Steel construction starts from UK since 18’s. Before steel, they had used wood for construction. They had used steel at that time because they found only material at that time which is a fire resistant. In case of wood if a factory caught under fire then no remains left. Everything burn out, but they not know very well about properties of steel at that time…
There are many advantages of steel, following are given below.
- Tensile strength of steel is much more times greater than concrete. Concrete is strong in compression, but very weak in tension. If concrete is being used in places where tensile force acts on structure, then in these case reinforced concrete (concrete in which there are steel bars) is mostly used.
- Steel is also ductile in nature. Ductility is basically the warning that structure gives before failure. Concrete is brittle in nature. So it fails suddenly after crossing factor of safety line, but in case of steel structures there are some also some limits defines. When structure cross these limits even than structure not collapse suddenly, but due to ductility it gives enough warnings so building can be evacuate safely.
- Steel has also high strength to weight ratio as compared to concrete.
- Steel structures are also preferred when time span is small. Construction rate is very fast.
- Steel bars are also reusable. You can use anywhere else where you want.
- Steel structures can be extent in any direction. If in future any change in strength requires than this will be very easy in case of steel, but this is not possible in case of concrete.
- Steel has smaller columns as compared to concrete columns, so do to this more space will be available for some other functions.
- As steel structures are lighter then concrete, therefore there is less cost used and foundation of structure become less expensive.
- Steel structures are cost effective… like as in case of steel construction rate is fast. So a building which was finished almost in a year will be now complete with in a few months. By this interest cost can be save.