Steel structure

A steel structure carries a building’s loads on a skeleton of steel sections. I, H, box and tube members are cut and drilled in the factory, delivered to site and joined with bolted or welded connections. Industrial buildings, warehouses, sports halls, bridges and tall buildings are its most typical uses. In Turkey the term is çelik konstrüksiyon.

Where steel shines

Steel has a very high strength for its weight. That means wide spans with few columns and flexible interiors. Because most of the fabrication happens in a workshop, time on site is shorter and less exposed to the weather. Members can also be taken down, reused or recycled, which counts for a lot over a building’s life.

What needs attention

• Steel loses strength at high temperatures, so it is protected with intumescent paint, encasement or fire-rated boards.
• Galvanising or a proper paint system is essential against corrosion, particularly in damp or coastal locations.
• Connection details sit at the heart of the design, both structurally and visually.

Exposed steel is a signature of industrial and contemporary architecture. In visualisation, modelling beam profiles, bolted plates and the paint finish correctly makes a structure look both trustworthy and refined.