A combination of different parts or elements that together form a building is called a structure. These parts or elements are usually strong enough to withstand different types of loads. The load-bearing capacity of a building depends on the way its shape is combined. Today, steel structures and walls are the most popular types of building structures. People usually refer to these as “frames and load-bearing walls”.
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What Is a Steel Structure(Steel Framed)?
Steel structure is supported by structural steel components such as beams, columns, and slabs. It can withstand the weight and various lateral loads. In most cases, steel structures are used to withstand large forces and moments that occur when loads are applied. They are also known as beam-column frames.
In a steel structure, loads are transferred vertically from the floor or slab to the steel beams, which are then transferred to the steel columns and finally to the soil. Click here to find out What is the structural loading capacity.
Buildings Multi-storey buildings must be built using steel structures. These are usually used for offices, catering, and public buildings. Common steel structures are metal workshop buildings, metal office buildings, or other large buildings. They have stairs and lifts for people to move around and can take up to 20% of the floor area.
What Is a Load-bearing Structure?
The oldest and most common building structure is the load-bearing structure. In this structure, the roof load and lateral loads (e.g. wind, earthquakes, etc.) are borne by the walls. The walls then transfer these loads to the lower floors and ultimately to the foundation. This building structure is also referred to as a “load-bearing structure”.You may be thinking: Isn’t steel structure very strong? Why do you need a wall to support it? After reading this article on why steel wall bracing is beneficial you may answer that question.
A load-bearing structure is a building with solid brick, stone, or aerated concrete walls that support the entire building. In a load-bearing system, the pressure is transferred vertically from the floor or floor slab to the walls and then from the walls to the load-bearing foundation, i.e. the soil. A load-bearing structure can only be built to a limited height. These are less stable than steel frame buildings.
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What Is the Difference Between a Steel Structure and a Load-bearing Structure?
Steel girders and columns form the “skeleton” of a steel frame building. They transfer the various loads to the supports. The load-bearing walls of the frame bear the weight of the building. Normally these load-bearing walls are made of stone, but they can also be made of reinforced concrete. In this case, the walls transfer the weight to the supports.
There is one major difference between load-bearing structures and steel frame structures: the components that bear the weight and transfer it to the foundation are different. In load-bearing structures, the walls bear the weight. In steel structures, the steel beams and columns bear the weight and transfer it to the foundation.
Here are some of the main differences between steel structures and load-bearing structures.
Seismic Resistance
Steel buildings are more stable and less likely to be damaged by earthquakes. This is because the columns, beams, and slabs form the framework together as a single unit. However, the horizontal load paths need to be clearly defined, planned,d and described.
On the other hand, it is very difficult to construct load-bearing structures that can withstand heavy loads, especially those that can withstand earthquakes. This is because they are made of masonry materials such as stones, bricks, and blocks that are glued together. Therefore, load-bearing structures are less resistant to earthquakes. Load-bearing structures are suitable for building low-rise buildings. However, they also require careful planning and construction.
Wall Thickness and Usable Floor Space
All the walls in a steel-framed building are smaller. In addition, the walls are built after the steel frame is ready. Because the walls in a steel-framed building are smaller, there is more space for laying carpets. For this reason, engineers and builders prefer to use steel structures for large buildings.
On the other hand, load-bearing structures are the earliest type of building used by humans. However, its walls are thicker, and the walls on the lower floors are even thicker. This type of building does not have beams or columns. This is why the walls need to be built first. Because the walls in load-bearing structures are thicker, there is less carpet area available. This means that the carpet area is less efficiently planned. Therefore, this is a type of building that is rarely used in modern society.
Differences in Construction and Labor
Steel construction requires less excavation work. Although it does not require much work, it requires a variety of skills. Therefore, steel construction requires skilled workers. Since steel construction is made of steel, it can be built more quickly.
More excavation work is required for load-bearing structures. Because it is built with stones, bricks, and blocks, it takes longer to build. However, both skilled and unskilled workers can build it.
Differences in Materials
Steel structures use less material and are therefore lighter. As the entire frame is made of steel, it can be affected by corrosion. If the correct techniques are not used and the rules or regulations are not strictly adhered to, the lifespan of a steel structure is reduced.
Load-bearing structures are more material-intensive. This is why they also have a higher static load. However, they use less steel and therefore do not have to be protected against rust. As long as certain rules are not violated, the lifespan of a load-bearing structure does not change significantly.
Wall Evenness
The thickness of the walls in a steel structure can remain the same. As the height increases, the thickness of the walls remains the same. This means that the floor plan dimensions do not change from floor to floor.
With load-bearing structures, not all floors can have the same wall thickness. As the floor height increases, the walls get thicker. This means that the floor plan dimensions are different on each floor.
Design Flexibility
Steel construction is flexible because the position of the walls can be changed. You can make more useful building designs. These areas can be used for a variety of purposes, and there is no need to build walls on top of walls. In addition, steel construction allows large holes to be cut in the walls. You can build any wall anywhere, which makes it easier to use and design.
In terms of construction, load-bearing structures cannot be adjusted. Because you cannot move or remove walls, this reduces its practicality. In load-bearing buildings, walls must be built floor by floor because they carry weight. So you cannot move the walls, which reduces its flexibility of use. And there are certain restrictions on drilling holes in the walls. Because it will affect the light and air circulation entering the building or house.
Complexity of Design
With a steel frame structure, it is not as easy to design as with a load-bearing structure. You need to know how to design it and how to calculate the loads on the steel structure. If you use a steel structure system, you can have larger spans. You can span as large a space as you need. In addition, you can add cantilevered elements to this system.
On the other hand, it is easy to design a building with a load-bearing structure. What you need to be aware of is that it is not easy to add cantilevered elements to this system. And it is not possible to achieve large spans. There are still restrictions on the span or room size.
Differences in Cost
Even if the foundation of a steel structure is deeper, it does not increase the cost by much. For development, steel structures require large tools and equipment. Usually, the steel frame is built first, followed by the exterior and interior walls. This speeds up the construction process.
On the other hand, the foundation of a load-bearing structure costs more than that of a steel frame structure. The load-bearing structure, however, can be built without expensive tools and equipment. In addition, since the walls support the floor slabs or roof, they must be built first. This means that all walls must be built at the same time, which takes more time.
Alterations to Structural Elements
All parts of a steel structure are important, as it is an active structural element. Any alterations to the structural elements may affect the safety of the building. However, you can make alterations to the walls of this type of construction.
The walls are part of the load-bearing structure and cannot be altered. It is important to note that the walls of the load-bearing structure cannot be altered, removed, or damaged.
Summary
In most cases, load-bearing structures are cheaper than steel structures. However, this is only the case if the masonry units used in the load-bearing structure are cheaper than the steel used for the beams and columns in a steel frame structure, and if the foundation depth is between 1 and 2 meters.
Where the building is larger and needs to be constructed in a different way, steel construction is often superior to load-bearing construction. This is the case, for example, when you do not want to build walls on top of walls or when the building spans a large area. Load-bearing construction is only cost-effective if materials such as bricks, stones, and blocks are readily available and affordable. For most buildings, steel construction is therefore stronger, more durable,e and more economical.
