Beginners Guide to Steel: Structural Steel

Beginners Guide to Steel: Structural Steel

The latest edition of our beginner’s guide to steel is all about structural steel. An essential material in the design and construction of homes, buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure projects, structural steel is a cornerstone of so many industries.

Here, we delve into the key characteristics of structural steel, the various types available, and their diverse applications in so many industries.

Characteristics of Structural Steel

One of structural steel’s defining features is its high strength-to-weight ratio, which allows it to support heavy loads while remaining relatively lightweight compared to other building materials, like concrete and timber.

Structural steel is also highly ductile, meaning it can undergo significant deformation before failing. This makes it suitable for structures subjected to dynamic forces like strong wind or seismic activity.Its ductility means it can be structural steel can be fabricated into various shapes and sizes, allowing for flexibility in design and construction.

Our extensive range of structural steel

With over 50 years of expertise, we’re a leading supplier of quality structural steel for residential, infrastructure, retail, commercial, education, marine, mining, defence and more.

We specialise in structural steel supply and fabrication, so we’ve got your structural steel needs covered.

Explore the product groups below to find the right steel solution for your next project.

Applications of Structural Steel

Structural steel has completely changed the possibilities of design and construction, particularly when it comes to open-span or long-span designs found in stadiums, bridges, shopping centres, homes, and gymnasiums.

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Whether for aesthetic reasons or practical purposes, structural steel offers an enormous advantage for open and long-span designs because of its strength-to-weight ratio compared with other commonly accessed building products.

Edcon Steel has been involved in many structural steel projects that make the impossible, possible.

Types of Structural Steel

At Edcon Steel, we stock a comprehensive range of structural steel beams, columns, channels, and profiles – all sourced and supplied to meet Australian Standards for structural applications. Our materials are suitable for use in compliance with AS/NZS 5131 (Structural Steel Fabrication and Erection) and AS 4100 (Steel Structures), ensuring your project meets design and regulatory requirements.

If you’re unfamiliar with the various types of structural steel, we’ve developed a Beginner’s Guide to help you select the right product from our range – all backed by mill certification and standard compliance**.

Carbon Steel (To AS/NZS 3679 and AS/NZS 1163)

The most commonly used structural steel in Australia, carbon steel is classified by carbon content and is manufactured to meet rigorous Australian product standards. Low-Carbon Steel (≤ 0.3% Carbon)

• • Excellent weldability and formability

  • Commonly used in general construction and residential framing

  • Conforms with AS/NZS 3679.1 (Hot-rolled steel) and AS/NZS 1163 (Cold-formed structural steel)

Buy steel online. Delivery or In-store pick up.

At Edcon Steel, we’re your one-stop shop for steel. Available for a quote and online purchase 24/7, you can browse over 2,000 steel products. Plus, most of our stocked products can be custom-cut to your requirements, so you only pay for what you need.

Browse our online steel store or search to find the right steel or metal for your next project.