The skeleton of the building, as the main part of the structure, is made vertically and horizontally. The vertical parts are the same columns and foundations that have the task of transferring the load of the upper structures to the lower structures. Horizontal structures also form roofs and adjacent walls that bear the load and weight of the building. Engineers use different materials such as metal and concrete to frame the building. Metal is considered one of the most popular materials due to its high resistance to external forces such as wind and earthquake. Because concrete is highly durable against pressure, it is considered one of the most popular building materials for the construction of building structures.
Nowadays, with the advancement of technology and the modernization of materials, building structures are made with composites, alloy metals, new mixed concretes and also polycarbonate parts. It is obvious that the strength of the structure and bearing the weight of more floors with new materials will be several times that of structures with traditional materials. Engineers, with the help of special software, design and calculate the shape and parts of the structures precisely to obtain the optimal model of the desired structure based on standard models and formulas.
Types of building structures
Building structures are divided into different types based on the construction technology and bearing the incoming loads, as well as the materials with which the structure is made:
Structures with traditional materials
These structures are built using clay and bricks. Therefore, they do not bear high weight. In fact, one of the criteria of the statistical centers for measuring the wear and tear of the building fabric is to check the number of buildings that are built with clay and bricks. The maximum number of floors allowed to build a brick structure is two floors.
Concrete building structure
The main material of this structure is concrete, sand. Concrete structures are much more resistant to harsh environmental conditions than structures made with other materials. Concrete has high plasticity. For this reason, this material is used in the construction of various concrete structures such as bridges, columns, etc. in different forms. Concrete structures are also very resistant to heat. For example, reinforced concrete is very durable when exposed to heat equivalent to 1000 degrees Celsius, and it takes an hour for the temperature of the steel inside, which is covered with a 2.5 cm layer of concrete, to reach 500 degrees Celsius.
In general, concrete structures are among the strongest and most practical types of structures. These structures show acceptable performance in various weather conditions. Today, with the advancement of technology, examples of lightweight concrete structures have been offered, which allow the construction of taller and lighter apartments.
Steel structures of the building
The main material of this structure, which is used to bear loads and transfer them to the underlying structures, is steel. The connections used in the steel structure are welded, riveted or bolted, and depending on the type of connection, relevant controls are performed. Steel structures are among the most widely used types of engineering structures. Today, many high-rise residential buildings, commercial towers, industrial sheds and suspension bridges are built with steel frames. It is interesting to know that the only fierce competitor of steel in the construction of structures is reinforced concrete or reinforced concrete.
In the traditional model of steel construction, first the steel parts are transported to the workshop and cut there. Then they are connected by welding. In new methods, after a detailed map of the structure and its parts is drawn in specialized civil engineering software, steel parts with very precise sizes are made in the factory. Then these prefabricated parts are transferred to the workshop and are connected by special bolts and nuts.
Industrial structures
An industrial structure is a structure whose skeleton is made using steel and is used for industrial purposes such as building sheds, small and large workshops, factories and warehouses. Steel, which is considered one of the most widely used construction materials, is also present in industrial structures. Since shed construction and industrial metal structures are very sensitive and require a lot of strength and stability, steel should be used as the main cornerstone of construction.
New industrial structures focus more on innovative and modern products. . Products such as composites or a combination of various materials, which in addition to high strength and durability, are also very light weight.