In the field of contemporary construction, steel structure has become an extremely important form of building structure, which is widely used in all kinds of construction projects, from towering skyscrapers to spacious and open industrial plants, from unique exhibition halls to multi-functional commercial complexes, the figure of steel structure can be seen everywhere. It is of profound significance to explore the reasons behind and master the scientific design method to promote the high-quality development of the construction industry.
[Picture taken at XTD Steel Structure Factory]
First of all, the mechanical properties of steel structures are outstanding. Steel has extremely high strength. Compared with traditional concrete structures, its cross-sectional components are smaller when bearing the same load. Take the Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai as an example. This world wonder building, which is about 828 meters high and has 162 floors, uses steel structures to support its huge weight and resist strong winds and earthquakes at high altitudes. Smaller components can save precious architectural space design, make the internal layout more flexible, and highlight modern architecture’s beauty for spatial forms. Moreover, steel is very tough and has excellent ductility. When dynamic loads such as earthquakes and strong winds occur, it can absorb much kinetic energy through its deformation, just like installing a “shock absorber” for the building. Field surveys after many earthquakes have shown that steel-structured buildings can often maintain good main structural stability in disasters and strive for a key lifeline when escaping.
[9 of the world’s tallest towers – pictures from the Internet]
From the construction point of view, steel structure has significant advantages. Most of the components are prefabricated in factories, and with the help of advanced numerical control equipment and automated production lines, steel beams, steel columns, and other structural components are precisely manufactured with high quality. Factory production can guarantee high precision and consistency of the components, reducing the number of on-site construction errors. After the prefabricated components are transported to the site, large cranes will be activated to assist in the assembly process. Compared with the traditional long concrete pouring and maintenance cycle, the speed of the steel structure construction site is more rapid. In the face of some urgent post-disaster reconstruction projects or the eve of large-scale tournaments temporarily required to build venues, steel structures can quickly complete the main structure and quickly put into use.
The characteristics of the material itself are also the key to the reuse of steel structures. The internal material of steel is uniform, and the mechanical properties are stable in all directions, which makes it easy for engineers to calculate the distribution of internal force and deformation accurately and effectively reduces the risk brought by the design. At the same time, in today’s environmental concerns, the advantages of steel structures are more and more prominent; with a strong recyclability in demolition, 90% of the steel has recycling processing utilization, manufacturing into new building components or industrial products, effectively reducing construction waste and sustainable development concept coincides with.
Steel structures are particularly outstanding in achieving strong and reliable building functions. Commercial buildings are ever-changing, and customers have different requirements for space. Steel structures can easily move and remove partitions with flexible connection methods and reshape space anytime. For public buildings such as exhibition halls and gymnasiums that have strict space requirements, steel structures such as large-span grids and cables can create spacious column-free spaces to meet the needs of large-scale exhibitions and events. In addition, steel has strong plasticity and can handle complex curves and different surface shapes. For example, the unique, irregular shape of the Oslo Opera House is perfectly presented by steel structures, highlighting the overall artistic charm of the building.
[Image source from the Internet]
Regarding steel structure design, in the initial conceptual design stage, the layout should be reasonably selected based on the building function, scale, and site conditions. For example, steel-structured concrete high-rise buildings should be used for office buildings, and standardized portal frames should be used for large-span factory buildings; the layout should focus on symmetry and uniformity to reduce the torsion effect of earthquakes.
Steel structure design process:
- Preliminary estimate of performance indicators such as natural vibration period and lateral displacement, and secondly, strict consideration of load values in mechanical calculations;
- Carefully calculate the strength, stability, and rigidity based on the cross-sectional characteristics of steel and components;
- Select welding, bolt connection,n or mixed connection mode, and carefully design the welding seam, bolt spacing edge distance, and other structural details according to the stress conditions and construction requirements to ensure the reliability of the node;
- Select appropriate fire-retardant coatings, fire-retardant boards, and custom paints according to the fire resistance level to ensure that the steel structure is durable.
Process service: https://www.xtdsteelstructure.com/engineering/
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In summary, with multiple advantages, steel structures have gained a firm foothold in the construction industry. They have excellent mechanical properties, strength, and toughness. Combining prefabrication and on-site assembly during construction can reduce construction time and be safer. At the same time, the material has excellent properties and is easy to recycle. When designing, we should reasonably choose the connection method and scientifically plan the details of the nodes, properly select fire and corrosion prevention materials and measures, ensure the quality and durability of steel structures, and promote the sustainable development of the steel structure construction industry.