With its distinct benefits, steel structures have progressively emerged as one of the major building types in contemporary architecture. Light steel structure frames are among them, and because of their lightweight, excellent strength, and practical design, they are drawing more and more interest and use. This article will define light steel structure frames, discuss their benefits, explain how they vary from heavy steel structure frames, and provide a quick analysis of the benefits and drawbacks of light metal frames.
1. The meaning of a light steel frame construction
The light steel structure frame system, an essential structural form in the light steel system, primarily uses thinner steel plates joined by rivets or welding. This structural system often organizes and splices to create a frame system using H-shaped steel (including hot-rolled and welded H-shaped steel), other special-shaped cross-section steel, or even cold-bent square tube construction components. Light steel structure frames are extensively utilized in light steel homes, light steel villas, and the ground floor of civil residences in addition to being appropriate for industrial structures including steel structure factories, office buildings, warehouses, and stadiums.
2. Benefits of a lightweight steel framework
- Lightweight, strong, and well-performing seismically: The low weight of the light steel structural frame may effectively mitigate the effects of earthquakes and enhance seismic performance. Its light weight simultaneously lowers the foundation’s cost and lowers the requirements for the foundation’s bearing capacity.
- Simple node connections, flexible design, easy installation, and comfortable construction all contribute to the light steel structure frame system’s ability to expedite construction. A three-story residential structure may often be finished in one month, including design, manufacture, construction, and installation.
- Elegant and useful, excellent use of available space: The wall construction is regular, and buildings with rich, colorful facades may be planned to meet the demands of their intended users. The pipes are buried in the wall and floor construction, which increases the space utilization rate and allows future inspection and maintenance.
- Energy conservation and environmental protection: Cold-bent thin-walled steel, which consumes less steel and can be recycled, is the primary material used in the light steel construction. Recycling the garbage produced by on-site activities also satisfies energy and environmental conservation criteria.
- Comfortable living: New construction materials, which are non-combustible, insect-proof, moisture-proof, and have excellent heat and sound-insulating qualities, are used in lightweight steel frame homes. They make nice homes to call home.
3. The benefits and drawbacks of thin metal frames
Benefits
high strength and low weight: The construction performs better overall because of the high strength and low weight of the metal material.
Resistance to corrosion: The metal frame that has been properly treated is resistant to corrosion and has a longer lifespan.
Simple to work with: Metal products may be easily worked into a variety of sizes and forms to suit a range of construction requirements.
Drawbacks:
High cost: The cost of constructing metal frames may be somewhat greater than that of timber constructions.
High thermal conductivity: Thermal insulation measures should be taken very carefully since metal materials have a strong thermal conductivity.
Low temperature brittleness: Steel loses some of its hardness and flexibility in cold climates, increasing the possibility of low temperature brittle fracture.
4. How light and heavy steel building frames vary from one another
Weight and load-bearing capacity: While heavy steel structure frames use thicker steel plates and have a high load-bearing capacity, which makes them suitable for high-rise buildings and large-span structures that must bear larger loads, light steel structure frames use thinner steel plates and are lighter in weight.
Construction difficulty and cost: Because of its heavy weight, heavy steel structure frames require large construction machinery and equipment for transportation and installation, which increases their construction difficulty and cost. In contrast, light steel structure frames are simple to build, take less time to complete, and are relatively inexpensive.
Application scope: Light steel structure frame is extensively used in industrial plants, warehouses, light steel villas, etc.; whereas heavy steel structure frame is more employed in high-rise buildings, bridges, huge plants, etc.
Because of its distinct benefits, light steel structural frames have found a position in the area of contemporary building. As technology continues to progress and the demands for building continue to change, there will be more opportunities for light steel structure frames to be used.
