Construction – Contractors

Structural engineers must consider numerous factors while bringing structural ideas to life. Stabilization is one of the most critical aspects of ensuring that constructions are safe and long-lasting.

One of the critical structural components in constructing a safe load path to transfer weight and forces on a building to the foundations and into the ground is the beam. Beams are horizontal structural components that can withstand vertical loads, lateral movements, and bending. They are structural components that can withstand impact load and transfer loads perpendicular to their longitudinal direction.

Purpose of beams

We use beams to:

Support weight of floors, ceilings and roofs of a building
Counter bending moment and shear forces
Connect the structure together
Provide a uniform distribution of loads

Steel vs. Concrete Beams

When deciding which structural materials to utilize, keep in mind that the decision should base on the project’s specifications. Budget, sturdiness, and fire resistance are all factors that might affect the material used for the beams. Steel and concrete will be tested against each other to see which is superior for your project. Concrete is a typical building material. However, steel is getting popular because of its speed and flexibility in construction.

Environmental problems are connected with concrete and steel-framed structures, including a high embodied energy in the manufacturing process. Steel is recognized for its quick construction on-site, despite its long lead time. Steel, on the other hand, needs fire protection, but concrete already has it. Steel can be prefabricated so that thin-film intumescent coatings can be applied offsite.

Cost

The cost of reinforced concrete is generally higher than the cost of structural steel. Steel, an iron alloy, is less expensive to produce. Concrete, on the other hand, does not experience significant price fluctuations over time, unlike steel. Because of its durability and fire resistance, concrete is a superior option when it comes to insurance. Concrete has cheaper premiums, but steel has a higher premium since it is less fire-resistant.

The overall cost of building construction materials has dramatically increased. The cost of ready-mix concrete has mainly remained steady. Even the increased use of steel in buildings and special constructions has limited influence on reinforced concrete construction projects. Concrete has a significant cost advantage in that its price is essentially constant. On the other hand, concrete requires continual maintenance and repairs, resulting in additional expenditures over time.

Strength

Tensile strength is one of steel’s most appealing qualities. The capacity of a substance to endure being stretched or pulled is referred to as tensile strength. Concrete’s tremendous compressive strength compensates for its lack of tensile strength (the ability to resist being reduced in size due to pressure applied). Concrete must be reinforced with steel rebar to increase its strength (this type of concrete is known as reinforced concrete).

Durability

Extreme weather changes, chemicals, salt water, moisture, solar radiation, and corrosion are all resistant to reinforced concrete. The rebar in reinforced concrete must not come into touch with anything that may corrode it. Steel is prone to rot when it is exposed to water.

Fire Resistance

Concrete’s chemical composition makes it fire resistant. Steel is also generally fire-resistant, but it can be weakened by exposure to extremely high temperatures. According to a study, Lighter concrete can survive flames better due to its insulating properties and lower heat transfer rate. When these materials are subjected to extremely high temperatures, their strength is weakened. There are solutions to make steel more fire-resistant, for example: applying fire-resistive coatings.

Steel is a non-combustible substance by nature. Its strength, however, can be severely harmed when heated to higher temperatures. As an outcome, different fire-resistant compounds must be applied to steel to increase safety. Concrete is naturally fire-resistant due to its composition. Many of the other components used in building construction are not fire-resistant when concrete is applied. To avoid difficulties in the overall structure, professionals should follow all safety standards during the construction process.

Sustainability

Both materials can be recycled, which is excellent news for the environment. Around 85% of all steel used globally is recycled, and approximately 90% of structural steel used today is recycled steel. Recycled concrete may be used to create future mix designs.

Today’s structural steel is made from recycled steel. Steel may be used and altered numerous times without compromising its structural integrity due to its extended lifespan. Structural steel has a low environmental effect when it is correctly produced, constructed, and treated. Concrete contains natural components that are beneficial to our environment that decreasing pollution. Crushed concrete can be utilized in future mixes.

This sort of recycling can help to minimize the amount of concrete that ends up in landfills. With all of these considerations in mind, both steel and concrete offer benefits and drawbacks. The project’s purpose or objectives will eventually determine the material that will be utilized for the structure. Weigh the advantages and disadvantages to determine which aspect is more important and acceptable for your budget and project.

Knowing how to preserve our infrastructure from natural catastrophes should be entrenched in the Filipino building industry. The Philippines is no stranger to earthquakes, as it is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, which has the most volatile seismic activity on the planet due to the numerous sites where tectonic plates collide.

One of the most catastrophic consequences of earthquakes is infrastructure breakdown, which damages not only the structure but also its contents. It also causes damage to the surrounding areas, especially if the building is substantial.

As a result, there is a significant amount of engineering that goes into protecting a building from seismic activity. In this section, we set out the fundamental characteristics that allow a building to withstand earthquakes.

Use of light, flexible materials

The selection of light and flexible materials is the first step in building an earthquake-resistant structure. The fact that these materials are ductile means that they can endure stress and distortion. Wood, steel, and even bamboo are examples of ductile materials. During a quake, these materials allow structures to bend and shift without breaking.

Reinforcement of structure

Buildings must practically prepare themselves to resist a quake. That is why architects and engineers ensure that concrete is reinforced with steel. A robust concrete column must be supported by a large number of steel bars aimed at keeping a column stable during seismic movement.

Typically, extra steel would be added to the top and bottom of columns to make them secure. Steel bars are also held in place by bending 135-degree loops rather than just aligning them. Insufficient steel reinforcing will result in a brittle column that will most likely collapse during a quake.

Large columns can also help channel swinging motion in larger buildings. The shinbashira, a massive center pillar situated in the middle of tall structures, is another prominent ancient earthquake-proofing architecture from Japan that performs something similar. The shinbashira functions as a pendulum and the design have been used by large structures in Taiwan and New York.

Shear walls are another type of extra reinforcement construction that can channel the swaying motions caused by seismic activity down into the foundation to help absorb the energy.

Base isolation The basic component in earthquake-proofing structures is to absorb as much energy from side-to-side oscillations as possible, similar to a shock absorber. Another method is to lay down flexible foundations.

Large infrastructure designers may choose base isolation, which involves constructing infrastructure on flexible pads that can sway in response to seismic activity. These pads are commonly formed of ductile materials such as steel, rubber, and lead. When there is a quake, the base sways while the structure itself remains relatively static. As an additional precaution, these bases can be outfitted with seismic dampers that absorb the energy.

Force dampers

Another method for making structures more adaptable is to use force dampers. These dampers absorb a building’s oscillations through friction, converting kinetic energy into heat and allowing it to dissolve. These dampers are often installed diagonally between columns and beams throughout infrastructure’s levels.

A tuned mass damper is another piece of technology that dampens earthquakes. These are simply ball pendulums situated in the center of the building so that when seismic activity occurs, the ball sways in the opposite direction of the quake, so canceling out force. Taiwan’s Taipei 101 tuned mass damper, the world’s largest and heaviest of its kind is a prime example of this.

Self-check the sturdiness of your home

In the Philippines, there has long been talked of “The Big One,” a huge earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 that is supposed to hit Metro Manila. With a fault line stretching from Bulacan to Laguna, it has the potential to cause widespread devastation if buildings are not equipped to withstand it.

Assess the structural integrity of your home with this self-checklist, which includes elements such as the age and shape of your property, the thickness of its concrete, the grounding of your structure, and more. One of the fundamental goals of the building business is to keep communities safe from natural disasters.

Engineers and architects are continually creating new designs and technology to keep structures robust in the face of earthquakes. After all, it is buildings, not earthquakes, that can harm people.

Category: Construction

Steel vs. Concrete Beams: Pros and Cons