Steel beams

Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon.  

Advantages
  • Its strength to weight ratio is the highest of any residential building material allowing it to  span
    large distances gracefully and economically.  In single story buildings, rolled beams can provide
    clear spans of over 150 feet while using trussed or lattice construction can stretch this closer to
    500 feet.
  • Because of its ductility, it can be engineered to better withstand hurricanes and earthquakes.
  • It is dimensionally stable. Unlike other materials that shrink, expand, warp and twist with age to
    cause settlement cracks or floor squeaks that require builders to make costly repairs.
  • Curving and bending is possible in ways that were never thought possible before. Curves using
    steel beams bent to a certain radius or segmented curves or combinations of both can create
    members that follow the outlines of irregular facades, arches or domes.
  • Because structural steel is lighter than other framing materials, it needs a smaller and simpler
    foundation. This reduces both cost and the time spent on construction.
  • Steel is the only material allowing the structure strength to be increased economically once built
  • Non-composite steel beams can be made composite with floor slab
  • Cover plates may be added to the beams for increased strength.
  • Additional steel may be bolted or welded to existing steel framework.
  • Beams and girders can be easily reinforced, supplemented with
     additional framing or even relocated to support changed loads
Disadvantages
  • Most residential contractors are less familiar with steel than with wood,
    sometimes necessitating a learning curve
  • As most steel applications in residential construction are only for several
    of the long spans, the hybrid steel-wood structure introduces several
    more processes (off site fabrication, on-site setting, field welding, etc)
    and hence typically increases the total construction schedule