Take a look at the skyline of any major city around the world, whether that be London, Tokyo or New York, and what you will see is steel structures everywhere. The now highly popular metal alloy was first created during the 1850s and was utilised across various industries due to its highly favourable characteristics. Some of these are listed below.
It has many different talents
Although from the outside it may appear that steel is strong and unmoving, the truth is that it does have some versatility to it. With the use of modern techniques and practices, it can now even be sculpted into any shape or form required. There are, in fact, some types of steel that are lighter than wood and are able to be cut through with a great deal of precision. Due to its incredible strength, steel is often favoured over concrete on those construction projects where space is at a premium. Because steel behaves in a way that is completely preducatbale, it is perfect for being designed using various software packages.
It is relatively inexpensive
One of the main reasons why steel became such a popular construction material is because of how competitively priced it is in comparison to other similar options. Although it may not be quite as cheap as say, what concrete is, because of the many talents it does have, it is cost effective to use on a wide variety of construction type projects.
It is highly durable
A building made with a steel frame is capable of withstanding just about anything, whether that be torrential rain, hurricane speed winds, or even corrosion. Compared to other similar materials, it performs much better and can withstand as much as 50,000 pounds per square inch. In addition to its extreme strength, steel is also nonflammable and will not warp or buckle when put under pressure. This makes it the ideal choice of material when constructing buildings that are in those parts of the world that are prone to earthquakes like China and Indonesia.
It looks good
More and more nowadays, steel is being left to be visible in some construction projects. Often it is left exposed as a critical part of the design element. There is somewhat of a rugged beauty to seeing exposed steel beams or frames, and you can evaluate their strength and durability using a free beam calculator tool. It now comes in a wide range of different textures and colours, and can either be left to blend in or really stand out from the surroundings. The industrial steel look has even become so popular that some designers use it for the purpose of making household furniture, such as tables and chairs with it. When used in small amounts, it really can add a cool design feature.
