Steel - structural material of the Modern Era - from cast iron to high-strength, weldable structural steel

Steel construction underwent a very dynamic development in the first half of the 20(th) century. As the first of the modern construction methods, it had to create essential foundations in many areas. The diverse fields of application, such as skeleton constructions, diverse hall and bridge constructions, domes, masts, large containers and much more, demanded safe, reliable and economical solutions for the most varied requirements. Steel as a material has opened up significant opportunities for Moderne and has impressively shaped this epoch. The production of acid Bessemer steel (1855) and acid Siemens-Martin steel (1865) formed the basis for decisive advances in the quality of the material. Mass production of structural steel began, and the quality of the material reached a new level. At the end of the 1930s, the basic range of structural steels was established. The technology of steel processing with hydraulic shears and presses with over 1 000 t pressure allowed very effective production by the end of the 19th century. After the turn of the century oxyacetylene cutting torches, compressed air tools and electrically operated tools quickly found their way into the production process. Steel structures always have been produced on an industrial basis. Riveting was the dominant joining technique at the end of the 19(th) century. In the 1920s, welding technology began to establish itself seriously. This made new, structurally clear, material- and production-effective details and assemblies possible.