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.
Government approach could undermine delivery and regeneration.
World's first mass timber data centre.
The overlooked environmental aspect of data centre development.
Introduction to radon awareness
New technical information sheet published by CIOB.
Updated supplier guide can help electrical contractors engage with NHP.
CIAT confirm the winners of the 2026 architectural technology awards.
Government launches a one stop shop for flood preparedness.
Sir Edwin Lutyens: Britain's greatest architect? Book review.
CIOB publishes free template to help assess and manage risks.
ECA's reflections on Party Conference season
Burnham wants to be confident of winning before asking for a fresh mandate.
New Chief Construction and Scientific Adviser
Sergio Cavalaro, Professor of Infrastructure Systems at Loughborough University.
Building safety levy for England
CIAT publish estimator tool for members.
Water sector faces a growing crisis that could slow the delivery of vital infrastructure.