The SuperSpan beam is standard across VAST Industrial buildings. Clear span requirements beyond 60 metres are assessed individually by the SIQ engineering team.