The structural use of stainless steel is becoming increasingly popular in the construction industry as we move into an era of heightened environmental awareness and sustainable development. It is a material that displays excellent corrosion resistance and ductility, yet high initial material costs have inhibited its wide use in construction. Nonetheless, the overall life-cycle may often be relatively low since stainless steel structures require significantly less maintenance than those constructed using struc- tural mild (carbon) steel. Furthermore, at elevated temperatures stainless steel has better retention of strength and stiffness than carbon steel, potentially lowering fire protection costs.
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