Curving Structural Steel: Design, Behavior, and Practical

Note: This presentation will not be recorded.

This presentation provides structural engineers with a practical overview of how structural steel members are rolled or formed, and how the rolling process affect design, detailing, material behavior, tolerances, and constructability.

The session will introduce the primary methods used to curve structural steel, with particular emphasis on 3-roll section bending, a cold forming process and one of the most common methods used for structural applications. Attendees will gain insight into machine capabilities, tooling, bend orientation, radius limitations, and the differences between standard and complex bending geometries, including strong-axis, weak-axis, off-axis, compound, multi-plane, and helical bending. It will also examine flexural strain, strain hardening, minimum bend radius, cross-sectional distortion, and local buckling, with reference to AISC Design Guide 33.

Real-world examples will illustrate how section geometry, bend severity, tooling, and fabrication methods influence the final curved member, and how early collaboration between engineers, fabricators, and bender-rollers can improve constructability, reduce risk, and support more efficient curved steel designs.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the primary method used to curve structural steel and recognize how bend orientation, section geometry, and radius influence fabrication feasibility.

2. Evaluate how cold bending affects structural steel, including flexural strain, strain hardening, crosssectional distortion, and local buckling, using principles presented in AISC Design Guide 33.

3. Apply practical design and detailing considerations for curved structural members to improve constructability, reduce fabrication risk, and support effective collaboration between engineers, fabricators, and bender-rollers.

1.0 CE Credit

Registration

This is a virtual event on Zoom. All registrants MUST have a free Zoom account to access the webinar and must register with Zoom to receive the link.

Event registration  closes 30 minutes before the webinar starts.

Members: Free!

Nonmembers: $60

Current Members of SEAs other than Illinois are always given SEAOI member rates. You will be asked for the state SEA you are a member of at registration.

About the Speaker

Ken Pecho, B.Sc., M.Sc.

Ken is the engineering and technical operations lead at Chicago Metal Rolled Products specializing in the bending, rolling, forming, and fabrication of structural steel and specialty metals. His work focuses on complex curved steel applications, including structural shapes, HSS, plate, induction bending, and challenging geometries requiring careful control of distortion, tolerances, and material behavior.

Ken has presented for organizations including the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), the Steel Tube Institute (STI), Fabricators & Manufacturers Association (FMA) and the National Ornamental & Miscellaneous Metals Association (NOMMA), and has contributed technical content to many industry publications. His presentations bridge engineering theory with practical shop-floor experience, covering material behavior, bending mechanics, fabrication tolerances, and manufacturability. He brings a hands-on perspective shaped by solving demanding production and engineering challenges across a wide range of structural and specialty metal projects.