Steel structure housing refers to housing built with steel as the main structural material and combined with new enclosure materials such as lightweight wall panels. Since the completion of the first steel structure high-rise building in Chicago, USA in 1883, steel structure housing has a long history in the world. In China, the rise of steel structure housing has been accompanied by reform and opening up and the increase in steel production, especially after 1997, steel production exceeded 100 million tons, but the proportion of steel used in steel structure construction to total steel production is still relatively low. To this end, the state has taken a number of measures to encourage the use of steel structures in construction projects.
- Advantages of steel structure buildings
- Lightweight and good earthquake resistance: Steel structure houses are about 30% lighter than traditional buildings, and steel has good ductility, performs well in earthquakes, and has good earthquake resistance.
- Low foundation cost: The total weight of steel structure houses is relatively light, which reduces the cost of foundation engineering, and has the advantages of fast construction speed and low overall cost.
- High space utilization: The design of steel structure houses is more flexible, which can better meet the requirements of large bays, and the effective use area can be increased by about 6%.
- High comprehensive benefits: Steel structure houses have a competitive advantage in investment returns and market prospects due to their short construction period, fast return on investment, and space saving.
- Green and environmentally friendly: Steel can be 100% recycled, combined with new environmentally friendly materials, in line with the concept of sustainable development, and have the reputation of “green building”
- Disadvantages of Steel Structure Houses
- Complex construction: The construction procedures of steel structures are relatively complex, and it is difficult to analyze the causes when problems occur. For example, the treatment of welding cracks requires professional judgment.
- Poor fire resistance: The fire resistance time of steel structures is relatively short. Even after treatment, it is still far inferior to the fire resistance of traditional building materials.
- Low social recognition: In China, the public’s acceptance of steel structure houses is still low, and market promotion faces challenges.
- Insufficient technology and talent: The technology of steel structure houses has not yet fully matured, and there is a shortage of relevant technical personnel and skilled workers on construction sites in China, which has hindered the rapid development of the industry.
- Future development prospects
As steel companies continue to develop special steels such as fire-resistant and weather-resistant steels, the technology and materials of steel-structured houses are also constantly improving. At the same time, the advancement of steel-structured building technology and the improvement of industry standards will further promote its industrialization process. Due to its environmental protection and sustainability, steel-structured houses will occupy an important position in the construction market in the future and will become the mainstream development direction of residential structural systems.
