Hello! Welcome to my blog. My name is Col. I live in Perth and I have a passion for construction. I am pretty useless when it comes to construction work so I tend to leave it to the experts. However, I find that there is nothing more pleasing than seeing a team of construction workers complete a job. Over the years, I have hired many different types of construction worker and they have all taken the time to chat with me. During these conversations, I have learnt so pretty interesting things which I will be exploring on this blog. Enjoy!
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Col's Construction Blog
Concrete Tilt-Up Panels Versus Steel: The Ultimate Debate
Ethan Burton
Gone are the days when you had a limited choice of materials for constructing large commercial buildings. Today, you have countless options at your disposal coupled with numerous construction techniques. The pitfall of having so much to choose is the time you will spend deciding the best fit for your project's needs. Heated debates ensue over the best materials to use. Surely, concrete tilt-up panels and steel make the list of debatable items for any investor. The big question focuses on the material you should choose and the benefits it can offer. Read the following piece to understand why concrete tilt-up panels are preferable to steel buildings:
- Building Code Limitations
Building codes are a priority for anyone who wants to invest in a commercial building. You must be compliant to avoid heavy legal fines and penalties. Essentially, building codes refer to the set of standards that your building must meet in order to be compliant with local government laws. Concrete tilt-up panels have a slight advantage when it comes to building codes, especially codes relating to fire safety.
Steel is not a combustible material. However, it can transfer heat and lose structural strength when subjected to certain temperatures. A fire outbreak on one side of a steel wall has the potential to generate extreme heat that will damage property on the opposite side of the wall. On the contrary, concrete tilt-up panels do not have any conductive capacity. A steel wall will cost you to meet fire safety requirements compared to a concrete tilt-up panel.
- Project Location
Project location also affects the choice between concrete tilt-up panels and steel buildings. Setting up a project close to densely populated areas means that you face stricter land use, building, and safety codes. Opting for steel in such cases only increases project costs. On the other hand, concrete tilt-up panels are subject to lesser limitations. For example, they lack conductive capacity, which makes them a top choice for any project in any location. It's no wonder that most densely populated areas have concrete structures while steel buildings dominate the sparsely populated outskirts where safety risks are lower.
- The Durability of the Material
Steel is a metal. It is responsive to many chemical elements present in natural environments. Therefore, steel buildings demand protective coatings to keep prevent rusting, degradation, and weakening. The coatings also need regular maintenance and re-application to ensure that the steel never encounters harmful chemical agents. On the other hand, concrete tilt-up panels are less reactive to moisture when compared to steel. The fact that they do not rust gives them an upper hand against destructive moisture levels. This saves you many maintenance costs.
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