Iron is an important part of the history of humankind’s, maybe due to its abundance on the planet. Iron completely changed man’s life, made agriculture and commerce easier, and later did the same for both the industry and war.
Exploited since the first millennium A.D., iron allowed mankind to leave behind prehistoric technology, and start the age of great civilizations.
Resistant, versatile and abundant, iron can only offer advantages when it comes to the construction of iron structures, despite some disadvantages.
Iron is a strong and durable metal, which is why its use guarantees a structure’s durability, avoiding erecting bent or weak walls, which, in the long-run, allows for savings.
Besides being strong – and therefore lasting, as well as a potential source of savings – it offers no refuge for vermin, nor does it allow them access to a building, avoiding the damages these creatures usually bring with themselves.
Another advantage of iron structures is their resistance to harsh climates, earthquakes and hurricanes.
However, nothing is perfect, and among the disadvantages of this metal, a well-known one is its tendency to rust, as well as its high costs of production.
- Iron oxidization is, basically, due to a lack of electrons in the present atoms when two or more substances interact; just losing a single electron is more than enough to cause damage.
- Its high cost of production. Once it cannot be used in its pure form and is in need of alloys. Its tendency to rust make galvanizing it a necessity, which increases its price in a considerable manner.
In conclusion, structures made with iron infrastructures possess a number of advantages, ranging from resistance, malleability, as well as a durability that will ensure many future savings.
However, two of its disadvantages are very significant, such as its tendency to oxidize, which demands a costly process of galvanization, as well as its need of alloys, as it cannot be used in its pure estate. It may seem like an oxymoron, but it is a costly way of saving money.
