Benefits of Using Structural Steel for Fabrication

Benefits of Using Structural Steel for Fabrication

Structural steel is a material that has a range of industrial applications. It is used extensively in construction; modern buildings and infrastructure would be very difficult to make without it. Fabrication of structural steel is the process of turning it into specific shapes and designs that are required for specific applications. Construction-specific structural steel fabrications have particular cross-sections or shape, and their chemical composition also has to be accurate for desired level of strength and ductility.

Components of Structural Steel

The main components of structural steel include iron, carbon and manganese, and together they make carbon-manganese steels. However, there may be additions of Niobium, Vanadium, Titanium and Aluminium in certain cases. These are called micro-alloyed steels.

The manganese added to structural steel helps in improving its machinability. The addition of manganese makes the steel resistant to cracking and splitting in the rolling process. The addition of carbon gives strength to the steel but lowers its ductility.

Popular Structural Shapes

After the steel has been formed, a skilled fabricator will weld it into the desired shape which is ready to be used in construction. Some of the common structural shapes are the T - beam, Z shape, HSS shape, Angle or L-shaped, C-beam and Tee.

Benefits of Structural Steel

There are several benefits of using structural steel fabrications for construction over other materials-

• Strength and Durability - Structural steel has a high level of strength and it is ductile as well. Ductility refers to the steel’s quality to stretch out or undergo elongation before breaking or rupturing. Steel structures can also withstand vibrations from human, machine and weather-related movements. Furthermore, structural steel is highly resistant to corrosion. When compared to building materials like wood, it also scores much higher because it is resistant to mites and mould. Therefore, buildings with structural steel fabrications have a long life.
• Affordability - Structural steel fabrications are easy to work with as they do not need further processing to be used in construction, which results in savings in cost, effort and time for builders. They do not need frequent repair or maintenance because of their strength. They can last for decades without getting spoilt. Thus, using structural steel for fabrications is an economic choice.
• Safety - Structural steel fabrications are coated with fire-resistant material which makes it safe for human beings to work with them. Also, since these fabrications are developed on sites different from the sites of construction, the risk of accident is significantly minimized.
• Environment-friendliness - Structural steel can be recycled easily for other uses. Thus, when a building made of structural steel fabrication is taken down, it does not contribute to waste as most of it can be recycled. This not only makes structural steel an environment-friendly material, but also adds to its cost-effectiveness as it can be resold at good price.
• Adaptability - Buildings made of structural steel fabrications are easily adaptable and can be expanded sideways or upwards since this material is very strong. It is also much easier to reconfigure steel constructions than concrete constructions as the former needs only dismantling and not demolition.