STEEL FRAME STRUCTURE: TYPES & COSTS
Whiletheterm"alloy"hasbeenusedtorefertoamaterialthathasbeen usedon a regular basis, ithasalsobeen used to referto a material that has been used on a regular basis. One of the main reasons for this has been the inefficient process of mass production for sill replacement contractor Newton ingeneral,whichiswhythefirstuseof steelframe structuresdatesonlyfromthelate19thcentury.
Verticalcolumnsandhorizontal beams can beconnectedin avariety of ways. Welding, riveting, and bolting are three of the more common methods. The term "skyscraper" refers to the structure of a building.
That is not to say that other building types cannot be constructed with steel frames; many industrial buildings, warehouses, and residential properties use steel frame structures as their foundation with no problems.
Short Comings and Advantages of Steel Frames
Eachframematerialonthemarkethasitsowndownsidesandstrengths, and steel is no different - there are several positive factors about steel when compared with other materials, and there are also a few potentially troublesome factors to keep in mind, too. We're going to start with steel frame construction advantages:
Mass Fabrication
When deciding betweendifferent materials,it'simportant to remember thatsteelisthemosteasilymass-producedinawiderange ofsizesand shapes.
No Pest or Insect-related Weaknesses
Steel is straight-out immune to the degradation caused by either mammalsorburrowinginsects.
Resistance to Fire
Steel has excellent fire resistance, with little to no potential for fire spread and the ability to improve this parameter with flame-resistant coatings.Butthereisacatch,whichwewilldiscusswhenwediscussthe disadvantagesor termite damage repair contractor South Boston.
Durability
Steelisbothstrongerandlighterthanatypicalwoodenframe,removing theboard'sentiredurabilityissue.
Moisture And Other Factors
While steel is not impervious to various types of moisture, it is highly resistant tocorrosion. Itcan beimprovedbychangingthenature of the alloyorbyusingvariouscoatingsandtreatmentstoimprovesteel'srust resistance - which is critical for specific structure types such as bridges thatareconstantlyexposedtovariousweathereffects.
Low Energy Retention
While steel is relatively heat resistant, its thermal conductivity parametersarefartoohighforittobeaneffectivematerialforretaining energy in a building. This issue may be partially alleviated by various insulation measures, but it is still something you will have to live with onewayoranother.
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read about, What Are Beams and Columns in Structural Engineering?
Precision Is a Requirement
With timber frames, there is always some leeway for on-site adjustments, such as trimming components to size or nailing joints together. Unfortunately, you cannot do that with steel; all steel productioncalculations must beas preciseaspossible, becauseall steel frame parts are delivered in their final form on-site. Additionally, even one miscalculated steel part has the potential to stop the entire constructionprocessbeforethisparticularpartiscreatedinthecorrect way.
A Lot of Supplementary Structures
Steel frame structures are also heavily reliant on various structural elements, such as insulation, drywall, sheathing, and even various woodencomponents.Italsomakesforalongerconstructionprocess,but
most of the time prefabrication time savings outweigh any of these potentialdelays.
Timber Frames and Steel Frames- What’s The Cost?
While there are many other factors to consider when comparing different frame materials, one stands out above the rest: the cost of building a frame with a specific material. This is where the majority of the cost difference comes from, including installation and production costs. There is a large margin of error depending on the quality of the steel,thecomplexityofthestructureasawhole,andmanyotherfactors. It'salsotruethatsteelisamoreexpensiveoptionthanwoodforsmaller house frames (personal small and medium-sized homes). It's not uncommonforsteelframestocostseveraltimesmorethantimberones, aswell.
Conclusion
As youcansee, steelframeshavetheir ownuse caseswheretheyexcel, primarily with industrial structures, multi-story buildings, and so on. However, we've also attempted to be reasonably objective, listing both the benefits and drawbacks of steel frames as a whole, so that your decisionisinformedandbasedoncompleteknowledgeofthesubject.
For more information about why you should hire structural steel contractor Newton for your project, don't hesitate to contact XStructural today for all your custom construction design assistance needs. Call us on +1-6173-041-462 or email us viainfo@xstructural.com.