A steel building is a metal structure with steel for the exterior cladding and internal support. Such buildings are used for a variety of purposes including storage, office space, and living space. They have evolved into specific types depending on how they are used.
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Steel buiildings first gained popularity in the early 20th century. Their use became more widespread during World War II and significantly expanded after the war, when steel became more available. In the last few decades, steel buildings have become more common as their capabilities have expanded with improved designs due to the availability of computer-aided design (CAD) programs.
Some common types of steel buildings are straight-walled, arch, and clearspan. The terms straight-walled and arch refer to the outside shape of the building. Steel arch buildings are the most cost-effective and structurally sound. They are commonly used in the agricultural industry. Straight-walled buildings provide more usable space as compared to arch buildings. They are also easier to blend into existing architecture. Straight-walled buildings are commonly used for office space. The term clearspan refers to the internal construction. Clearspan steel buildings utilize stronger overhead support beams, thus reducing the need for supporting internal columns. Clearspan steel buildings can be used to store large commercial aircraft or as public arenas.
The modern steel building is composed of many individual segments that have evolved over time. With the recent benefit of CAD, steel buildings have become much safer. The maximum wind load and snow load in particular have increased with the more accurate calculations provided by CAD. These advances have also led to a more efficient manufacturing process as most steel buildings are prefabricated. The smaller prefabricated steel buildings are simple enough to be constructed by anyone. The larger steel buildings require professional construction workers to ensure proper assembly.