Structural steel is the foundation on which almost all buildings over two stories tall are built. If the steel used in constructing these buildings is not sound, the buildings will not be sound either. Moreover, buying low-quality or poorly made structural steel is a recipe for disaster, so how do you know that you have purchased sound steel? When all of the following have been done, you have good, strong, sound steel with which to construct any number of stories in any sort of building.
The Steel Has Been Tempered More Than Once
Steel tempered in fire becomes stronger and stronger each time. It cannot break easily if it has been fully and properly tempered. Be sure to ask your industrial structural steel fabrication company how many times they have tempered the steel they make for construction purposes, and what the tensile strength is after each tempering.
The Steel Has Very Little to No Carbon in It
Higher concentrations of carbon in steel make it more brittle, regardless of the tempering. Blacksmiths of old did not know this for centuries until after the Crusades brought back secrets of steel "recipes" that reduced certain compounds in the production of steel. Now all steel that has to be extremely strong contains little to no carbon in it so that the steel will neither crumble nor break under the weight applied by multiple strikes or multiple weights (i.e., stories of a building) on top of it.
Samples of the Steel Products for You Have Been Rigorously Tested
Steel manufacturers do not just assume that the structural steel they make for consumers is sound. They test it. They put samples of the steel products made for you and your project through many tests of strength and durability to ensure that it will withstand all the weight that it is expected to support when formed into I-beams and steel building components.
A Structural Engineer Is Involved in the Process
Structural steel fabrication requires numerous hypothetical and factual calculations. To conduct this work, these companies typically hire structural engineers. The engineers inform these steel companies exactly how much of each element to add to the crucible during the smelting process and how thick each product has to be to properly support the buildings into which these steel products will be built. If no structural engineer was involved at all, nor was any consulted, you might want to reconsider buying your steel from that company.
For more information on industrial structural steel fabrication, consult a resource in your area.
