When it comes to modern architecture, steel-structured houses are definitely "tough guys". This thing has the hard-core strength of steel and iron bones, and is as light as wearing a down jacket. It is simply a "hexagonal warrior" in the construction industry. Today, let's talk about why steel structures can have the two seemingly contradictory characteristics of high strength and light weight at the same time.
First of all, we must understand that steel itself is a "strongman". One cubic meter of steel can bear several tons of weight, which is several times higher than the traditional brick-concrete structure. But the amazing thing is that the weight of a steel structure with the same load-bearing capacity is only 1/3 to 1/2 of that of a concrete structure. This is like the difference between a weightlifter and a gymnast - one relies on brute force, and the other relies on skills to move a thousand pounds with a little effort.
The high strength of steel structures mainly comes from the molecular structure of steel. Its atoms are arranged very neatly, and when subjected to force, it can evenly disperse the pressure, unlike concrete, which is as brittle as concrete. Moreover, steel is "elastic". When encountering shaking such as earthquakes, it can absorb energy like a spring. This is why so many earthquake zones in Japan love to use steel structures.
The secret of lightness is that the density of steel is smaller than that of concrete, but its strength is higher. This is like using aluminum alloy instead of iron to make bicycle racks, which is both light and strong. In architecture, it is reflected in: the columns can be made thinner, the beams can have a larger span, and the entire building appears particularly "transparent". Look at those large-span stadiums and airport terminals, which are basically the world of steel structures.
Another hidden benefit is fast construction. Steel structure components are all prefabricated in the factory and assembled on site like building blocks. For skyscrapers such as the Shanghai Tower, the speed of steel structure construction can be more than 30% faster than traditional methods. With a shorter construction period, labor costs will naturally come down.
However, steel structures are not without weaknesses. They are afraid of fire, and their strength will decrease at high temperatures; they are also afraid of rust, and they must be treated with anti-corrosion regularly. But these problems now have solutions, such as using fire-retardant coatings, galvanized steel plates, etc.
In general, steel structure building are like the "special forces" of the construction industry - they can carry heavy loads and maneuver quickly. With the development of technology, we will definitely see more safe and light steel structures rising from the ground in the future.
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