Advantages & Disadvantages of Steel Buildings

Steel is a combination of Fe and C (Carbon).Carbon Percentage is around 0.2%-2.14%.Fe is a very flexible material and Carbon will reduce the flexibility. Zn,Na,Al also can be mix with Fe but Carbon is the cheapest one. 

Advantages of Steel Buildings

1. Recycling

•      Steel components generate minimum waste and all light gauge steel construction materials are 100% recyclable.

2. Strength and durability

•         Steel framing material is significantly stronger than wood. No other construction material can match the superior strength and durability of steel. Steel has the highest strength-to-weight ratio. Strength and non-combustible qualities of steel enable it’s framed structure to resist fires.

3. Termites

•     Steel is simply impervious to termites and other damage-causing bugs and pests. Steel studs are impervious to insects, rot, and mildew.

4. Climate and condition or dimensionally stable

•         Steel will not crack, shrink, splinter, creep, split, warp, or swell.

•      Individual members of a wood-framed building react differently to climate changes. This wood movement may include expansion, contraction, warping, twisting, etc.

5. Cost effective

•      Steel studs are non-flammable, and won't add fuel to a fire.  Insurance rates for steel homes are often cheaper than wood framed homes.

6. Weight

•      Steel components weigh 60% less than wood. A 2000 square foot home requires only 6 tons of steel compared to 20 tons of timber.

•        Steel is light in self weight and very strong; transportation and site handling are easier.

7. Always straight

•     Unlike lumber, light steel components are always straight, this allows for a flat wall every time.

•         Steel stays straight and true, while wood may warp or crack.

8. High structural efficiency

•         Steel components allow for longer spans with less post supports.

•    Steel has one of the highest weights to strength ratios of all construction materials. This strength advantage means better design flexibility, wider spans and better material usage.

9. Steel is a “green” structure environmentally friendly material

•         Steel is environmentally friendly.

•   Steel-framed housing dramatically reduces the amount of trees consumed for residential construction, thus conserving one of nature's most precious resources. The only wood products used for light gauge steel construction are plywood sheathing and door and window trim components.

10. Only simple site assembly is needed.
11. Steel construction is fast. There is virtually no "wet" work.
12. Design is easy in seismic conditions.

Disadvantages of Steel Buildings

1. In many areas it is difficult to find framing crews that are trained in light steel construction.  This disadvantage usually raises the overall project cost.                          
2. Because Steel studs are a poor insulator, they suffer from thermal bridging which reduce the overall wall insulation value.                                                                            
3. Even though steel components will not burn, they will actually fail (collapse) before a wood component in a house fire.                                                                                      
4. Steel is an excellent thermal conductor requiring additional exterior insulation or thermal breaks to overcome this disadvantage. Thermal conductivity is probably the most serious of steel's disadvantages.                                                                              
5. Finding steel roof trusses is difficult in most areas so it is common to use wood roof trusses (and sometimes floor trusses).                                                                             
6. In addition to the labor training required to convert to the use of steel, builders and laborers must obtain some new tools not presently used by carpenters. The combination of additional training and tools translate to increased costs of construction for a short period of time.

Failure of Steel

   

         Ductile failure                                                                                        Creep

               Fatigue failure                                                                                   Impact failure