Steel was first effectively used in the 17th century, but the 19th century saw a greater usage of the material because of the discovery of cheaper production methods in larger quantities. With further passage of time, the world came to be introduced to what is known as structural steel. The ceaseless improvement in the metal’s production and quality, have lent many varieties to it.
Structural steel is formed in specific shapes suited for the purpose of construction of buildings, particularly. The uniqueness of structural steel is that the pieces that are I-beams have high second moments of area. The chemical composition of this type of steel is also specific and regulated by different industrialized countries.
Because of the popularity of the material, it is widely used in constructions in various industries like automotive and transportation sectors. The use of steel is so prevalent that its industry is often regarded as a great contributor to the economic progress of a country. Although the availability of structural steel is rampant all over the globe, yet some companies really stand out in their quality of the material produced. One among them is Chris Keehner’s DS Pipe and Steel Supply LLC.
This company is one of the leading distributors of pipe and steel supply in Maryland, Baltimore and runs under the directorship of Chris Keehner. This company sells over more than 120 varieties of industrial product lines, such as pipes, groove fittings, butterfly and ball valves, weld fittings, etc. Their delivery process is carried out at lightening speed, if you happen to place your order you are sure to receive it the next day itself.
This structural steel is an important integral part in the construction of skyscrapers, stadiums, bridges. It is employed particularly in the supportive skeletons of these structures. The structural steel is used at times in combination with concrete and wood, to make the construction even more strong.
This form of steel is available in a number of different shapes, namely, hollow structural shape (HSS), the channel, the tee, the I-beam and the angle. Other sections of structural steel include steel bars, rods and plates. The safety implications are the reason behind the need for specification of standards. The steel industry has to abide by certain rules and regulations in order to be able to produce steel product; they cover the areas concerning size, shape, and composition in the correct way.
It is quite a regular thing of comparing structural steel and concrete in the industry of construction. The cost is the main determinant in the choice of the two materials. When the two are compared the lower price gets the victory usually. But the place where structural steel wins hands-down is in its strength. Moreover, unlike concrete, steel can be broken down and recycled for use again.
Though steel may have evolved much later than concrete, yet a large mass of people prefer using this comparatively new thing, with the intention of giving added strength to their buildings.
