Construcciones Yamaro: How FTI Group built BlueDeck on testing and engineering rigour
Construction has little tolerance for untested claims. Steel decks either hold under fire or buckle; composite slabs either act as one or fail. FTI Group’s BlueDeck system, a metal tray formwork for high-rise commercial and residential builds, delivers assurance of structural integrity. It has earned its place on projects because it was subjected to scrutiny that left no room for doubt: structural testing, fire exposure trials, and independent verification by universities and national authorities.
That established compliance. What has sustained trust since is an ecosystem that shapes how BlueDeck is applied in the field. Where many stop at accreditation, FTI built an in-house design team, software tools and project-specific support that make compliance a living practice.
In-house engineering support
For FTI, establishing an in-house design team stemmed from a commitment to best serving clients. Made up of structural, civil and mechanical engineers, and supported by technical professionals, the team works with project consultants to deliver efficient, assured outcomes.
“Anyone can sell a product, but we wanted to be more than that,” says Tim Nightingale, group design manager at FTI. “To create a true partnership, you need to have skin in the game. That meant employing professionals in-house who could provide genuine added value.”
Each specialist takes ownership of their projects, ensuring no detail slips through the cracks before steel meets concrete. Rather than applying broad guidance, they generate project-specific shop drawings and collaborate with architects, engineers and certifiers to resolve issues before they reach site.
“We collaborate with the project team to address any issues upfront, ensuring the project can move smoothly into construction,” says Nightingale. “By capturing potential problems early, we remove delays that would otherwise occur on site. It means our team knows each client’s project as well as the consultants they have engaged to deliver it.”
The design team’s role is to simplify complexity. As architects and engineers push creative boundaries, FTI focuses on providing clear, practical solutions. That commitment extends to product manuals, which have been designed as user-friendly tools to support compliance, clarify details and improve efficiency.
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Independent verification
FTI’s in-house expertise has been central to BlueDeck’s evolution. Working closely with consultants and contractors, the team feeds project insights back into development, ensuring the system reflects real-world conditions. Accreditation was the first and most important milestone.
Engineering consultancy Jones Nicholson has been integral to that journey. The firm’s association with FTI began in 2019 on FastTread stairs.
“That project required significant engineering input,” says Alan Hamilton, structural engineer at Jones Nicholson. “It had to be creative, fast, economical and practical for construction. From there, the progression into metal tray formwork for concrete slabs felt natural, given FTI’s capabilities with steel profiles and rolling equipment.”
Initially, BlueDeck was developed as a formwork-only system. It required propping, but it delivered efficiencies by accelerating formwork and construction. The next step was more ambitious: to evolve into a permanent steel deck that could act compositely with concrete, contributing to slab strength.
That shift demanded extensive development, rigorous testing and thorough accreditation. Desktop analysis and engineering codes provided the starting point.
But, as Hamilton notes, “Analysis alone was not enough. We needed to physically test the decking and demonstrate that it performed exactly as designed.”
FTI engaged the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Tech Lab to conduct large-scale structural testing. The key was proving that the steel decking and concrete acted as a single composite slab. Under load, the steel had to behave as reinforcement, taking tension and working integrally with the concrete. Testing confirmed full composite action, validating BlueDeck’s performance and giving it the credibility required for engineers, consultants and builders to adopt it with confidence.
“In many ways, that independent verification was the ‘full stop’ to the compliance journey – proof that BlueDeck works and works effectively,” says Hamilton.
Fire performance was the other critical hurdle. With steel decking positioned on the underside of slabs and directly exposed to flame, fire testing was essential. FTI partnered with the CSIRO to carry out trials across a range of slab thicknesses and load conditions.
Exposing slabs to flame at the CSIRO’s North Ryde facility was the ultimate trial by fire, and one BlueDeck withstood.
“Just as with the structural testing conducted by UTS, the involvement of such a respected independent body gives BlueDeck credibility,” says Hamilton. “Their endorsement, aligned with National Construction Code requirements, means engineers and consultants can rely on the results with confidence.”
Practical tools for engineers
Proving BlueDeck under fire and load was one milestone; equipping engineers with a digital toolkit to carry that assurance into daily practice was the next.
In collaboration with Jones Nicholson, FTI developed the BlueDeck design app with proprietary Designer Software and supporting resources such as a span calculator and designer manuals.
“The software, calculators and manuals are built from engineering insight, making BlueDeck easier to design, easier to build, and consistently aligned with code requirements,” says Cameron Arkcoll, CEO of FTI.
Hamilton agrees: “We are in a digital age, and engineers naturally gravitate towards software. Manuals are still useful, but having to pull out tabulated documents is far less efficient than being able to access information immediately on a computer. The app makes that possible.”
Engineers can input project-specific data, adjust parameters and see results calculated instantly. Its strength is simplicity: intuitive prompts turn compliance from paperwork into precision on screen, ensuring every requirement is met before construction begins.
“The app has proven to be just as valuable internally,” says Hamilton. “Our support team picked it up quickly during training sessions and now use it to guide and assist clients.”
Prepared to adapt
As the industry evolves, future changes in codes and standards will continue to shape product design. FTI is positioned to adapt quickly, with its in-house skills and external partnerships ensuring updates can be developed, tested and deployed without delay.
“FTI’s approach has always been proactive rather than reactive,” says Hamilton. “From what I have seen, they are already considering how future shifts in the industry will affect their systems and are preparing for those changes.”
Innovation remains a priority. FTI is expanding its engineering capabilities by recruiting product-specific specialists for BlueDeck. For industrial projects requiring higher load capacities, the company’s development and technical teams are already working on product adaptations.
For FTI, everything comes back to tested assurance. Its systems, support and tools are not only meeting today’s standards but are ready for tomorrow’s. As Hamilton notes, it signals a bright future for the company.
“Their ability to anticipate and respond to change will ensure their products remain reliable and aligned with the expectations of clients and regulators,” he says.
Standards will continue to shift and expectations on materials will rise. Tested under load, proven under fire, and backed by in-house expertise, FTI has shown that reliability is never claimed – only demonstrated.
The post How FTI Group built BlueDeck on testing and engineering rigour appeared first on Inside Construction.
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