STEEL

WHAT IS STEEL?
Commercial iron that contains carbon in
any amount up to about 1.7 percent as an
essential alloying constituent, malleable when
under suitable conditions, and is distinguished
from cast iron by its malleability and lower
carbon content.
• Steel is the most widely used reinforcing
material for almost all types of concrete
construction.
• Excellent partner of concrete in resisting both
tension and compression stresses.
• Steel is ten times stronger than concrete in
resisting compression load and hundred times
stronger in tensile stresses.
 HISTORY
The history of steel can be traced back to the
emergence of iron, the main component of steel.
While there are findings that suggest that iron was
used 4000 BC, their use was likely more limited.
In the beginnings of metalwork, bronze was
significantly more popular than iron. Archeological
discoveries prove that bronze was widely used for
weaponry and armor but it also had commercial uses.
 However, more and more iron findings were
discovered later around 2700 BC, giving the period
the name Iron Age. Steel itself is an alloy made of at
least two elements, iron and carbon, and it emerged
around 2000 years into the Iron Age.
 TYPES OF METALS

•FERROUS METALS
•NONFERROUS METALS
 FERROUS METALS
Iron which contains no trace amount of
carbon is soft, ductile, easily worked, oxides
rapidity, but is susceptible to most acids. It is the
main element in steel.
 TYPES FERROUS METALS
•Cast iron and gray cast iron
•Malleable iron
•Wrought iron
•Steel Alloys
•Stainless Steel
 NONFERROUS METALS
Nonferrous metals are those containing no
iron, used in construction are aluminum, lead,
zinc, chromium and nickel, monel, copper,
bronze, brass
 APPLICATION OF STEEL
Steel provides architects the flexibility to
express or conceal a building's structural frame,
either externally or internally, and can help
facilitate the artistic expression the client
desires.
 IDENTIFICATION OF STEEL BARS
Steel reinforcing bars are provided with
distinctive markings which identify the
name of the manufacturer with it’s initial
and the bar size number including the type
of steel bars such as:
 Steel is a wonderfully expressive construction
material that excels where the client brief
creates opportunities for:

• lightweight design: leading to reduced load on

foundations and the ability to retrofit floors onto
existing buildings
• long-span solutions: taking advantage of steel’s
incredible stiffness and strength-to-weight ratiof
• flexible repurposed solutions: where the client
requires the building or structure to have a flexible
layout for future repurposing
• Architecturally exposed structural steelwork: to
stimulate visually or provide a signature look.
 Architects will appreciate the opportunities for
architectural expression in steel illustrated in these projects,
such as the:

• clear expression of function enabled by externally exposed

steel structure
• use of tubular members to provide efficient design with
aesthetically slender members
• flexibility of openings in members, which can be used to
accentuate ‘lightness’ or to accommodate services
• easy forming of curved members
• structural efficiency of tension members, particularly for
long-span enclosures
• ability to design connections as ‘architectural statements’
with refined detailing
• flexibility of managing fire resistance of exposed steelwork,
utilising intumescent coatings, concrete filling or water filling
(of tubular sections)
• visual effect enabled through colour and finish of coating
steelwork, through painting, galvanising or other proprietary
finishes
 PROJECT ENGAGEMENT PROCESS
It's important that the engineer and architect are
engaged with each other early in the design
process to ensure cost-effective responsive outcomes
and maximum opportunity for value
engineering. Apart from the usual design
considerations, a number of important design
aspects need to be considered at this stage.
The architect also needs to understand and be
involved in the construction procurement process.
 ARCHITECTURALLY EXPOSED
STRUCTURAL STEELWORK (AESS)
Architecturally exposed structural steel (AESS) is a
mixture of art, science and know-how. It can express
the structural integrity of a building in a striking way
and put the structural system at the aesthetic
forefront. It can also combine form and function,
expressing a whimsical playful intent while at the
same time functioning as a primary load carrying
system.
 Increasingly, buildings are showcasing AESS to
provide a signature identity, whether that is close
up and personal in the entrance lobby or externally
as a statement to establish that building's
architectural presence and strength. In these
multifarious roles, steel may be viewed from a range
of distances and must respond accordingly to level-
of-detail considerations, balancing the degree of
finish and detailing against cost and practicality. The
ASI has developed and provided a range of support
material for architects, to enable fit-for-purpose
specification of the appropriate AESS requirements.
 SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability is an area of particular
significance and one where steel has
demonstrable credentials as the material of
choice for construction.
 The ASI has also actively provided tools and support for
our supply chain to achieve world’s best practice.
Our Environmental Sustainability Charter has received positive
engagement from our fabrication community.

Other areas architects may need to consider include:

• Corrosion protection
• Vibration control
• Fabrication processes
• Construction processes