Stainless steel plays a major role in modern day society, with endless applications. It is incredibly durable and non-corrosive, providing long-term performance with minimal maintenance.
The following properties make stainless steel a material that will last and therefore be beneficial to many construction applications:
- Strong – High Tensile Strength
- Durable – Abrasive Resistant
- Stable – Corrosion Resistant
- Malleable – Mechanical properties changed
- Conductive – Carries an electrical current
- Non-Magnetic – Improved Weldability
- Surface Finish – Stays clean for longer
Stainless Steel can be manufactured into the following to deliver both function & form:
- Woven Mesh utilised to screen, sieve and separate
- Welded Mesh used for its mechanical strength & chemical properties
- Perforated Sheets are used for their lightweight architectural forms
- Coil Wire is used for its stable & conductive properties
When Stainless Steel is manufactured in the above, it is commonly used in the construction industry, for the following applications:
Particularly in wet areas due to the following:
- Less corrosion allowance for stainless steel
- Less concrete cover is required due to lower corrosion rates
- Less steel is required due to higher strength
Gabion Mesh
Commonly installed as sea walls to protect against erosion as:
- Less rock is required to protect coastal areas (v.s. no gabion)
- Spirals made of the same material that avoid galvanic corrosion
- More structure that reduces the likelihood of human interactions
Woven Mesh
Protection against bushfires as:
- Mesh diffuses flame and lowers the temperature on non-fire side
- Mesh screens embers from passing
- Mesh reflects radiant heat and lowers protects against window cracking
Roof Safety Mesh
Protect against falls and stainless steel is:
- Excellent resistance to humid areas
- Excellent resistance to corrosive environments
Louvre Mesh
It protects your assets and stainless steel has the following properties:
- Excellent Strength that keeps animals out, particularly birds
- Excellent open area by wire diameter allowing good airflow
- Excellent open area that allows light through
Tracer Wire
To protect critical infrastructure as it has:
- Excellent Tensile strength
- Excellent corrosion resistance
- Excellent conductivity
The benefits of using Stainless Steel in Construction are:
- Long Asset Life
- Low Maintenance Costs
- Greater Asset utilisation (less disruption)
- Remains Cleaner for longer (and more attractive)
- Easy substitution process from current materials
While the unit costs of using stainless steel in construction over traditional materials is slightly higher, the benefits far outweigh these one-off costs. In a world where we are transiting toward sustainability, lowering our carbon footprint and improving asset life is helping us take giant steps to achieve this goal.
