Materials Used In Beams

Structural Steel 

• Structural steel is an alloy that consists of mainly iron and carbon.
• This material is shaped into many different types of cross-sections on beams.

Advantages

• • High strength/weight ratio.
  • Ductile. Can withstand large plastic deformation before failing.
  • Predictable material properties. 
  • Speed of erection. Installation of steel beams is quick.
  • Ease of repair.
  • Adaptation of prefabrication. Steel can be easily changed during production to fit desired shape, as well it can be mass produced easily.
  • Repetitive use.
  • Expanding existing structure.
  • Fatigue strength.

Disadvantages

• • Cost.
  • Fireproofing. Steel needs to be fireproofed or else the strength of steel will be significantly reduced if a structure is ever on fire.
  • Maintenance. This refers to corrosion, steel needs to be painted regularly so that it is not exposed to water and air.
  • Susceptibility to buckling. Since steel has a high strength to weight ratio they are built slender which makes them susceptible to buckling.

Concrete

• • Concrete is a mixture of water, cement, and aggregates.
  • These components are proportionated to achieve a certain strength of concrete.

Advantages

• • High Compressive strength. Concrete is good at resisting loads which tend to reduce the size of the material these loads are applied onto.
  • High Tensile strength. Concrete can withstand a lot of tensile stress before it fails.
  • Fire resistance.
  • Easily accessible materials.
  • Durability.
  • Moldability. Concrete can easily be molded into any desired shape.
  • Low Maintenance.
  • Economical.
  • Rigidity. Concrete can't be bent out of shape.
  • User-friendliness. Concrete is very easy for anyone to use as it requires less skill.

Disadvantages

• • Long-term storage. Concrete can't be stored once it is mixed so each component must be stored separately.
  • Curing time. Concrete takes approximately a month to cure which can slow down construction if not properly planned for.
  • Cost of forms.
  • Large cross-section. Concrete columns will need to take up a significant amount of room in buildings to be strong enough.
  • Shrinkage. Concrete will shrink causing it to crack over time and lose some of its strength.

Wood

• Wood is an organic material that was very accessible and easy to use for humans to build structures before technology advanced and is still a simple choice for small structural projects for people around their homes.

Advantages

• • Tensile strength. Wood can withstand a lot of tensile stress before it fails.
  • Electrical and heat resistance. 
  • Sound absorption.
  • Locally sourced.
  • Environmentally-friendly.

Disadvantages

• • Shrinkage and swelling. Since wood is a hygroscopic material it absorbs moisture relative to the humidity of the atmosphere which results in wood either swelling or shrinking daily which will impact it's strength and the deformation of the structure it is used in.
  • Deterioration. Biological agents such as fungi and bacteria can cause wood to decay thus losing it's strength, also non-biological agents such as the sun, wind, and water can also cause wood to decay and lose it's strength. [5]