What are the uses of steel structures?

With the acceleration of urban development, steel structuresare becoming increasingly common in projects across the country. Many developers now prefer Steel Structures over traditional concrete structures, citing faster on-site assembly, flexible design options, and the fact that most materials can be recycled upon completion. These advantages have made steel structures a popular choice for residential communities, shopping malls, and modern industrial plants.

In the residential sector, steel structures are becoming increasingly popular. Developers point out that steel-framed homes allow for standardized prefabrication and rapid on-site installation, shortening the overall construction period by 20% to 30%. For example, a new residential complex in Pudong, Shanghai, went from foundation construction to topping out the main structure in just six months, nearly two months faster than a similarly sized concrete project, significantly improving capital turnover and enhancing the living experience.

Steel structures are also widely used in commercial complexes and office building projects. Steel frame structures offer greater interior clearance, reduce the number of load-bearing walls, and facilitate flexible space divisions, meeting the needs of open spaces such as shopping malls and office buildings. Experts at the design institute stated that prefabricated steel structures offer greater precision and generate less noise and dust during construction, meeting modern cities' requirements for green buildings and low public disturbance.

Industrial steel structures have become standard in the industrial and logistics sectors. Steel-structured factories can achieve large spans and small column grids, meeting the requirements for arranging assembly lines and heavy equipment. After adopting prefabricated steel structures, a Guangzhou auto parts production base commenced production two months ahead of schedule, increasing annual production capacity by approximately 15%, significantly enhancing the company's competitiveness.

Steel structures are being widely adopted in municipal and infrastructure projects due to their rapid assembly speed and reliability in complex environments. Today, structures such as bridges, subway stations, and convention and exhibition centers often utilize structural steel to extend their service life and improve seismic performance. In Beijing, a recent upgrade of a subway station employed a customized steel reinforcement solution, shortening the construction period by several weeks and reducing traffic disruptions around the site.

With China's "dual-low carbon" goals driving the country's development, demand for sustainable materials is growing. Steel structures with a recycling rate exceeding 90% help reduce carbon emissions throughout the building's lifecycle. Combining BIM technology and intelligent construction platforms, the design, fabrication, and installation of steel structure projects can be more precise and efficient. This approach not only improves quality control but also helps contractors reduce costs and meet stringent environmental regulations.