STEEL

AS A BUILDING
MATERIAL

INTRODUCTION
Steelis analloyofironand a small amount ofcarbon.
On the basis of carbon content, steel forms an
intermediate stage between cast iron and wrought iron.
In steel, carbon content varies from anything below
0.25% to 1.5% maximum. It is due to the fact that
carbon if in access of 1.5%, does not combine with iron
and it is present as free graphite.
The steel becomes harder and tougher as its carbon
content goes on increasing.
Steel is suitable for all construction purposes in general
as it can take both compressive and tensile stresses.

MANUFACTURING
PROCESS
Inmetalworking,rollingis ametal
formingprocess in which metal stock is passed
through one or more pairs of rolls to reduce the
thickness and to make the thickness uniform.
Rolling is classified according to the temperature
of the metal rolled.
HOT ROLLING : If the temperature of the metal
is above it recrystallizationtemperature, then the A rolling schematic
process is termed as hot rolling.
Hot rolled mild steel seems to have a wider
tolerance for amount of included carbon than cold
rolled, making it a bit more problematic to use.
Hot rolling is used mainly to producesheet
metalor simple cross sections, such asrail tracks.
COLD ROLLING:If the temperature of the metal
is below its recrystallization temperature, the
process is termed ascold rolling (mild steel).
Roll forming

Cold rolled and

hot rolled steel

Roll bending

PRESSED STEEL
Sheet steel made into curved
sections by press forming. It is
often used in the construction of
the frame and forks.
Thin steel plates shaped by
mechanical means such as brake
pressing.

PROPERTIES OF STEEL AS A
STRUCTURAL DESIGN MATERIAL
1. High strength/weight ratio. Steel has a high
strength/weight ratio. Thus, the dead weight of steel
structures is relatively small. This property makes
steel a very attractive structural material for
a. High-rise buildings
b. Long-span bridges
c. Structures located on soft ground
d. Structures located in highly seismic areas where
forces acting on the structure due to an earthquake
are in general proportional to the weight of the
structure.

PROPERTIES OF STEEL AS A
STRUCTURAL DESIGN MATERIAL
2. Ductility: Steel can undergo large plastic
deformation before failure, thus providing a large
reserve strength. Properly designed steel structures
can have high ductility, which is an important
characteristic for resisting shock loading such as
blasts or earthquakes. A ductile structure has energyabsorbing capacity and will not incur sudden failure. It
usually shows large visible deflections before failure or
collapse.
3. Predictable material properties: Steel in fact
shows elastic behavior up to a relatively high and
usually well-defined stress level. Also, in contrast to
reinforced concrete, steel properties do not change
considerably with time.

PROPERTIES OF STEEL AS A
STRUCTURAL DESIGN MATERIAL
4. Speed of erection. Steel structures can be erected
quite rapidly. This normally results in quicker economic
payoff.
5. Quality of construction. Steel structures can be
built with high-quality workmanship and narrow
tolerances.
6. Adaptation of prefabrication. Steel is highly
suitable for prefabrication and mass production.
7. Repetitive use. Steel can be reused after a structure
is disassembled.
8. Expanding existing structures. Steel buildings can
be easily expanded by adding new bays or wings. Steel
bridges may be widened.

ITS DISADVANTAGES
1. General cost. Steel structures may be more costly than
other types of structures.
2. Fireproofing. The strength of steel is reduced substantially
when heated at temperatures commonly observed in building
fires. Also, steel conducts and transmits heat from a burning
portion of the building quite fast. Consequently, steel frames in
buildings must have adequate fireproofing.
3. Maintenance. Steel structures exposed to air and water,
such as bridges, are susceptible to corrosion and should be
painted regularly. Application of weathering and corrosionresistant steels may eliminate this problem.
4. Susceptibility to buckling. Due to high strength/weight
ratio, steel compression members are in general more slender
and consequently more susceptible to buckling than, say,
reinforced concrete compression members. As a result,
considerable materials may have to be used just to improve
the buckling resistance of slender steel compression members.

USES OF STEEL
NAME OF STEEL

CARBON CONTENT

USES

Mild steel

Upto 0.1%

Motor body, sheet

metal, tin plate

Medum carbon steel

Upto 0.25%

Boiler plates,
structural steel, etc.

Upto 0.45%

Rails, tyres, etc.

Upto 0.6%

Hammers, large
stamping and
pressing dies.

Upto 0.75%

Sledge hammers,
springs stamping
dies, etc.

Upto 0.9%

Miners drills, smiths

tools, stone masons
tools, etc.

Upto 1%

Chisels, hammers,
saws, wood working
tools, etc.

High carbon steel or

hard steel

References
Engineering materials- Rangwala
http://hcgl.eng.ohio-state.edu/~
ceg532/chap1/chap1_2.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_(metalworking
)
http://www.steelconstruction.info/Steel_material_p
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Disha Chatrath(060)
Adrish Naskar(062)
Surai Soren(064)
Atul Kumar(066)
Abhinav
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Himani Thakur(070)
Nipun Prabhakar(072)
Smriti Gupta(074)
Priyank Soni(076)