Steel is one of the most common materials, found in almost every industrial sector, from building bridges, factories, and structures to vessels and cars. In construction, the erection of structural steelwork involves the assembly of certain steel components into a frame. The processes include lifting, placing and connecting components which is achieved through bolting or site welding.

What Is Structural Steelwork?

Steel that is formed to serve a specific purpose in the construction of industrial and commercial buildings is referred to as structural steel. Steel is strong and durable, with ductile features which make it easy to work with but what are the different types of steel used in construction?

Carbon Steel

This sort of steel is made from iron and carbon which may be adjusted to change the quality and flexibility of the item. When high levels of carbon are added, it becomes hard and non-malleable, such as cast iron. To retain strength while offering some room for reshaping, medium carbon steel is frequently used for structural steelwork. Finally, wrought iron and low carbon steel are frequently utilized in railings and gates for decorative purposes.

Galvanised Steel

Galvanised steel is coated in zinc to keep it from rusting which is why most bridges are made using galvanised steel. Even if the base metal is scratched or wears down with time, a zinc coating keeps it from corroding.

Alloy Steel

Some producers add carbon and other elements such as manganese to create an extremely strong and rigid product to improve or add particular characteristics to a steel product. Compared to carbon steel, alloys are considerably more corrosion-resistant and make steelwork fabrication easier when adding certain elements.

What’s The Difference Between Structural Steel and Light Gauge Steel?

In terms of steelwork production, application, and fastening methods, structural steel and light gauge framing are quite different. Structural steel necessitates thicker and heavier fastening techniques such as welding, bolting, or riveting while light gauge steel can be fastened easier using steel screws, for example.

Light-gauge steel is a term used to describe cold-formed steel and cold-rolled steel. This type of cold-formed metal improves construction methods and creates more durable products. Unlike wood, light-gauge steel does not decay, it’s lighter than structural steel and concrete.

Benefits Of Light-Gauge Steel

Whether you’re an architect, contractor or developer, light-gauge steel offers several incredible benefits, including the following:

  • Decreased construction time makes light-gauge steel frame structures more cost-effective
  • Reduces or eliminates bulkheads
  • Environmentally friendly as it uses recyclable materials
  • Every detail is planned prior to construction which speeds up the process and keeps costly mistakes to a minimum
  • Reduces the cost and number of workers needed
  • Creates a cleaner and safer work environment
  • Reduced material weight
  • Can easily be erected in winter and integrated with other materials
  • Fast installation and lower cost of ownership
  • Increased fire ratings, resists moisture, pests and rot

Steelwork In The Construction Sector

When it comes to steelwork in construction, beams, columns, steel joists, steel studs and aluminium framing are all crucial in building the skeletal framework of buildings, bridges, and other structures. Here are the different types of structural steel most often used in the construction sector:

  • Angled Sections for industrial and commercial construction, transportation, and mining
  • Tubular Hollow Sections are ideal for use in multi-axis loading processes
  • Flat Sections or plates can be attached to another section to improve its strength
  • Parallel Flange Channels have a high strength-to-weight ratio
  • Rectangular Hollow Sections are used in many mechanical and construction steelwork applications
  • Square Hollow Sections are used in the columns or posts of a structure
  • Tapered Flange Beams are typically used as cross-sections for girders
  • Universal Beams are made of structural steel and are widely used in construction
  • Universal Columns are used for building columns since they have exceptional load-carrying capabilities

Who Benefits From Steelwork?

The steel industry is among the best in using recycled material and end-of-life recycling. While the highest demand for steel comes from the construction sector, who else benefits from this material and the steelwork process?

  • Aeronautics – Around 13% of materials used in an aircraft is steel
  • Automotive – According to World Steel, 900 kg of steel is used per vehicle (on average)
  • Oil and Energy – structural steelwork for transmission towers, turbines, pipelines, drilling rigs, drill pipes, casing, as well as steel pipes and tubes in oil refineries
  • Manufacturing – steel ladders, industrial stairs, mezzanine floors, high load steel racking, steel handrails, steel balustrades, steel fire escapes and steel gates among many others
  • Mining – extracting and processing of ore and other minerals requires various steel products such as fittings, pipes, beams, rails and rods
  • Ship construction for yachts, boats and ships

Steelwork At PRV Engineering

Steel structures are used in various sectors due to their strength, durability, and adaptability. To create steel goods that fit the required form and function, technicians and engineers in steelwork must be highly trained and knowledgeable about how metals perform in certain structures.

With more than 20 years of supplying steelwork fabrication services to the construction industry, our highly trained staff can manage your project from start to finish in our state-of-the-art facility in Pontypool. We manufacture for several industries including construction, automotive, aerospace, defence and rail among others.

For more information about what we do, visit our website and follow our blog for all the latest in technology, engineering and manufacturing.

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