Four Purposes For Structural Steel

Posted on: 26 July 2017

Structural steel is, of course, steel used for construction of buildings. However, most people do not realize that it has more than just one purpose. It has more uses than just building skyscrapers. Here is just a sample of what structural steel is meant to do.

Reinforce Foundations in Earthquake Zones

Earthquakes can take down skyscrapers faster than a toddler in the midst of a temper tantrum. For that reason, buildings in earthquake zones are required to be built a certain way, including the use of structural steel in their foundations to keep the buildings stiffly erect during some of the worst earthquakes imaginable. If you are building something near a fault zone, make sure your construction contractor is using structural steel in both the foundation and the walls.

Contain Tonnage

From dry goods to liquids, the weight of gallons and pounds of materials can overwhelm most industrial containers. Structural steel is able to hold back the tidal wave of liquids and the tonnage of dry goods. These materials cannot burst forth from their containers when structural steel is involved.

Create Unique Architectural Designs That Stay Put

Some of the world's most fascinating buildings contain structural steel. The steel can bend and form unique shapes while still maintaining its integrity. Think opera house of Sydney, Australia, or the TWA Flight Center at the JFK airport, and you know exactly what structural steel can do.

Replace Less Strong Materials

When repairs need to be made to a building, and that building is not made of strong material, steel can replace all of the damaged parts. The steel replacements are a dramatic improvement over the previous material, subsequently making the building stronger and better than it ever was. Steel replacement parts can also be modeled to look just like the parts they are replacing so that no one is the wiser.

Ordering Structural Steel

If you have decided to build or replace building pieces with steel, contact your local steel mill right away. The mill will need time to construct the parts or components you want and need. If you want any special finishes or you want the steel tempered for added reinforcement, be sure to share that with the steel company at the time you call. Then the company representative can give you an estimate for all things steel in your order, and begin your order as soon as you pay for it. For more information, talk to companies like Corsetti Structural Steel Inc.

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