Why Aluminum May Be a Vital Building Material

Aluminum may be a vital building material due to the following reasons:

 

First, aluminium bridge deck is 80% lighter than concrete, and it also can provide extra width and capacity of the bridge without strengthening the supporting bridge components. Corrosion-resistance aluminum alloy bridge panel with minimal maintenance does not need paint. Moreover, Aluminum profile is more suitable for the use of deicing chemicals than steel or concrete.

 

Second, aluminum is a kind of fast and cost-effective building material. Concrete, by contrast, usually needs a good deal of templates and curing time. Low temperature and toughness make aluminum ideal for roads, bridges and other structures in cold climates. Aluminum profile in the United States and Europe has new performance and is easy to be repaired. Bridges in North America combining with aluminium deck or superstructure was first built in the 1940s. More than 50 aluminum alloy bridges have been built in Europe, and the number is increasing year by year. Aluminum profile is lighter than steel and concrete. It does not rust nor needs protective coating. So, this can reduce the maintenance and installation time so as to lower the total cost. It is can be seen that aluminum profile has obvious advantages than other materials.

 

Third, aluminum, a kind of ideal material, can increase the width without increasing the load of bridge. Due to the earthquake force is proportional to the weight, aluminum is also very good bridge seismic hardening reinforce. New aluminum plate-making system needs factory prefabrication and welding. Extrusion bridge panel and shops are applied to the construction of surface wear rate. Prefabricated aluminum deck panels can be installed faster than other systems without any welding on site.

 

In 2009, aluminum shipment was 2.13 billion pounds, accounting for 11.9% of the total shipments in construction market. Nowadays, aluminum is widely used in both commercial and residential buildings, and it is applied to the window and door frames, panels, gutters, drain pipes and roofs. Aluminum’s potential new application lies in the country's infrastructure, such as bridges and oil rigs. In many cases, aluminum with light weight, high strength and durability of alloy aluminum are attractive for construction contractors.