Michael Dang

Post #2

Steel Beams

The steel beam is one of the most prized innovations in the modern field of civil engineering. Many engineers use it to form buildings and large skyscrapers since it is a very reliable and trusted material that can support enormous weights while withstanding large forces of pressure that hammer down upon it. Upon the discovery of it’s use, it opened up a new way to structure buildings and changed the perception of what materials could be used.

Throughout history, buildings were formed in many different ways. The Greeks and many other civilizations used large stones to build temples and key buildings in their cities. Bricks were used to make sturdy castles that acted as a fortress for a king and his people. Concrete was eventually discovered as well, and it was used to make pavement and sturdy tablets.

However, these materials are very limited in a sense. They can only withstand forces that cause compression, and they can’t withstand forces caused by tension. Compressing forces are forces that causes an object to shorten in the direction of the force, while tension forces cause an object to lengthen in the direction of the force. So if a large tension force is applied to a stone, brick, or concrete, it would break and give the impression that these durable materials are brittle.

This is where the innovation of steel beams comes into play. By mixing a steel beam in the form of rods with concrete, this would give concrete the missing property it needs. The combination of the two enable a material that resists both tension and compression at the same time, thus creating a material that is stronger than stones, bricks, and concrete. It is a modern innovation that allows for the skyscrapers of today. 

In the field today, steel beams are generally very expensive. They cost a lot more due to it’s high value and use compared to other materials. But without it, the world wouldn’t be the same today. There wouldn’t be the Empire State Building, the Eiffel Tower, or the Brooklyn Bridge. It helps to tie the knot on our ever-expanding civilization that is growing in the field of science and technology, helping us to explore new realms upon which new discoveries can be explored.