Structural Steel Fabrication and Today’s Construction Market
The construction market is a living beast. You can perform a simple search online and see this for yourself. Do so and you’ll find hundreds upon hundreds of results discussing current trends, what’s in and what’s out and what to watch out for next y
ear. However, no matter what changes time may bring to the industry there are certain things that never go out of style. Structural steel fabrication is one of those perennially useful methods that makes up a large part of the foundation of construction, welding and fabrication.
Structural Steel Fabrication Basics
Structural steel is the most commonly used construction material in today’s market and a vital component in constructing the skyscrapers that line the horizon of every major city in America. Structural steel has one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios of any building material. In order for something like concrete to support the same load you would require significantly more volume. In addition to its strength steel is also quite malleable. Well trained welders and fabricators can shape steel into whatever is necessary for your construction product without sacrificing its inherent strength.
Is Structural Steel Fabrication Still Relevant?
Structural steel remains one of the most popular choices for buildings both large and small due to its many natural benefits:
- High Strength
Structural steel has an extremely high strength-to-weight ratio allowing support structures like I-beams to take up less area than other options such as concrete. With modern improvements in the refinement process the standard strength of structural steel continues to increase at a rapid pace.
- Flexibility
Steel is a very malleable material, allowing it to be quickly and easily fabricated into whatever form is necessary for the construction of your buildings.
- Relatively Low Cost
Structural steel remains one of the most affordable building materials available. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that since the 1980’s the cost of steel has risen at almost half the rate of concrete and the time required for the production of steel building material has fallen to less than a single man-hour, down from over 10. All of this combines to make steel the most cost-efficient material around.
- Sustainability
Most structural steel today is made almost entirely of recycled material, in fact the number can get as high as 88%. In addition very little water is used in the production and refining process, making structural steel a very environmentally friendly option. The sustainability of structural steel is so great that demolition companies will often pay YOU to demolish buildings constructed with structural steel.
- Visual Appeal
Cold, sleek steel gives a modern look to any kind of structure. In addition to its inherent natural beauty steel can easily be bent and shaped into interesting, creative fabrications that will wow any visitor.
In the hand of professionals structural steel is an extremely useful building material with unmatched strength and a sleek visual appeal. In addition the low cost and sustainability of structural steel keeps your budget on the mark. Today’s construction market is as dependent on high-quality steel as ever, and the trend sees no signs of reversing. For more information on structural steel and how it can benefit your construction project contact Swanton Welding today.
