By: Martina Celegato
Submitted: 2009-10-05 08:14:11 | Word Count: 515
Steel is a material increasingly used both in building and in households due to its many qualities and variety of solutions offered.
Strength and lightness are the sensations you feel in the immediate vision of the steel structures used in projects of high architectural and engineering value; the quest for new forms and the need for flexibility and "freedom" of the spaces enhance the use of steel in modern construction that will reduce the overall dimensions of the structures and broadening the free lights.
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The ever present need to monitor the sustainability and environmental impact both of industrial processes and realized constructions, and the increasing sensitivity on the part of designers and operators of the sector have made the steel at the top of the ranking of materials used, due to its high recyclability. In addition the ease and speed of assembly on site the prefabricated structures limit the costs of management and supper. The flexibility of steel structures and prefabricated components finally allows the future possibility of upgrading and renovation of spaces, extension, elevation, by means of the dismantling and subsequent reassembly and through the greatest freedom in the formation of joints, supports and stiffeners in place.
The steel find thus a wide use in the building field, where it lends itself to the most diverse and modern projects. A good example of this are the ventilated facades. Walls that certainly excite and at the same time act as real "skin" on the building, a mix of technology and form, they can visually "lighten" the large walls, they can renovate any type of existing infill and give architectural value even to the less valuable building envelope. There are many usable materials such as aluminum sheets and composite type as Alucobond, steel, porcelain steel, copper, cement, glass etc.. and there are also multiple forms of individual elements forming the system, such as trapezoidal or corrugated panels, extrusions, processed panels "cassette" or plans, expanded metal etc.. The proper planning and an appropriate size of the substructure of anchoring are essential to achieve the effect of flatness, verticality and horizontality of the lining of the joints, as it is very important the choice of finishing elements.
The importance of the use of steel in all its various and numerous uses makes it possible to shape and give lightness to the architectural components of the project, essential to the functionality and aesthetics of the entire work.
Moreover, if we speak of an earthquake, it is universally known that the best prevention of earthquake damage is realized by maximizing the use of steel structures. Italy for now is the back marker in the construction of houses and buildings with a metal structure. The reasons are many, lack of adequate education and connection between school and industry. Few companies are dealing with steel construction. Yet the challenge for the future is this.
