Steel structure has the following main characteristics:
High material strength and light weight: Steel has high strength and elastic modulus, and its density to yield strength ratio is relatively low compared with concrete and wood. Therefore, under the same stress conditions, the steel structure has a small cross-section, light weight, easy transportation and installation, and is particularly suitable for structures with large spans, high heights, and heavy loads.
Good seismic performance: Steel has good toughness and plasticity, uniform material, high structural reliability, suitable for bearing impact and dynamic loads, and has good seismic performance. The internal structure of steel is uniform, close to isotropic homogeneous body, and the actual working performance is consistent with the calculation theory.
High degree of mechanization in manufacturing and installation: Steel structure components are easy to manufacture in factories and assemble on site. The finished products of steel structure components manufactured by mechanization in factories have high precision, high production efficiency, fast assembly speed on site, and short construction period. It is a structure with the highest degree of industrialization.
Good sealing performance: The welded structure can be completely sealed and is suitable for occasions that require high-pressure sealing, such as high-pressure containers, large oil pools and pressure pipelines.
Heat-resistant but not fire-resistant: The properties of steel change little at temperatures below 150°C, making it suitable for hot workshops. However, when the temperature exceeds 150°C, the strength and elastic modulus of steel decrease significantly, and the strength is almost zero when it exceeds 600°C. Therefore, in buildings with special fire protection requirements, steel structures must be protected by refractory materials.
Poor corrosion resistance: Steel structures are prone to rust in humid and corrosive environments and require regular maintenance. They are usually protected by rust removal, galvanizing or coating.
Good environmental protection performance: After the steel structure building is demolished, almost no construction waste will be generated, and the steel can be recycled and reused, which meets the requirements of low carbon, energy saving, and green environmental protection.
These characteristics make steel structures widely used in buildings, bridges, industrial plants and other fields, and with the advancement of technology and the development of materials science, the application prospects of steel structures will be broader.