Far Eastern University

Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts

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LECTURE READING 2: COURSE INTRODUCTION

What is steel structure?

Steel structure is a metal structure which is made of structural steel components connect with each
other to carry loads and provide full rigidity. Because of the high strength grade of steel, this structure is
reliable and requires less raw materials than other types of structure like concrete structure and timber
structure.
In modern construction, steel structures is used for almost every type of structure including heavy
industrial building, high-rise building, equipment support system, infrastructure, bridge, tower, airport
terminal, heavy industrial plant, pipe rack, etc.

The figure above is a good example of a simple beam-column connection. The beams and columns
are structural steel called wide flange with a shape of letter Ι. The floor joists which are on top of the beams
are also structural steel called channel which is in a shape of letter C.

The figure below is an example of structural steel high rise building.

 Far Eastern University
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts
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The figure above is an infrastructure which is a combination of structural steel and concrete. The
figure below is a typical example of an arch bridge made up of structural steel. The bridge is the famous
Sydney Bridge in Australia.
 Far Eastern University
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts
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The figure above is an example of a structural steel rigid frame while the figure below is an example
of structural steel roof of a stadium.

Roller Coaster made up of structural steel

 Far Eastern University
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts
___________________________________________________________________________

Power transmission line towers made up of structural steel

A roof made up of structural steel space frame.

 Far Eastern University
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts
___________________________________________________________________________

In Australia a steel plated bridge is constructed for the red crabs to cross the roadway safely.

In the picture is an underground railway tunnel in Switzerland. Note that the railroad tract is a steel
section called the American standard while the handrail is a steel pipe.

The following figures are some of the famous structural steel structures:

Lloyd Tower in London, England

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Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts
___________________________________________________________________________

Eiffel Tower of Paris, France

The Atomium of Brussels, Belgium. The circular portions are offices, museum and restaurant
while the connecting portions are escalators and stairs.
 Far Eastern University
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts
___________________________________________________________________________

The Aldar Headquarter in Dubai, UAE

The Air Force Academy Chapel in Colorado, USA. The most striking aspect of the chapel is its
row of seventeen spires. The structure is a tubular steel frame of 100 identical tetrahedrons. A tetrahedron is
a polyhedron composed of four triangular faces, six straight edges and four vertex corners.

The following structures are future structures.

A city structure to be constructed in Tokyo, Japan. It is said that the whole people of Tokyo
can be accommodated in this structure.
 Far Eastern University
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts
___________________________________________________________________________

A community structure wherein all types of job are already here including farming and fishing.

A steel structure with forest of its own.

An oceanscraper wherein the structure is extended to the bottom of the sea.

 Far Eastern University
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts
___________________________________________________________________________

A hotel in space

Advantages and disadvantages of steel structures:

In general, the advantages of steel structures are as follows:

1. Steel has a high strength to weight ratio. Therefore the dead weight of steel structures is relatively
small. This property makes steel a very attractive structural material for some multi-storey building,
long-span bridges, etc.
2. It can undergo the plastic deformation before failure; this provides greater reserve strength. This
property is called as ductility.
3. Properties of steel can be predicted with a very high degree of certainty. In fact, steel shows elastic
behavior up to a relatively high and usually well-defined stress level.
4. Steel structures can be built with the high-quality relationship and narrow tolerances.
5. Prefabrication and mass production is usually possible in steel structures.
6. The rapid construction is possible in the steel structures. This results in economic construction of steel
structures.
7. The good fatigue strength is also the advantage of steel structure.
8. If necessary, the steel structures can be strengthened any time in future.
9. The reused capability of steel construction is also the advantage.

While in general, the disadvantages of steel structures are as follows:

1. Steel structures are more costly than other types of structures.

2. The strength of steel is reduced considerably when heated at temperatures commonly observed in
fire; therefore the treatment of fireproof is needed.
3. The steel structures when exposed to air and water as in the case of bridges, there is a big possibility
of corrosion and it needs regular maintenance.