We all are aware of the fact that structural steel has a wide range of applications in all industrial sectors. Manufacturing, oil and gas, packaging, automotive, shipbuilding, transportation, and mining are among the sectors that use structural steel.
But for the construction sector, Structural steel is one of the major resources! Generally, architects, engineers, designers, construction companies, and contractors use structural steel materials when building structures. It is majorly because when compared to other building materials, it provides countless advantages.
Keep reading to know more about the topic.
What Is Structural Steel?
It’s quite evident that metals are used in building construction. But there’s one specific Metal, Structural Steel, which is used most of the time as top construction materials. Fundamentally speaking, it is defined as steel that has been designed specifically for use in building construction, as opposed to stainless steel, which is frequently used in kitchen surfaces and appliances or the steel grade that may be used to engineer tools.
Typically, Structural steel is carbon steel, which means that both carbon and iron are present in its chemical makeup. Any type of steel with a carbon content of up to 2.1% of its weight is considered structural steel. A steel piece’s yield strength increases with increasing carbon content because it is less ductile, or less likely to bend or warp under pressure.
Why Choose Structural Steel For Construction?
Let’s now evaluate the reasons why structural steel is so widely used in the building industry.
1. Highly Durable
Steel has a reputation for being a very durable metal. Storms and earthquakes are just two examples of the many external forces that steel-framed construction can withstand.
As opposed to other building materials, they do not degrade or age. A structural steel-framed building with proper construction can last up to 20 years. Structural steel is extremely malleable and is simple to shape into any desired shape.
2. Eco-Friendly Steel
When a piece of the steel reaches the end of its lifespan, recycling is simple. This means you won’t have to spend millions of dollars to get rid of construction waste that can’t be recycled. Compared to other building materials, Structural steel is energy efficient.
3. Affordable
Comparing structural steel to other metals, it is less pricey. This helps in bringing down the project’s overall cost. Steel buildings are easy to maintain and, as was already mentioned, typically have a long lifespan. In light of this, structural steel is a more economically sound option than other building materials.
4. Lightweight
Since structural steel is lightweight, it is simple to move it with a crane and move it over land, using less fuel in the process.
Structures can be moved and rebuilt more easily with low weight. Steel is a very desirable building material for structures with additional land for expansion due to its increased mobility and adaptability.
Now that you are aware of the advantages of structural steel, it is time to learn about the various kinds of structural steel.
Shapes Of Structural Steel
The following are examples of structural steel section types used frequently in the building sector:
1. Angular sections
Also known as MS Angle, the steel sections with a right angle and an L shape are available in both equal and unequal lengths. These are typically used to support any type of steel structure, from supporting a steel bed frame to joining steel bars together.
2. Tubular hollow section
Steel sections that are shaped like pipes and have a high torsional resistance are best for load-bearing because they are less likely to twist when under stress.
3. Flat sections
To increase strength, flat sections can be joined to other sections.
4. Flange Parallel Channels
Also known as MS Channel, the U-shaped steel sections that make up parallel flange channels have right-angled corners and a high strength-to-weight ratio, making them frequently relatively light in comparison to the loads they can support.
5. Rectangular hollow sections
In contrast to tubular hollow sections, rectangular hollow sections are rectangular in shape. They have a high resistance to twisting.
6. Square hollow sections
Since their shape cannot be fused with many other structural steel shapes, square hollow sections are less frequently used than tubular or rectangular hollow sections. However, they are frequently used in a structure’s columns or posts.
7. Universal beams
Universal beams, also known as H-beams, I-beam or wide flange beams because of their resemblance to the capital letter, are functionally and aesthetically similar to tapered flange beams.
8. Tubular hollow section
Universal columns are similar to universal beams, but because of their superior load-bearing abilities, they are typically used for vertical building columns.
These are some of the structural steel shapes which are commonly used during construction.
Final Thoughts
Overall, since the turn of the century, structural steel has grown in popularity and is now one of the most widely used building materials. It is frequently regarded as a crucial element of contemporary structures like homes and buildings.
There’s no uncertainty regarding Structural steel being one of the best building materials available today thanks to its countless advantages. And the majority of constructions use mild steel. Hence its tremendous strength makes it the perfect material for building construction.
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Hope this post will help you understand Structural steel.