Different types of Structural Steel and their uses in Construction
Structural Steels are those steels that are widely used in construction works as well as architectural works. Structural Steels are usually available in the form of piping, channels, and elongated beams. The weight of the building structure or the construction structure has been supported by these types of steel. The different types of shapes of the structural steels are used to provide stability to the construction structure and also to strengthen the materials including concrete. Usually, the structural steels are made with rolled steels. Either hot-rolled steel or cold-rolled steel is used to form the structural steel.
Structural Steels
Advantages of using structural steels
Structural steels are a crucial component of building structures as they have numerous benefits which include:
Cost-effectiveness of the steel
By using these structural steels, the overall cost of the construction project including the material costs, erection costs, fabrication costs, and other costs has been reduced than the other building systems.
Making floor space
The structural steel helps to enhance the design flexibility in a construction project. This design flexibility helps to make open usable floor spaces.
Adaptability
The existing structural steels can be repurposed which enhances the future adaptability of these types of steels.
Improving productivity
The use of structural steel helps to reduce the chances of errors in the construction project, reduces the overall cost of the project, and ensures the project’s safety.
Accelerated project schedules
The off-site fabrication of the structural steel helps to support the conduction of quick construction procedures. Even, the construction process can be continued in the adverse weather conditions.
Sustainability
Structural steels can be made with sustainable material which can be recycled.
Easy to design
The design process of the construction unit can be simplified by the consistent strength level of the structural steel.
Types of structural steel shapes
Structural steels can be of different shapes and sizes. Each of the shapes helps to meet the specific engineering requirements for the successful conduction of the construction project. The different shapes of structural steels include:
I-Beams
I-beams are also called H-beams, W-beams, or universal beams. These types of beams are named for their distinctive "I" shape while it is viewed from the end of the beams. It has a higher load-bearing capacity. This high-load-bearing capacity helps to provide support to heavy structures including towers, buildings, or bridges. These types of structural beams have been characterized on the basis of their flanges and webs.
Web
These are the vertical elements that can connect the flanges and also can shear forces.
Flanges
Flanges are those horizontal elements of the beam. Flanges can resist bending.
I-Beams
Angle Beams
Angle beams are known as the L-shaped beams. These types of beams in such project applications in which there is strong corner reinforcement is required. Angle beams are able to make aesthetic designs along with their load-bearing capacity.
Angle Beams
Channel Beams
These are the C-shaped cross-section beams that provide the structural support to the bridges, machinery, and building frames. The excellent resistance to the bending has been also provided by the channel beams. These channel beams are employed in conjunction with the other shapes of the structural steels.
Channel Beams
T-Beams
These are the T-shaped cross-section which is primarily required in the construction project. Usually, T-shaped beams are used in roofing systems and also in building frameworks in which there is demand for a strong support structure.
T-Beams
Tubes and Pipes
These types of structural beams have similarities in their appearances. However, their applications are varied to each other. In the structural applications of the buildings, tubes are generally used. On the other hand, pipes are used for the conveyance of fluids. Both of these structural steels can be square, round, or rectangular in shape.
Tubes and Pipes
Sizes of Steel I-Beams
The steel I-beams are used in various engineering and construction applications as these are the backbones of the buildings. These types of beams have the ability to reduce the use of those materials which makes the building projects more cost-effective. In addition, steel I-beams are capable of providing support to heavy loads thus used widely in construction projects. The height, width of the flange, and thickness of the web help to specify the sizes of the Steel I-beams. The common sizes of the Steel I-beams include:
Web Thickness
Thin, medium, and thick web beams are available. The hin web beams are 0.25 inches in size and are used in light structural applications. Medium web beams are the standard beams which are 0.5 inches thick and used mostly in the commercial building projects. On the other hand, the thickness of the thick web beams is 1 inch which is in those heavy industrial applications in which the maximum strength is needed.
Depth and Flange Width
Based on this aspect, I-beams can be of three types which are 6x6 I-Beams, 10x10 I-Beams, and 14x14 I-Beams. 6x6 I-Beams are usually used in small residential projects. 10x10 I-Beams help to maintain the balance between the size and strength of the beams and are used in the construction of medium-sized commercial buildings. 14x14 I-Beams have a substantial load-bearing capacity and are appropriate for large construction projects.
To learn more, watch the following video tutorial.
Video Source: Weld.com
Lengths
On the basis of the building requirements, Steel I-beams are constructed in different types of lengths.
The lengths of the Steel I-beams range from 10 feet to 100 feet based on the construction project requirements. In specific cases, custom lengths are fabricated which helps to meet the needs of the specific projects.
