Structural Steel And Its Uses In The Construction Industry
Steel is one of the predominant materials used in various industries, including construction and automobiles. Steel has various categories. One of them is structural steel used mainly in construction. This article explains what structural steel is and introduces several of its applications in the construction industry.
What Is Structural Steel?
There are four main types of steel: carbon steel, stainless steel, tool steel, and alloy steel. Structural steel falls in the carbon steel category. Typically, structural steels contain carbon content percentages of between 0.15 to 0.30. If the carbon content happens is too low, the structural steel will not be strong enough. On the other hand, if it's too high, the material will have low ductility. Most construction companies prefer using mild steel, or as some experts call it, low-carbon steel. Mild steel is the ideal material for your construction needs since its low carbon content allows it to be stronger and more pliable than other steel alternatives that come with high carbon content.
Typical Construction Applications of Structural Steel
The most common applications of structural steel in the construction industry include:
1. High-rise buildings
Construction companies use steel frameworks to build high-rise buildings like skyscrapers. Without such a frame, constructing a tall building with load-bearing walls made of reinforced concrete is impossible. And, since structural steel has inherent properties like strength and flexibility, it is the best material for high-rise buildings that need optimum resistance to external forces like earthquakes and tsunamis.
2. Bridges
Structural steel is highly durable. Plus, it comes with unrivaled strength that enables it to hold the weight of vehicular and foot traffic on bridges. By combining durability and strength, structural steel has given engineers and fabricators the perfect material for building monumental bridges that last for ages. Furthermore, since it has low superstructure weight, structural steel facilitates the construction of smaller bridge foundations that are more cost-effective.
3. Parking garages
A quality parking garage requires a framing material that is visually pleasing, durable, and economical. And when it comes to those qualities, structural steel outshines other alternatives, including concrete. Plus, steel frames designed for garages provide smaller columns and more parking spaces in your garage.
4. Industrial sheds
All sorts of warehouses, workshops, and factories need industrial sheds to store inventory, raw materials, and finished products. And most business owners prefer temporary industrial sheds that don't require costly construction and provide the working area with an aesthetically pleasing outlook. In that case, structural steel is the go-to material. Moreover, structural steel frameworks are easy to erect and last longer.