

Properties of steel can be predicted with a high degree of certainty. Steel can undergo large plastic deformation before failure, thus providing large reserve strength. This property makes steel a very attractive structural material for high-rise buildings, long-span bridges, structures located on ground with low soil bearing and in areas with high seismic activity. Thus, the dead weight of steel structures is relatively small. Steel has a high strength/weight ratio.Increasing the carbon content makes the steel more brittle, which is undesirable for structural steel. Increasing the carbon in steel has the intended effect of increasing the tensile strength of the material. One example is the addition of chromium and nickel to create stainless steel. Other elements are also mixed into the alloy to gain other properties.

Steel is an alloy consisting mainly of iron and carbon. So let's take a look at the pros and cons of steel vs timber vs concrete! Structural Steel Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of every material is important in ensuring a safe and cost-effective approach to designing structures. Generally, the three (3) most commonly used materials in structural engineering are steel, concrete and wood/timber. Structural engineering depends on the knowledge of construction materials and their corresponding properties for us to better predict the behavior of different materials when applied to the structure.
