Material Intensity in Construction: S355 Steel Tonnage Reduction

Modern industrial construction is constantly looking for savings, and furthermore, investors must care about sustainable development. In materials engineering, the Material Intensity index plays a key role. It defines the mass of raw material per functional unit of the structure. Therefore, in steel structures, it is worth moving to higher strength classes, such as S355 steel.

1. What is Material Intensity?

The Material Intensity index measures the resource intensity of a project. In the past, using heavy profiles was standard, however, this approach generates high transport costs. What is more, it heavily burdens the natural environment. Dematerialization of structures does not mean abandoning safety, though. Instead, it is about optimizing geometry to carry the same loads with a lower mass. As a result, you can find a rich overview of solutions in our WOST S.A. product offer, as well as in global industry reports, such as those published by the World Steel Association.

2. The Difference Between S235 and S355 Steel

The main driver of tonnage optimization is the yield strength (Re). S235 steel offers a minimum of 235 MPa, while S355 steel reaches up to 355 MPa. Thanks to this, the higher yield strength allows designers to safely reduce the cross-section of elements. As a result, you use less steel for columns or rafter beams. What is more, the entire structure becomes lighter, which in turn directly unloads the building’s foundations.

3. Serviceability Limit State (SLS)

Slimming down structures requires precise design discipline. At this point, the serviceability limit state (SLS) and elastic stiffness are of key importance. Regardless of the chosen steel grade, Young’s modulus (E) remains constant, since it is approximately 210,000 MPa for both materials. This means that an excessive reduction in the cross-section could cause excessive deflections. For this reason, every optimization requires reliable calculations. On the other hand, for preliminary weight estimation, our WOST steel weight calculator will serve you well.

4. Summary

Conscious management of the Material Intensity index is a modern trend that brings real financial savings to the investor. The use of profiles with higher strength parameters reduces raw material consumption, and furthermore improves logistics on the construction site.

Want to find out which profiles will work best for you? Check out our official WOST S.A. catalog. You can also go to the WOST S.A. sales department contact tab, where our experts will help you choose optimal solutions.