Structural steel fabrication is a complex process. It involves a series of processes such as cutting, bending, welding, machining, and assembling. Contractors, engineers, designers and architects prefer structural steel over any other metal because of its innumerable benefits. Some advantages and disadvantages of structural steel fabrication are as follows:
Advantages
Cost Effective:
The market price of steel is way lower compared to other metals. It has achieved huge productivity advances throughout the steel supply chain thereby reducing cost.
Strength and Endurance:
Structural steel has a high strength to weight ratio which makes it suitable for constructing huge structures. It is tensile, ductile and malleable. Buildings made of structural steel have high endurance; they can withstand strong winds, earthquakes, and storms.
Constructability:
Structural steel buildings can be constructed easily and at a rapid pace. Steel frames for buildings can be erected in no time. Construction projects usually cause disruption to nearby buildings and roads. Speedy construction reduces this and also leads to savings in site preliminaries.
Adaptability:
Structural steel can be easily modified to suit any design. They are more adaptable than other framing systems. It is easy to incorporate last minute additions and changes in a steel frame structure.
Disadvantages
High Maintenance cost:
Structures and machines made of structural steel require timely maintenance. Repairs and small fixtures can incur high costs.
Steel loses its strength in high temperatures:
It is a scientific fact that steel tends to lose its strength at high temperatures. It is for this reason that fabricators engage in fireproof treatment for structural steel. In addition to that buildings have to be installed with sprinkler systems. These measures are expensive and add to the overall cost of the construction project.
Corrosion:
Steel is susceptible to corrosion as it reacts with atmospheric oxygen to form rust. This deteriorates the quality of the structure. Various expensive treatments are done over structural steel to prevent it from corrosion, some of them are dry abrasive blasting, water blasting, and coal tar paintings.
Fatigue and Buckling
Steel structures tend to get fatigued over a period of time. After being exposed to different kinds of pressures, there are variations in the tensile strength of the frames. This can lead to buckling of the steel structure.
Metal fabricators usually prefer steel over any other metal. Northern Weldarc is one such company, they are a team of professional fabricators and they specialize in structural steel fabrication. They are the perfect choice for all your fabrication requirements.
