Steel as Material in construction is have many uses. Following are the properties of steel, which helps to understand the usability of steel as construction material
Mechanical properties of steel
Mechanical properties of steel incorporate a variety of properties, including: hardness, toughness, lastingness, yield strength, elongation, fatigue strength, corrosion, plasticity, plasticity and creep. The properties that are most significant in construction is,
Main properties are:-
- Tensile strength: At the low end, values are approximately 250 N/mm2; at the high end, tensile strength is as high as 500 N/mm2.
- Eg. Fe 250″ is steel with a tensile strength of 250 N/mm2.
- Compressive strength: Steel also has compressive resistance
- Hardness: Steel can be undergoes wear and tear, Friction too
- Toughness: Steel can bear the impact load.
- Ductility: Steel is ductile material and can be transformed into any shape.
- Malleability: steel is malleable and can be drawn wire from it.
- Flexibility: It is a flexible material which make ease in formation of different shape.
Steel as Material in construction:
Steel is the material widely used in construction for following purposes,
- Reinforcement steel
- Binding wires
- Sections
- In steel Structures as Column & beam
- As a supporting roofing material (eg. Perlin)
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Advantages of Steel as Material in construction
- 1. Steel is moderately cheap when compared with other structure materials
- 2. Steel structures are highly fire-resistant as compared to a wooden structure as wood is a combustible material and less fire-resistant when compared with RCC structure.
- 3. Moulding and formulation of steel is done according to the need, so there is no restriction on standard shape and size.
- 4. Steel can be easily & effectively manufactured and can be transported with ease so this can be triggered to speedy construction.
- 5. Steel structures has very good strength so it can withstand outside weights during earthquakes, thunderstorms, and cyclones. A well-fabricated steel structure can last more than 30 years if maintained well.
- 6. Flexibility is one of the great advantages of steel structure, that means it tends to be planned according to the design requirements.
- 7. The steel structure so that it can withstand heavy winds or earthquakes, especially in the case of the bridges or tall towers.
DISADVANTAGES of Steel as Material in construction
- 1. Buckling: It can buckle quickly if load is greater than expected load
- 2. Transportation and handling: transportation and handling can be difficult in place which not well accessible.
- 3. Cost: Has huge capital cost as compared to RCC.
- 4. Skill laboured required for supervision, handling and processing. that again increase the labour cost.
- 5. Good conductor of heat: That can cause huge accident if proper care not taken.
- 6. High Maintenance & Capital Cost, Susceptibility to Buckling, Fatigue and Fracture,
- 7. Fireproof Treatment, Fire Damage and Fabrication Error.