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Steel
BUILDING MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTIONbeginner
Definition
An alloy of iron and carbon that is strong in both tension and compression, making it ideal for structural frames, long spans, and slender columns. Structural steel is rolled into standardised sections (I-beams, channels, tubes) and connected by bolts or welds. It is also recyclable.
Example
The Eiffel Tower in Paris (1889) was an early demonstration of structural iron (wrought iron, not steel), but it showed the world that exposed metal frameworks could be architecture.