- 2076 Chaitra · 3 marks
Ferrous and non-ferrous products
Short answer
Ferrous products (cast iron, mild steel rebars, structural sections) offer high strength, ductility, weldability, low cost, but corrode and lose strength in fire. Non-ferrous products (aluminium windows, copper wires, zinc galvanising) are corrosion resistant, light, good conductors, low maintenance, but costly with lower strength. Lead is toxic.
Explain various ferrous and non-ferrous products used in construction and explain their merits and demerits.
Ferrous products (iron base)
Cast iron, wrought iron, mild steel, high carbon and alloy steels: reinforcement bars, structural sections, plates, pipes, columns, wires, nails, bolts, GI sheets.
- Merits: high strength, ductility, toughness, easy to weld and fabricate, recyclable, relatively cheap.
- Demerits: corrode (rust) and need painting/galvanising, heavy, lose strength in fire, magnetic.
Non-ferrous products
Aluminium, copper, zinc, lead, tin, brass, bronze: windows and doors, roofing, wires, pipes, fittings, flashing, galvanising, ornamental work.
- Merits: light, corrosion resistant, good conductors, easy to work, attractive appearance, low maintenance.
- Demerits: costly, lower strength than steel, aluminium has a lower stiffness and melting point, and some (lead) are toxic.
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
Related questions
- Non-ferrous metals properties and uses · Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 8
- Ferrous versus non-ferrous · Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 8
- Merits and demerits of lime mortar · Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 6
- Merits of timber over steel · Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 7
- Why bricks are widely used · Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 3 · asked 3×
- Why pozzolanic materials are used · Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 4 · asked 2×
- Non-modular outlet working, merits, demerits · Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, chapter 7
- Three pipe materials with merits/demerits · Water Supply Engineering, chapter 8 · asked 4×
- Reactors in stations: merits and demerits · Power Plant Equipment, chapter 4
- Sewer pipe materials: merits, demerits · Sanitary Engineering, chapter 3