Glossary
Steel Construction Glossary
New to steel buildings or researching your next project? Our Steel Building Glossary explains common steel construction terms, components, materials, and engineering terminology to help you better understand how pre-engineered steel buildings are designed and built.
A36 STEEL: A common structural steel grade used in building construction, known for its good weldability and strength.
ANCHOR BOLT: Bolts used to attach structural elements to concrete; these hold the steel framework to the building foundation.
ANNEALING: A heat treatment process that softens steel, improving its ductility and relieving internal stresses.
BEAM: A structural member that resists loads primarily by bending. Beams support loads from floors, ceilings, or roofs.
BEARING PLATE: A metal plate that distributes the load from a column or beam to a supporting structure, like a foundation.
BOLTED CONNECTION: A joint where steel members are connected using bolts, commonly used in steel framing.
BRACING: Structural elements, often in an X or K shape, used to
reinforce and stabilize a steel structure against lateral forces like
wind or earthquakes.
CAMBER: A slight, upward curvature built into beams to compensate for downward deflection under loads.
CAST IRON: Iron-carbon alloy with a high carbon content, which makes it brittle but useful in some architectural elements.
COLD-FORMED STEEL: Steel shaped at room temperature, which increases its strength. Used primarily for smaller, non-load-bearing structural members.
COLUMN: A vertical structural member designed to carry compressive loads, such as those from beams or floors.
COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTION: Construction using more than one material, such as steel and concrete, to create a stronger structure.
DEAD LOAD: The permanent load on a structure, including the weight of the structure itself and any permanently attached fixtures.
DEFLECTION: The degree to which a structural element bends
or deforms under load.
ERECTION: The process of assembling steel components on-site to form a structure.
ELASTICITY: The ability of steel to return to its original shape after being deformed by a load.
END PLATE: A plate welded to the end of a steel member for bolted connections to other components.
FABRICATION: The process of cutting, shaping, and assembling steel parts for use in construction.
FATIGUE: Weakening of steel due to repeated loading, which can lead to fractures or failure over time.
FLANGE: The horizontal elements of an I-beam or other beam type, which bear most of the load.
FLOOR DECKING: Steel sheets used to support floors and transfer loads to steel beams.
GALVANIZATION: The process of applying a zinc coating to steel to prevent rust.
GUSSET PLATE: A flat plate used to reinforce the connection between structural members, such as in trusses or bracing.
HSS (HOLLOW STRUCTURAL SECTION): Hollow steel shapes, like square, rectangular, or round sections, used as structural elements.
HIGH STRENGTH STEEL: Steel with greater tensile strength, allowing for stronger but lighter construction.
I-BEAM: A steel beam with an I-shaped cross-section, commonly used in structural frameworks.
IMPACT LOAD: Sudden load applied to a structure, like wind gusts or moving vehicles.
JOIST: Horizontal structural members that support loads and are typically used in floor and ceiling construction.
K-BRACING: Bracing configuration in the shape of the letter “K” to help stabilize frames against lateral forces.
LATERAL LOAD: Forces acting horizontally on a structure, such as wind or seismic forces.
LOAD-BEARING WALL: A wall that supports weight from above in addition to its own weight.
MOMENT CONNECTION: A type of joint where the beam and column are rigidly connected, allowing the structure to resist bending forces.
MODULUS OF ELASTICITY: A measure of a material's elasticity; in steel, it defines its ability to deform and then return to its original shape.
NEUTRAL AXIS: The line within a beam where no tension or compression occurs when the beam is bent.
OPEN WEB STEEL JOIST: (OWSJ) Lightweight, truss-like structure used in roofs and floors to support loads across long spans with minimal weight.
PILE: Long structural elements driven into the ground to support foundations, especially in soft soil conditions.
POST-TENSIONING: A method of applying tension to steel strands in concrete after it has cured, increasing strength.
QUENCHING: Rapid cooling of steel to increase its hardness, usually by immersing it in oil or water.
REINFORCED CONCRETE: Concrete strengthened with embedded steel bars or mesh to improve tensile strength.
ROLLED STEEL: Steel that has been shaped in large mills into I-beams, channels, or other structural shapes.
SHEAR: A force that acts perpendicular to the length of a structural member, potentially causing one part to slide over another.
SHEAR WALL: A wall designed to resist lateral forces, like wind or seismic forces, in steel and concrete buildings.
SLAB: A flat, horizontal surface, often made of concrete and reinforced with steel, used as flooring in steel buildings.
TENSILE STRENGTH: The maximum stress steel can withstand while being stretched or pulled before breaking.
TRUSS: A framework of triangular sections used to support roofs, bridges, and other large spans.
ULTIMATE LOAD: The maximum load a structural member can support before failure occurs.
UNDERCUTTING: Occurs when part of a welded joint is melted away during welding, weakening the joint.
VIERENDEEL TRUSS: A truss without diagonal elements, relying on rectangular frame shapes, used in steel frames.
VIBRATION: Oscillations that can occur in steel structures due to external forces like traffic or machinery.
W-BEAM: A wide-flange beam used in construction, especially suited for heavy loads.
WELDING: The process of fusing two steel components together using high heat, often used to form strong, seamless joints.
YIELD STRENGTH: The stress at which steel begins to deform permanently.
Z-SECTION: A type of steel profile shaped like a "Z," often used in purlins or other secondary structural members.