Steel structures – pros and cons

Steelwork structures in the form of steel buildings are solutions that have been steadily gaining popularity among companies in various industries already for a long time. However, needless to say that even steel building construction has both advantages and disadvantages. We will discuss the key benefits and risks associated with constructing a steel building.

Steel building structure: what it it?

Steelwork structures used in industrial construction are structures that are a combination of the primary load-bearing structure components in the form of columns and frame rafters with a secondary framing consisting of roof purlins and wall rafters. The primary structure components play a role of transferring various types of load to the foundations, while the secondary steelwork supports lightweight cladding for the purpose of adequate thermal and acoustic insulation for a separated steel building interior. Cold-formed or hot-rolled profiles are most commonly used as the individual components of a steel building structure. They are selected for the construction of a particular steel building depending on the loads transferred by the structure, which define the sections of the steel profiles implemented during construction.

Constructing industrial buildings: why steel?

Steel is the primary construction material used in the erection of steel buildings. It is used on such a large scale in the construction of industrial structures because of the refined steel manufacturing and steel processing technology. The high performance properties are also relevant and compare well with other solutions available on the market for this type of application. Steel structures are unique with their significantly higher strength parameters and tensile and compressive resistance when compared with concrete or reinforced concrete structures. A steel building that is well designed, constructed and protected against corrosion, can successfully serve for many years without being exposed to the harmful effects of the outside conditions.

Steel building: why is it worth it?

Production, warehouse or agricultural buildings are an extremely popular type of structures, which are built using modern technology and carefully selected components. The process of creating steel buildings and the resulting steel structures come therefore with a number of benefits which include

• easy, fast and convenient construction
• high tensile, compressive, shear and bending strengths of steel building structures,
• transfer of large loads with relatively small dimension components,
• constant mechanical properties over time,
• low dead weight,
• easy transport of the components of the structure,
• high functionality and convenient execution of a number of works,
• low susceptibility to aggressive external effects,
• low susceptibility to temperature variations and lack of thermal expansion phenomenon,
• going ahead with construction regardless of the weather conditions,
• immediate operation of the steel building after its construction,
• possible extensions and making changes after its construction,
• possible modifications to the steel building and adapting it to the nature of a business,
• easy repair of any damage that may occur,
• neat appearance,
• ease of maintenance,
• low capital costs.

The set of advantages that steel structures have makes them readily used for a range of applications by both smaller and larger manufacturing, agricultural, transport or sales companies.

Steel building construction – what to look out for?

The steel structure building is not a solution without drawbacks, but fortunately there are not many. When deciding to build a steel structure, it is worth bearing in mind that it may be exposed to the following dangers:

• Formation of corrosion. Corrosion is a problem to which the entire structure of an industrial steel building is exposed if it has not been adequately protected. To get a rust-proof solution, care should be taken to ensure that the steel building manufacturer has chosen to implement solutions to protect the structure from dangerous external influences.

• Low fire resistance. Steel structures are not combustible, but have low fire resistance if special precautions are not taken. Therefore, the construction of steel buildings requires the implementation of fire protection measures to avoid dangerous situations.

• Lack of sound- and heat-insulating properties. Steel structures do not provide sound- and heat-insulating properties on their own, but many manufacturers of modular buildings create structural solutions with cladding systems that have these properties.

• Difficult transport. Transporting the individual components of a steel building proves to be quite troublesome due to the need to adequately protect them from damage. However, most of the issues with steel structures can be solved, and the advantages of this type of buildings definitely outweigh the drawbacks.

Applications of steel buildings

A steel building is a versatile solution with a wide variety of designs and applications that are appreciated in modern industrial construction. This type of facilities are used for numerous applications. Steel structures are most often used as steel frame buildings for storage, production, commerce, agriculture, sports, and as workshops or hangars.

Choosing a steel building manufacturer – what to look for?

The construction of steel buildings is a service that has become extremely sought-after by companies in need of additional working space or space for storing various types of equipment and products. Manufacturers of steel structures meet the expectations of their customers and are relying on modern solutions more and more frequently to deliver high-end steel buildings with excellent technical performance. However, in order to choose the best available solution, it is worth paying attention to issues such as the company’s experience and the projects it has completed to date. Qualifications, knowledge and skills of the steelwork fabricator’s staff are also key factors. One of the Polish companies providing high-quality services in the design and pre-engineering of steel structures is KOBEX. It supplies steel buildings and large-area steelwork canopies that comply with both the client’s individual expectations and European standards. The construction solutions proposed by KOBEX are created using state-of-the-art software, extensive machinery and first-class construction materials. This translates into robustness and resistance to operational damage on the part of steel buildings that can be successfully used for many years in a specific application.