The Steel Network, Inc, aka TSN is a United States-based company headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, that manufactures light steel framing (

cold-formed steel Cold-formed steel (CFS) is the common term for steel products shaped by cold forming, cold-working processes carried out near room temperature, such as rolling (metalworking), rolling, machine press, pressing, stamping (metalworking), stamping, ...

) building components for commercial and residential construction. TSN is the parent company of Applied Science International.

History

Formed in 1998, The Steel Network was the original developer of Applied Science International's SteelSmart System software. TSN transitioned into manufacturing soon after with the development of the first

connectors for

Vertical deflection The vertical deflection (VD) or deflection of the vertical (DoV), also known as deflection of the plumb line and astro-geodetic deflection, is a measure of how far the gravity direction at a given point of interest is rotated by local mass anom ...

conditions in commercial light steel framing. Since then, TSN has created

solutions for mechanical bridging, non-loadbearing wall, moment resisting walls, deep leg track, built-up posts, strap bracing shear walls, mid-rise construction, continuous rigid insulation, seismic and blast design, and progressive collapse

TSN

TSN transitioned into manufacturing soon after with the development of the first

connectors for

conditions in commercial light steel framing. Since then, the firm has created

ASI

Applied Science International, LLC, aka ASI provides advanced

engineering design The engineering design process is a common series of steps that engineers use in creating functional products and processes. The process is highly iterative - parts of the process often need to be repeated many times before another can be enter ...

and analysis software and services to the

DHS The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terr ...

United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secur ...

, engineering firms, demolition contractors, and universities. ASI was founded in 2003 to create structural analysis software tools utilizing the

Applied Element Method The applied element method (AEM) is a numerical analysis used in predicting the continuum and discrete behavior of structures. The modeling method in AEM adopts the concept of discrete cracking allowing it to automatically track structural collapse ...

(AEM) .

Services

ASI provides services including structural vulnerability assessment, forensic engineering analysis, progressive collapse analysis, blast analysis, demolition analysis,

seismic analysis Seismic analysis is a subset of structural analysis and is the calculation of the response of a building (or nonbuilding) structure to earthquakes. It is part of the process of structural design, earthquake engineering or structural assessment ...

, impact analysis, glass performance analysis, performance based design, and

product development In business and engineering, new product development (NPD) covers the complete process of bringing a new product to market, renewing an existing product or introducing a product in a new market. A central aspect of NPD is product design, along ...

Products

* Extreme Loading for Structures: ELS is a software program that utilizes the

(AEM), a non-linear based solver that assists

structural engineers Structural engineers analyze, design, plan, and research structural components and structural systems to achieve design goals and ensure the safety and comfort of users or occupants. Their work takes account mainly of safety, technical, economi ...

in the study of the behavior of structures in 3D, throughout all stages of loading including static loads and dynamic loads such as those generated by blasts, seismic events, impacts and wind loads. The first release of

Extreme Loading for Structures Extreme Loading for Structures (ELS) is commercial structural-analysis software based on the applied element method (AEM) for the automatic tracking and propagation of cracks, separation of elements, element collision, and collapse of structures ...

(ELS) was a 2D

engineering analysis Engineering analysis involves the application of scientific/mathematical analytic principles and processes to reveal the properties and state of a system, device or mechanism under study. Engineering analysis is decompositional: it proceeds by se ...

program allowing

to perform

computer simulations Computer simulation is the process of mathematical modelling, performed on a computer, which is designed to predict the behaviour of, or the outcome of, a real-world or physical system. The reliability of some mathematical models can be det ...

for

structural analysis Structural analysis is a branch of Solid Mechanics which uses simplified models for solids like bars, beams and shells for engineering decision making. Its main objective is to determine the effect of loads on the physical structures and thei ...

purposes. Since then ASI has released v2.0 and v3.0, which allows users

3D modeling In 3D computer graphics, 3D modeling is the process of developing a mathematical coordinate-based representation of any surface of an object (inanimate or living) in three dimensions via specialized software by manipulating edges, vertices, ...

and

simulating A simulation is the imitation of the operation of a real-world process or system over time. Simulations require the use of models; the model represents the key characteristics or behaviors of the selected system or process, whereas the s ...

of the behavior of structures through all three stages of loading: small displacement, large displacement, and collision/collapse. * SLAM FX: SLAM FX is a software tool that assists

visual effects Visual effects (sometimes abbreviated VFX) is the process by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the context of a live-action shot in filmmaking and video production. The integration of live-action footage and other live-action foota ...

professionals in the creation of destruction effects which can then be imported into

animation software Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating animations. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both static scenes (still images) and dynamic images (moving images), while computer animation refer ...

such as

Autodesk Maya Autodesk Maya, commonly shortened to just Maya ( ), is a 3D computer graphics application that runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, originally developed by Alias and currently owned and developed by Autodesk. It is used to create assets for interac ...

and 3d max for film and television. * Steel Smart System (SSS): SSS is a

software tool A programming tool or software development tool is a computer program that software developers use to create, debug, maintain, or otherwise support other programs and applications. The term usually refers to relatively simple programs, that can b ...

that aids

architects An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

, engineers and contractors in the design and optimization of structures built from light gauge steel. * Steel Smart Decks (SSD): SSD is a software tool developed to automate the process of deck system design using cold formed steel.

Notable ASI projects

* Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building: ASI executed a study of the

Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was a United States federal government complex located at 200 N.W. 5th Street in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. On April 19, 1995, at 9:02 a.m. the building was the target of the Oklahoma City bombi ...

utilizing the Applied Element Method and showing real-time analysis of the building performance as the blast occurred. * I-35 Bridge Collapse: The firm provided forensic engineering analysis to identify the cause of the

collapse Collapse or its variants may refer to: Concepts * Collapse (structural) * Collapse (topology), a mathematical concept * Collapsing manifold * Collapse, the action of collapsing or telescoping objects * Collapsing user interface elements ** A ...

of the

I-35W Mississippi River Bridge The I-35W Mississippi River bridge (officially known as Bridge 9340) was an eight-lane, steel truss arch bridge that carried Interstate 35W (Minnesota), Interstate 35W across the Mississippi River one-half mile (875 m) downstream from the Sai ...

. * Charlotte Coliseum: ASI provided the demolition contractor, a predictive simulation of the

building implosion In the controlled demolition industry, building implosion is the strategic placing of explosive material and timing of its detonation so that a structure collapses on itself in a matter of seconds, minimizing the physical damage to its immedia ...

of the

Charlotte Coliseum Charlotte Coliseum was a multi-purpose sports and entertainment arena located in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was operated by the Charlotte Coliseum Authority, which also oversees the operation of Bojangles' Coliseum (which was called Charlott ...

prior to the actual demolition.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Steel Network, Inc. Companies established in 1998 Companies based in Durham, North Carolina Manufacturing companies based in North Carolina