A large steel structure, with beams and trusses and girders of awesome proportions, is truly an inspiring site. Steel is also the material of choice for commercial or industrial truss construction. A truss is simply a combination of bars linked together to form a series of small triangles. Because of this geometry, trusses can provide very high stability over long distances with relatively little weight. Steel joint construction, whether within a truss or not, utilizes the properties of compression and tension to support a structure.
Steel is one of the strongest materials available when in tension.
This state of 'equilibrium' is what Structural Engineers design for within a structure - to make each and every joint balance to zero. If any of the joints aren't at zero, they will move until they either reach equilibrium or fail. Concrete Construction Concrete is an Engineers modeling clay. It can be molded and shaped into beautiful, artistic, and useful structures. The use of concrete in construction dates back to Roman times, but the modern practice of using 'Reinforced Concrete' in construction is new to this century.