Steel Buildings - The Modern Construction Design

Steel Buildings - The Modern Construction Design

Steel is looking to be the building block of the future. Why, because there are an extreme number of positive attributes and benefits you can get from steel as a construction material. First used around the 1700's to create fireproof mill structures in England, steel has come a long way. Modern variations first started to gain popularity around the early 20th century, became more common during WW2 and even more so afterward once steel was no longer being rationed for the war.

When deciding on a material for a building or other structure, one must take into account several things such as cost, quality, and safety. Steel makes for one of the best building materials because of it's high quality, low maintenance cost, and safe track record. Steel is an alloy consisting of several different metals, the most prominent being iron. This makes it an ideal material for construction since different kinds of steel can be tailor made to contain different qualities. For instance the more carbon added to steel, the harder and stronger it is, though this renders it less flexible.

Cost is of course one of the most important factors when choosing building material. Steel is an excellent value for the money, a building made of steel can cost as much as 50% less to build than one made of something else. Buildings constructed from steel normally have lower insurance premiums(often as low as 40%) than ones made of more hazardous material. Steel structures are easily assembled as they arrive ready made to a construction site, which saves greatly on time and labor costs.

When it comes to versatility, you can't get more diverse than with steel. Steel manufacturers are quite accommodating and design buildings using computer technology. Components, fittings and all measurements are custom molded into an exact shape which allows contractors to make extremely accurate estimates and eliminates the need to unnecessarily purchase excess materials. Steel frames can allow for taller walls and wider open spaces. It also has one of the highest strength to weight ratios of any building material. A steel framework is lighter than concrete and other materials (it's lighter than wood by 50%) which reduces foundation requirements for steel buildings. Steel can of course work on it's own or be combined with other materials and can be made to meet the seismic and wind loads that building codes require.

As for safety, unlike wood steel is completely non-combustible and will not catch fire, nor will it suffer from mold or mildew. Pests that commonly infest buildings such as insects, termites and rodents will not permeate steel.

On the environmental side, steel is 100% recyclable and is in fact one of the most recycled materials in the world. This has been going on for over 150 years because recycling steel is in fact less costly than mining for it and the metal does not lose any of its physical properties during the process. Stainless steel buildings are considered some of the most energy efficient in the market today. Extreme heat and cold do not affect steel buildings the way they do others.

Almost any type of building can be made of steel, barns, office buildings, storage buildings etc. Three of the most common types of steel structure are "arched", "straight walled" and "clearspan". Straight walled buildings are the kind mostly used for industrial and commercial purposes while arched constructions are used in the agricultural industry. Clearspan is an internal part of the construction which uses large, overhead support beams to reduce the need for internal support columns. Clearspan construction is often used for building large aircraft hangers or public arenas. Pre-engineered or "prefab" steel buildings have become very popular throughout the market. Pre-engineered buildings are made of a steel framed building system with pre-designed components that fit together in a wide variety of combinations for a specific use. One can even disassemble the structure and move it to another location if called for. Prehabs are even more economical and easily erected than regular steel structures.

There are several different types of coating and finishes for steel which have different advantages. A coating such as galvalume can be applied to protect the paint and surface of the building from rust. Nowadays steel can be made to look like any other type of material, using special finishes that imitate the look of wood paneling, stucco, brickwork, concrete and so forth. One can either have this done by a company or do it themselves.

Minimal labor and cost, resistance to the most extreme weather conditions, complete freedom of design and versatility of structure, and ecological safety combine to make steel a perfect choice for construction. With modern building becoming more and more efficient, modern steel buildings have become one of the most practical forms of architecture. 

Reference: http://steelbuildings.hubpages.com