Steel
Steel is an alloy of iron and a number of other elements, mainly carbon, that has a high tensile strength and relatively low cost.
Early forms of steel have existed since around 1800 BC, and it has subsequently be used through history by the Greeks, Romans, Indians and Chinese. However, British engineer, Sir Henry Bessemer was the first to develop a cost-efficient method for producing steel, and it was first mass produced for the manufacture of railway tracks.
There is an excellent, free-to-use, online encyclopedia for UK steel construction available at SteelConstruction.info.
SteelConstruction.info was created and is maintained by Tata Steel, the British Constructional Steelwork Association (BCSA) and the Steel Construction Institute (SCI).
The site contains more than 100 articles written by experts on subjects including:
- Cost planning.
- Life cycle assessment.
- Steel infographic.
- Sustainability.
- Corrosion.
- Construction.
- Fire engineering.
- Design.
- Links to more detailed resources.
- Acoustics.
- Floor vibrations.
- Health and safety.
- Fabrication.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Alloy.
- Cast iron.
- Compound steel sections
- Concrete vs. steel.
- Concrete-steel composite structures
- Ferrous.
- Galvanised steel.
- Galvanising.
- Installing fire protection to structural steelwork (GG 85).
- Iron.
- Metal.
- Metal fabrication.
- Passive and reactive fire protection to structural steel (IP 6 12).
- Procuring steel in major projects
- Rust.
- Specifying steel lintels.
- Stainless steel.
- Steel and Concrete – Frank Lloyd Wright and 3 of his Iconic Buildings.
- Steel Architecture: the designed landscape of modernity.
- Steel construction floor vibration.
- Steel Council.
- Steel frame.
- Steel framed rooflights.
- Steel reinforcement.
- Steel-concrete composite structures.
- Structural steel.
- The use of stainless steel in civil engineering.
- Types of metal.
- Types of steel.
- Weathering steel.
- What is causing the rise in steel prices?
Featured articles
Check out some of the best features and news from Designing Buildings as well as key stories from around the web.
The importance of early engagement
Construction lessons from the Trillium HealthWorks Experience Centre.
Mayors are to be given planning call in powers
Mayors across England will be able to make the most important planning decisions.
The Master Builder: William Butterfield and his times. Book review.
Why construction can't afford to ignore the skills gap.
Building Safety Regulator, 19 August
Gill Kernick appointed Independent Chair of Residents’ Panel.
Connecting knowledge, technology and conservation
Building competence for the future of built heritage.
Building Regulations and Building Safety Act
CIOB publishes free advice for non-domestic clients.
Building Safety Newsletter from MHCLG.
An extraordinary record of steel engineering worldwide.
Households living near new pylons to save on bills.
ECA warns growth must not outpace grid capacity or skills.
The role of the client and decision making
CIOB response to built environment professions call for evidence.


















