Types of steel for construction

[edit] Introduction

Steel is one of the most commonly used materials in civil engineering due to its high strength, durability and relatively low cost. It is an alloy of iron and a number of other elements including carbon. Manufacturers produce different types of steel by varying the type and quantity of alloy components, as well as the production process and the manner in which they are worked.

The different mechanical and physical properties that are required for the specific application determine the type of steel that is produced. Grading systems identify steels based on properties such as:

• Elasticity.
• Density.
• Melting point.
• Thermal conductivity.
• Strength.
• Hardness.

There are many different types of steel, broadly categorised according to their chemical composition into the following groups:

[edit] Carbon steel

Carbon steel is a combination of iron and carbon. The percentage of carbon is varied to produce different qualities of steel. The higher the level of carbon, the stronger, but more brittle the steel tends to be:

• Low carbon steel is easily workable. Wrought iron is a form of low carbon steel, often used for decorative ironwork such as railings and gates.
• Medium carbon steel can be used for structural steelwork.
• High carbon steel is often used for the manufacture of tools and high-strength wire.
• Ultra-high carbon steel is non-malleable, hard and brittle. Cast iron is a form of ultra-high carbon steel.

[edit] Alloy steel

Alloy steels are produced from carbon steel and one or more alloying elements. These additions can improve the mechanical properties of the alloy. For example, steel combined with manganese is very hard and strong, while steel combined with aluminium is more uniform in appearance.

Weathering steel (also known by the trademark COR-TEN steel) is a form of high-strength, low alloy steel, chemically composed to form a stable, rust-like appearance that can resist corrosion and abrasion, by forming a protective surface layer, or patina.

Steel combined with chromium (and sometimes nickel) is called stainless steel. Stainless steels do not generally form rust on their surfaces and do not discolour. The level of chromium is typically between 10-20%, with a level of 11% making the steel around 200 times more corrosion resistant than steels that contain no chromium. Stainless steel can be classified into three main categories based on their metallurgical structure: austenitic, ferritic and martensitic. For more information, see Stainless steel.

Tool steels are steels containing varying amounts of tungsten, molybdenum, cobalt and vanadium that have properties that are particularly suitable for forming tools and can be used to create moulds for injection moulding. They are abrasion, impact and/or corrosion resistant.

[edit] Galvanised steel

Galvanisation can be used to help prevent steel from corroding. This involves coating steel in zinc. The coating of zinc prevents corrosive substances from reaching the base metal. The zinc also acts as a sacrificial anode, meaning that if the coating is scratched, the remaining zinc will still protect the exposed steel.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Aluminium.
• Concrete-steel composite structures.
• Concrete vs. steel.
• Construction materials.
• Failure of metals.
• Galvanised steel.
• Iron.
• Major cast metal components.
• Metal.
• Metal fabrication.
• Stainless steel.
• Steel.
• Structural steelwork.