METALS

INTRODUCTION

Metal is an element, compound or alloy that is

a good conductor of both electricity and heat
Any of class of elementary substances, as
gold, silver, or copper, all of which are
crystalline when solid and many which are
characterized by opacity, ductility,
conductivity, and a unique luster when freshly
fractured.
Generally, the metals require a large energy
input for their production from raw materials;
however, this high embodied energy is
partially offset by the long life and recycling
of most metals.
Approximately 60% of current steel
production is from scrap, and steel can be
recycled any number of times without any
degradation of the material.
 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Iron – a malleable, ductile, magnetic, silver-white

metallic elements from which pig iron and steel
are made. Fe
Pig – an oblong mass of metal that has been
poured while still molten into a mold of sand, esp.
such a mass of iron from a blast furnace
Coke – a solid residue of coal left after destructive
distillation, used as fuel.
Blast furnace – a large vertical furnace for
smelting iron from one, in which combustion is
intensified by a continuous blast of air through
the fuel
Blast furnace slag – slag left as a residue by the
smelting of iron ore in a blast furnace
Slag – a vitrified matter left as residue from the
smelting of a metallic ore. Also called cinder
Blast furnace
 TYPES OF METALS

Ferrous metals - metals in which the element Non-Ferrous metals – contain no iron.
iron predominates.
- Not attracted to a magnet and they also
- A metal containing iron as a principal element do not rust in the same way when
exposed to moisture.
- Prone to rusting if exposed to moisture.
 Aluminum
- Can also be picked up by a magnet. The rusting
and magnetic properties in ferrous metals are  Copper
both down due to the iron.
 Lead
• Cast Iron
 Zinc
• Wrought Iron
 Tin
• Steel
Other Examples:
Examples:
Silver, Gold, Magnesium
1.Mild Steel. 2.Cast Iron. 3.High Carbon Steel.
4.High Speed Steel. 5.Stainless Steel.
 FERROUS METALS

Carbon steel – an unalloyed steel in which the

residual elements such as carbon, manganese,
phosphorous, sulfur and silicon are controlled.
Any increase in carbon content increases the
strength and hardness of the steel but reduces its
ductility.
 Mild or Soft steel – a low-carbon steel
containing from 0.15% to 0.25% carbon
- A ductile and malleable metal
- Mild steel will rust quickly if it is in frequent
contact with water
- Used as Nuts and bolts, building girders, car
bodies, gates
CARBON STEEL

Medium steel – a carbon steel containing

Mild or Soft steel – reinforcing bars
from 0.25% to 0.45% carbon
Examples: hammers, chisels, punches,
gears/couplings and other components that require
a high degree of wear and impact resistance
CARBON STEEL
Hard steel – a high-carbon steel
containing from 0.45% to 0.85% carbon
Used parts that require the highest strength,
hardness, and wear resistance. Once manufactured
they are heat treated and tempered
Spring steel – a high-carbon steel containing
0.85% to 100% carbon
- Generally low-alloy manganese, medium-
carbon steel or high-carbon steel with a very
high yield strength.
https://www.steelservicecenters.com/spring-steel/
 STAINLESS STEEL

- Contains minimum of 12% chromium,

sometimes with nickel, manganese, or
molybdenum as additional alloying
elements, so as to be highly resistant to
corrosion.
 CAST IRON

- A hard, brittle, non malleable iron-based alloy

containing 2.0% to 4.5% carbon and 0.5% to 3%
silicon, cast in a sand mold and machined to
make many building products
Uses of Cast Iron in Building Construction
• Many types of sanitary fittings like manholes,
sewer pipes, water pipes, cisterns are
manufactured using cast iron.
• Metal columns and column bases can be made
using cast iron.
• Casting molds for making metal staircases,
lamp posts, gates etc. are made using cast
iron.
• Rail chairs and carriage wheels are
manufactured.
 MALLEABLE CAST IRON

- Annealed by transforming the carbon

content into graphite or removing it
completely
Uses of Cast Iron in Building Construction
• Pipe fittings
• Chain-hoist assemblies
• Railroad equipment
• Industrial casters
• Vehicle components
 WROUGHT IRON
- A tough, malleable, relatively soft iron that is readily
forged and welded, having a fibrous structure
containing approximately 0.20% carbon and a small
amount of uniformly distributed slag
Uses of Wrought Iron:
• It is used for pipe making due its its superior
corrosion and fatigue resistance and better welding
and threading qualities.
• It is used for making bars for stay bolts, engine bolts
and rivets etc. because properties demanded in
these applications are corrosion and fatigue
resistance.
• For making plates
• For making special chains and crane hooks due to its
good weldability and high impact strength.
• It is also used extensively for general forging
applications.
 GALVANIZED IRON

- Coated with zinc to prevent rust

- employed a "hot dipping" process to coat sheet
iron with zinc.
- manufactured and used for wide variety of
purposes but its primary use is for sheet metal
roofing and other building materials, such as
metal framing studs, metal roof shingles and
fencing. Other uses include wire mesh, pipes,
roof ornaments and other decorative exterior
architectural products, gutters, flashing, metal
buckets and connectors, such as screws and
nails.
NON FERROUS METALS
 ALUMINUMS
- A ductile, malleable, silver-white metallic element
tat is used in forming many hard, light alloys. Its
natural resistance to corrosion is due to the
transparent film oxide that forms on its surface; this
oxide coating can be thickened to increase corrosion
resistance by an electrical and chemical process
known as anodizing.
- Should be isolated from alkaline materials such as
wet concrete, mortar, and plaster
- Widely used in extruded and sheet forms for
secondary building elements such as windows,
doors, roofing, flashing, trim, and hardware.
- For use in structural framing, high-strength
aluminum alloys are available in shapes similar to
those of structural steel. Aluminum sections may be
welded, bonded with adhesives, or mechanically
fastened.
 COPPER
- A ductile, malleable metallic element that is
widely used for electrical wiring, water piping,
and in the manufacture of alloys, as bronze and
brass. Its color and resistance to corrosion also
make it an excellent roofing and flashing
material.
- Will corrode aluminum, steel, stainless steel,
an zinc.
- Should be fastened, attached, or supported
only with copper or carefully selected brass
fittings.
- Contact with red cedar in the presence of
moisture will cause premature deterioration of
the copper
 BRASS

- Refers to any various alloys consisting

essentially of copper and zinc
- Used for windows, railings, trims, and finish
hardware.
- Alloys that are brass by definition may have
names that include the word bronze, as
architectural bronze
 LEAD

- A heavy, soft, malleable, bluish-gray metallic

elements used for flashing, sound isolation,
and radiation shielding.
- Although lead is the heaviest of the common
metals, its pliability makes it desirable for
application over uneven surfaces.
- Lead dust and vapors are toxic
 ZINC
- known to the Romans as the alloy, brass, but it
was not produced industrially until the mid-
eighteenth century, and was not in common
use on buildings until the nineteenth century.
- The cut surface tarnishes quickly to a light grey
due to the formation of a patina of basic zinc
carbonate.
- The metal is hard at ambient temperatures and
brittle when cold. It should therefore not be
worked at metal temperatures below 10◦C
without prior warming and heavy impacts
should not be used within the forming
processes of bending and folding.
Manufacture
- Zinc occurs naturally as the sulphide ore, zinc
blende.
- The ore is first concentrated and then roasted to
produce zinc oxide. The addition of coal reduces
zinc oxide to the metal, which is evolved as the
vapour and then condensed. High-grade zinc is
produced by the electrolysis of a purified zinc
sulphate solution. Zinc is classified according to
its purity as specified in the standard BS EN
1179: 2003
- Approximately 3610kW hours of energy is
consumed in the primary production of one
tonne of sheet zinc; however, a large proportion
of the metal is recycled.
 ZINC

Zinc Sheet
Zinc sheet is manufactured by continuous
casting and rolling in a range of thicknesses
(Table 5.14) to a maximum coil width of 1000
mm. The two standard products are the pure
metal (99.995% zinc) and its alloy with small
additions of titanium and copper (e.g. 0.06%
and 0.08% minima, respectively). The rolling
process modifies the grain structure,
particularly in the pure metal; however, this
does not affect the working of the sheets.
 ZINC
- Should not be used in contact with copper or
where rainwater draining from copper or copper
alloys would discharge onto zinc. It may,
however, be used in association with aluminum.
In contact with steel or stainless steel, the zinc
must be the major component to prevent
significant corrosion effects. Unprotected cut
edges of galvanized steel located above zinc can
cause unsightly rust stains and should be
avoided. If the underside of zinc sheet remains
damp due to condensation for extended periods
of time then pitting corrosion will occur, causing
eventual failure.
-Not affected by Portland cement mortars or
concrete, although it should be coated with acrylic
resin paint where it will be in contact with soluble
salts from masonry or cement additives. Zinc may
be laid directly onto seasoned softwoods, unless
impregnated with copper-salt preservatives, which
have a slight corrosion-promoting effect. However,
zinc should not be used on acidic timbers such as
oak, chestnut and western red cedar. Furthermore,
zinc should not be used in association with western
red cedar shingles, which generate an acidic
discharge. The acidic products from the effect of
ultraviolet radiation on bitumen can cause
corrosion in zinc.
 TITANIUM
Titanium ore is abundant in the earth’s crust,
with reserves well exceeding currently
anticipated demands. The main producing
countries are Russia, USA, Australia and Japan,
although the ores rutile (titanium oxide) and
ilmenite (iron-titanium oxide), are also found in
Europe, China and South America. Originally
isolated in 1887, it was developed for use in the
aerospace industry in the 1950s and has been
used as a building cladding material in Japan for
over thirty years. The Glasgow Science Centre
illustrates titanium’s eye-catching appearance as
a modern construction material.
The ore is treated with chlorine to produce
titanium tetrachloride, which is then purified to
remove other unwanted elements. Treatment with
metallic magnesium or sodium reduces the
titanium tetrachloride to a sponge of titanium
metal, which is then melted under vacuum to
produce solid ingots. Ingots are then forged into
slabs and rolled out into sheet. Where required an
embossed finish can be applied during the final
rolling process. Other sections and forms can be
produced by hot rolling or cold forming as for steel.
Titanium has a high embodied energy; however,
this is to some extent balanced against its life-cycle
costing and ultimate full recycling.
 TITANIUM
Properties and Uses
Titanium is an appropriate material for construction
due to its corrosion resistance. It is resistant to acids
and alkalis, also industrial and marine
environments. Titanium has a density of 4510
kg/m3,intermediate between aluminum (2700
kg/m3) and steel (7900 kg/m3), giving it the
advantage of a good strength-to-weight ratio. It is
less ductile than steel, so hot forming is required for
severe bending. The metal has a modulus of
elasticity half that of steel. Titanium has a low
coefficient of expansion (8.9×10−6), half that of
stainless steel and copper and one third that for
aluminum. This reduces the risk of thermal stress,
and enables titanium sheet roofing to be laid in
longer lengths than other metals.
The use of relatively thin roofing and cladding
panels (0.3–0.4mm) minimizes both the dead load
and the supporting structural system. Titanium with
its very high melting point of 1670◦C can withstand
fire tests at 1100◦C and has been certified as a ‘non-
combustible material’ in Japan for roofing and
cladding. Further applications include facias,
paneling, protective cladding for piers and columns
and three-dimensional artwork.
Durability
The corrosion resistance of titanium arises from its
self-healing and tenacious protective oxide film.
However, rainwater run off from zinc, lead or copper
roofs should be avoided. The Guggenheim Museum
in Bilbao, clad in 32,000m2 of commercially pure
0.3–0.4mm titanium sheet panels, shows some
staining due to lack of protection during the
construction process and also rainwater run-off.
 TITANIUM

Although initially expensive, on a life-cycle basis, Titanium Alloys

due to its low maintenance costs, titanium may Titanium is available as a wide range of alloys
prove to be a highly competitive cladding and classified according to increased corrosion resistance,
roofing material. Already one manufacturer is higher strength or higher temperature resistance.
offering a 100-year guarantee against corrosion However, their current use is mainly confined to
failure in roofing applications. Titanium can cause aerospace, industrial and medical applications. The
the corrosion of contact aluminum, steel or zinc, standard architectural cladding material is 99% pure
but austenitic stainless steel is not affected. titanium
Welding titanium
Titanium may be arc welded, but this requires
the exclusion of air usually by the use of argon
gas shielding. Other welding technologies such
as plasma arc and laser or electron beam are
used for more specialist applications.