The Different Types of Structural Steel and Their Uses in Construction

Steel is well known for providing structure and strength unlike any other when it comes to construction. The durability and potency that steel provides is not matched by the likes of wood or concrete. More often than not, it's the case that steel is the material of choice for construction, and people prefer steel due to its various advantages.

Steel buildings tend to be built using various frames too, for example clearspan, modular and single slope. Due to the fact that steel is much easier and less time-consuming when it comes to building, along with its numerous other factors that have proved advantageous, steel, these days, has become the most sought after way of constructing buildings.

With steel, we can create structures like no other material when it comes to construction. No other material has the potency and durability that steel does. Structural steel has undoubtedly become the preferred choice for construction due to the various benefits it has. The buildings that are made from steel require various structural frames. Also, constructing with steel entails much less time which makes it the most sought after way of constructing structures.

With this in mind, in this blog, we outline some of the various types of steel and the benefits it can offer you. Read on to discover more about this versatile and timeless building material.

Structural Steel

Firstly its beneficial to know what structural steel actually is and how it is formed. Structural steel shapes are made out of this kind of steel, which is formated from a precise cross section. Yet, at the same time it follows definite standards for mechanical properties and chemical composition.

Structural steel comes in various shapes like L-beam, Z shape, HSS shape, L shape (angle), structural channel (C-beam, cross section), T shaped, rail profile, bar, rod, plate and an open joist of web steel.

Standard structural steel varies in different countries with various specifications. For example, European I-beam is Euronorm 19-57, whereas structural steel in the USA comes in carbon, low alloy, corrosion resistant high strength low alloy, quenched and tempered alloy steel etc.

Structural steel is versatile, strong and durable, so it's hardly surprising that it can be morphed into almost any shape based on the construction project at hand; it can be constructed almost immediately the moment it is received on the building site. Structural steel is fire-resistant in itself but fire protection methods should be put in place in case there is a possibility of it getting heated up to a point where it starts to lose its durability and strength.

Corrosion has to be prevented when it comes to structural steel, but tall buildings are known to have withstood various kinds of adversities when built using structural steel.

Steel construction is increasing in popularity all over the world, with every region benefitting from steel throughout the years.Many of the best architectural wonders have been constructed through the use of steel, be it structural, carbon or rebar, including The Empire State Building and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. More importantly, the usage of steel is beneficial in terms of eco friendliness than other modes of construction, and due to this factor alone, it is given more preference.

Taking into consideration the rate of marvellous constructions, steel has proved favourable. With the usage of steel increasing within the construction industry, there is no doubt that it will take over the entire construction field soon in the future.

Here we take a look at the various types of structural steel and its uses in construction.