Iron+&+Steel

Interactive materials lab

Steel The ingredients of steel are iron with a touch of carbon. Steel is one of strongest materials used in construction, strong in compression and tension (although more in tension). However, it is rusted and it lost strength in extremely high temperatures.  

Cast Iron The ingredients of cast iron are iron with lots of carbon. It is molded to any shape and it is strong in compression. However, it is weaker than steel in tension and it is broken without warning. Some applications are: Arch bridges, cannons and historic domes. One example is the iron bridge in Shopshire, England. Some applications are: Applications cables in suspension bridges, trusses, beams and columns in skyscrapers and roller. One example is the Sears tower in Chicago, Illinois. 



In architecture, the construction materials aren't only equivalent to the resource for buildings. They also represent a design element and if the architect has appropriate knowledge s/he can get an impressive result to aesthetic level. Each architectural design, according to its use, context, proposal of form and space, is more associated to a material than to another. The Barcelona Pavilion, for example, if constructed with bricks (and not with steel, glass and marble) would not cause the same wonder.  Therefore, it is important that the architect has knowledge of the properties of the materials and s/he should acquire the ability to make sustainable and harmonious combinations. Only in this way s/he can use materials in accordance with the concept of design. There are construction materials that are directly taken from nature, such as stone. These extractions are made in quarries. There are other construction materials that are product of mixing various materials, such as concrete, ashlar masonry and rubble.