Iron+and+Steel

Chatlog Iron and Steel Ana, Andrea and Erick

Andrea: Hey guys! I wanted to talk to you about the advantages of iron and steel over stone and brick. Iron and steel are cheaper, can form better and stronger structures, can produce more support allowing indoor and outdoor design, can be molded, are stronger in compression, can be produced in an big variety of forms, etc. I’m turning into a big fan of iron and steel.

Erick: Yeah, but one of greatest negative aspects of steel is its susceptibility to corrosion (its fast oxidation).To prevent this, the steel structures should be isolated as long as possible of water and air, and make it a constant maintenance. Also be protected from fire, since it is not resistant to exaggerated temperatures, unlike the iron.

Ana: Hey! I agree with you, iron and steel became so important after the 20th century that many of the best and tallest buildings of that time are built with them and they still stand nowadays beautiful and tall, and right now it is used to make almost anything, from the structure to the decoration of a building. They are heavy and expensive although they are cheaper than stone, but that doesn’t matter when you finally see the result.

Erick: Girls, Did you read about welding? The reading says that was developed in the 20th century. I think that ironwork's technique is relatively new. It is very important in architecture because with handled iron and steel we can create harder and more stable structures in columns, beams and frames, as more detailed elements such as locks or dishwasher. Welding creates new forms too, without it the geometry of iron and steel in architecture and other areas would be very limited!

 Ana: Right, I adore the way Frank Gehry managed the steel for the Los Angeles concert hall, I think it wouldn’t be possible without the proper welding.

Erick: I agree with you Ana. I'm impressed of the variety of shapes that are made with steel: plates, angles, I beams, and U-shaped channels. Would be great if one day I try to do any of these!

Andrea: Hey! I know the solution for the iron and steel weakness, aluminum and stainless steel are less susceptible to be corroded, and neither of them is a heavy metal so at least they can be used at facades so it keeps looking brilliant with the time, no matter the weather. They are very light metals. The aluminum alloys are obtained by a mixture of other elements like copper, ​​zinc, manganese, magnesium or silicon; they have low density (in comparison with other materials). And steel alloys also are a mixture, of nickel, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum, magnesium, silicon, tungsten, cobalt, etc. These alloys improve the qualities of the final material, and give weather resistance.