2025-01-10    253

　　The trend of future housing development leaning towards steel structures is both inevitable and indicative of advancements in science, technology, and human civilization. Many people are curious about what materials steel structure houses are made of. Let's explore together.

　　1.Primary Structural Components Materials

　　Steel sections are divided into hot-rolled steel sections and high-frequency welded steel sections. Currently, they are the preferred materials for developing steel structure residential buildings in China. However, they have the disadvantages of high steel consumption and difficult node processing. Among them, light steel keels have smaller cross-sectional dimensions and poorer fire resistance, which require detailed explanations in structural design. As load-bearing structural support members, light steel keels lack design experience in domestic applications. Therefore, research on their nodes, mechanical calculation methods for support systems, and software development should be prioritized.

　　2.Wall Framework Materials

　　In European and American steel structure houses, the frameworks (internal walls, external walls, ceilings) are made of light steel keels, which are commonly used in office building renovations in China. The main characteristic of this protective support system is the use of diagonal braces. This structure mainly coordinates with the external wall panel system. Since the external wall panels and decorative panels of Japanese steel structure houses are integrated, and each unit has a small surface area that cannot support the wall, diagonal braces are needed to enhance support.

　　3.Lightweight Wall Materials

　　The walls of foreign light steel villas use light steel (or wooden) keels, light steel wallboards, along with thermal insulation, sound insulation, and waterproof materials.

　　Fire-resistant gypsum board is currently the most widely used interior wallboard both domestically and internationally, especially in office building renovations. Waterproof gypsum board can be used as wallboards in kitchens and bathrooms. Low-density cement fiberboard can be used as both interior and exterior wallboards. Oriented strand board has good processability and impact resistance, and is mainly used for exterior walls in the United States. A few manufacturers in China already produce it.

　　4.Waterproof Materials

　　Foreign residential exterior walls are covered with one-way water-permeable and breathable paper, which China currently cannot produce. High-density cement fiberboard is widely used in European and American homes due to its easy installation and maintenance, but the production equipment is expensive, and there are no domestic manufacturers. Polyvinyl chloride board is also widely used in European and American homes, but there are no domestic manufacturers. It is easy to install, maintain, and manufacture, so the domestic plastics industry can easily develop this type of product.

　　5.Roofing (Tiles)

　　Ceramic tiles, traditional building materials, are heavy and have complex installation processes, making them unsuitable for steel structure houses. Cement color tiles are produced and used in steel structure residential buildings in China. High-density cement fiberboard tiles are lightweight and easy to install, and are commonly used in foreign steel structure houses. However, the production equipment and processes are complex, and waterproofing and weather resistance cannot be guaranteed. There is no domestic production capacity. The main materials for steel structure residential roofs are metal tiles, which are lightweight and easy to install. The production equipment and processes are simple, but rust prevention and weather resistance are technical challenges.

　　6.Doors, Windows, and Stairs

　　Domestically produced ordinary doors and windows can basically meet market demand in terms of quality, specifications, and varieties. High-end doors and windows need to be imported. There are joint ventures in China that produce sloping roof windows and assemble high-end garage doors.

　　7.Floor Composition Materials

　　Since steel structure houses are an extension of wooden structure houses, wooden boards are commonly used as floorboards in foreign steel structure houses. Currently, the application of wooden boards in China faces two issues: a shortage of timber resources and conflicts with existing fire safety regulations.

　　Composite floorboards are mainly used in multi-story and high-rise buildings. Their application in low-rise residential buildings is limited due to material scarcity and higher costs. Autoclaved lightweight aerated concrete (ALC) floorboards are widely used in Japan and can be produced in China.