METAL
•Metal is an element, compound or alloy that is a 
good conductor of both electricity and heat. 
Metal crystal structure and specific metal 
properties are determined by holding together the 
atoms of a metal
•Metals in building construction are classified 
into 2 ----- 
Metals 
Ferrous 
Iron 
Pig iron 
Cast iron 
Wrought 
iron 
Steel 
Non- 
Ferrous 
Copper & 
Alloys 
Aluminium 
Zinc 
Tin 
Lead 
Cobalt 
Nickel
NATURE AND PROPERTIES OF 
METALS 
•Brittle material :- easily breaks into pieces or 
can be easily reduced to powder form. 
•Ductile material :- can be drawn into wires 
•Hard material :- can not be cut by a sharp 
tool 
•Malleable material :- can be beaten into 
sheets 
•Soft material :- can be easily cut by a sharp 
weapon 
•Tough material :- does not easily break under 
a hammer
Ferrous Metals 
•There are 4 types of ferrous metals, namely – 
1. Pig Iron 
2. Cast Iron 
3. Wrought iron 
4. Steel
Metals Properties Uses 
1. Pig Iron 
(contains 92% iron, upto 
3.5% carbon & other 
impurities ) 
•Can be hardened but not 
tempered 
•Can not be magnetized 
•Can not be welded 
•Does not rust 
•Difficult to bend 
•Hard and brittle 
•Neither ductile nor 
malleable 
•Melts easily 
•Possesses high compression 
strength but weak in tension 
•Making steel…Modern steel 
mills and iron plants transfer 
the molten iron to a ladle for 
immediate use in the steel 
making furnaces or cast it 
into pigs on a pig-casting 
machine for reuse or resale.
Metals Properties Uses 
2. Cast Iron •If placed in salt water, it 
becomes salt 
•Can be hardened by heating 
•Cannot be magnetized 
•Does not rust easily 
•Fusible 
•Hard but it is brittle 
•Isn’t ductile & cannot be 
adopted to absorb shocks 
•Melting temp is about 1250 
deg Celsius 
•Shrinks on cooling 
•Structure is granular & 
crystalline 
•Lacks plasticity 
•Weak in tension & strong in 
compression 
•2 pieces of cast iron cannot 
be connected by the process 
•Making cisterns, water 
pipes, gas pipes and sewers, 
sanitary fittings. 
•Making ornamental castings 
such as brackets, gates, lamp 
posts, spiral staircases etc. 
•Making parts of machinery 
•Manufacturing compression 
members like columns, bases 
o columns, etc. 
•Preparing agricultural 
implements 
•Preparing rail chairs, 
carriage wheels etc.
Metals Properties Uses 
3. Wrought Iron •Becomes soft at white heat 
& can be easily welded. 
•Can be used to form 
temporary magnets. 
•Fuses with difficulty, 
therefore cannot be used for 
castings. 
•Ductile, malleable & tough. 
•Moderately elastic. 
•Unaffected by saline water 
•Resists corrosion 
•Melting point is 1500 deg 
Celsius 
•Clear bluish colour with a 
high silky luster and fibrous 
appearance. 
•replaced at present to a very 
great extend by mild steel 
•used where a tough 
material is required. 
•Used for rivets, chains 
ornamental iron work, 
railway couplings, water and 
steam pipes, row material for 
manufacturing steel, bolts 
and nuts, horse shoe bars, 
handrails, straps for timber 
roof trusses, boiler tubes, 
roofing sheets, armatures, 
electro-magnets, etc
Non-Ferrous Metals 
There are 7 types of non-ferrous metals, namely : 
1. Copper 
2. Aluminium 
3. Zinc 
4. Tin 
5. Lead 
6. Cobalt 
7. Nickel
Metal Properties Uses 
1. Copper 
• Latin cuprum (Cu) 
• ranks next to iron in 
importance and wide 
range of application 
• Alloys: brass, bronze, 
cupro- nickel (copper 
nickel) alloys 
 Reddish-brown in colour 
 Malleable 
 ductile 
 good heat and electrical 
conductivity 
 Turns green as it 
corrodes 
•Electrical wires 
•Heating pipes 
•Roofing 
2. Zinc  bluish white in colour 
 corrosion resistant in air 
due to a thin oxide film 
forming on its surface 
•For galvanizing(coating 
steel) to stop rusting 
3. Tin 
• Latin stannum (Sn) 
• tin based alloy with 
amounts of lead 
•Silvery-white colour 
•Lustrous & soft 
•Malleable 
•Ductile 
•resistant to corrosion 
•Weak & combined with 
other metals 
•coating for steel and sheet 
iron
Metal Properties Uses 
4. Lead 
• Latin plumbum (Pb) 
•can be cut white a knife. 
•makes impression on 
paper. 
•Lustrous & heavy metal 
•bluish-grey colour 
•possesses little tenacity. 
•very soft & plastic(can be 
easily moulded) at room 
temperature 
•Almost devoid of elasticity 
•Making shots, bullets, 
alloys, storage cells 
•sanitary fittings, cisterns, 
water-proof and acid proof 
chambers 
•gas pipes, roof gutters 
• printing types 
•damp-proof courses of 
buildings, cable coverings 
• preparation of lead oxides 
for paints 
•plates for storage 
batteries, covering for 
electrical cables
Metal Properties Uses 
5. Aluminium •Silver in colour 
•Very strong but light in 
weight 
•very good conductor of heat 
and electricity 
•non-magnetic substance 
•highly resistant to corrosion 
(oxide forms on the outside 
preventing corrosion) 
•Soft & malleable 
•Ductile 
•reducing agent in the 
manufacture of steel 
•making automobile bodies, 
engine parts 
•casting of steel 
•manufacture of electrical 
conductors 
•manufacture of paints in 
powder form 
•Making drink cans, high 
tension wires 
6. Cobalt •If cobalt is red hot, It can 
decompose steam. 
•Lustrous 
•white metal 
•malleable 
•ductile 
•preparation of special alloy 
steels, ceramic products, 
television articles, etc. 
•forms the basis of all blue 
colours used in glass and 
porcelain manufacture.
Metal Properties Uses 
7. Nickel •If nickel is red hot, it can 
decompose steam. 
•grayish white in colour 
• lustrous 
•capable of taking a high 
polish and can easily be 
welded. 
•Hard & magnetic 
• malleable 
•It is not attacked by fused 
alkalis. 
•ranks below iron in electric 
conductivity. 
•resistance to corrosion is 
high. 
•widely used as a coating for 
other metals 
•preparation of alloys like 
german silver, nickel, nickel 
steel etc. 
•Manufacture of chemical 
apparatus, electroplating 
parts of machines, domestic 
utensils etc.
Difference between Ferrous & Non-Ferrous Metals 
Ferrous Metals Non-Ferrous Metals 
1. Contains any amount of iron in its basic 
form. 
Does not contains any amount of iron in its 
basic form. 
2. That’s why they possesses magnetic 
property and makes them prone to 
corrosion. 
They do not possess magnetic property, but 
resist corrosion much better than ferrous 
metals. 
3. They have a high tensile strength since 
they can carry a high amount of strain. 
They have very low tensile strength. 
4. They have the ability for oxidation, known 
as corrosion. Oxidation of ferrous metals 
forms as a reddish-brown deposit on the 
surface & is oxide of iron. 
They have typically lighter weights, higher 
melting points & are basically resistant to 
corrosion. 
5. Typically used when the magnetic 
attraction of iron may be a disadvantage. 
(used where strength is the primary focal 
point) 
Ideal for electronic & electrical applications. 
6. Eg., pig iron, steel, cast iron, etc. Eg., cobalt, aluminium, zinc, etc.
Steel 
•Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and 
has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by 
mass 
•There are 3 types of steels, namely : 
1. Cast Steel 
2. High-Speed Steel 
3. Stainless Steel
Steel Properties Uses 
1. Stainless Steel 
• Also known as mild steel, 
is a steel alloy with a 
minimum of 10.5 or 11% 
chromium content by 
mass. 
•can be magnetized 
permanently. 
•malleable 
•ductile. 
•not easily attacked by salty 
water. 
•rust easily and rapidly. 
•more elastic than wrought 
iron. 
•used for all types of 
structural works.
Metal Properties Uses 
2. High Speed Steel •can be easily hardened and 
magnetized permanently. 
•has a granular structure. 
•Not easily attacked by salt 
water. 
•Has more elasticity than 
mild steel. 
•rust easily and rapidly. 
•used for finest cutlery, edge 
tools and for an vibrations.
Cast Steel 
•Cast steel would be a steel that has been ‘cast’ into 
a particular shape. 
•It is a iron with less than 2% carbon that has been 
formed into a particular shape via a metal working 
process. It is the manufacturing process for a steel 
plate. 
•It is also used in many purposes, such as in tools & 
decorative hardware.

Metal

  • 1.
  • 2.
    •Metal is anelement, compound or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metal crystal structure and specific metal properties are determined by holding together the atoms of a metal
  • 3.
    •Metals in buildingconstruction are classified into 2 ----- Metals Ferrous Iron Pig iron Cast iron Wrought iron Steel Non- Ferrous Copper & Alloys Aluminium Zinc Tin Lead Cobalt Nickel
  • 4.
    NATURE AND PROPERTIESOF METALS •Brittle material :- easily breaks into pieces or can be easily reduced to powder form. •Ductile material :- can be drawn into wires •Hard material :- can not be cut by a sharp tool •Malleable material :- can be beaten into sheets •Soft material :- can be easily cut by a sharp weapon •Tough material :- does not easily break under a hammer
  • 5.
    Ferrous Metals •Thereare 4 types of ferrous metals, namely – 1. Pig Iron 2. Cast Iron 3. Wrought iron 4. Steel
  • 6.
    Metals Properties Uses 1. Pig Iron (contains 92% iron, upto 3.5% carbon & other impurities ) •Can be hardened but not tempered •Can not be magnetized •Can not be welded •Does not rust •Difficult to bend •Hard and brittle •Neither ductile nor malleable •Melts easily •Possesses high compression strength but weak in tension •Making steel…Modern steel mills and iron plants transfer the molten iron to a ladle for immediate use in the steel making furnaces or cast it into pigs on a pig-casting machine for reuse or resale.
  • 7.
    Metals Properties Uses 2. Cast Iron •If placed in salt water, it becomes salt •Can be hardened by heating •Cannot be magnetized •Does not rust easily •Fusible •Hard but it is brittle •Isn’t ductile & cannot be adopted to absorb shocks •Melting temp is about 1250 deg Celsius •Shrinks on cooling •Structure is granular & crystalline •Lacks plasticity •Weak in tension & strong in compression •2 pieces of cast iron cannot be connected by the process •Making cisterns, water pipes, gas pipes and sewers, sanitary fittings. •Making ornamental castings such as brackets, gates, lamp posts, spiral staircases etc. •Making parts of machinery •Manufacturing compression members like columns, bases o columns, etc. •Preparing agricultural implements •Preparing rail chairs, carriage wheels etc.
  • 8.
    Metals Properties Uses 3. Wrought Iron •Becomes soft at white heat & can be easily welded. •Can be used to form temporary magnets. •Fuses with difficulty, therefore cannot be used for castings. •Ductile, malleable & tough. •Moderately elastic. •Unaffected by saline water •Resists corrosion •Melting point is 1500 deg Celsius •Clear bluish colour with a high silky luster and fibrous appearance. •replaced at present to a very great extend by mild steel •used where a tough material is required. •Used for rivets, chains ornamental iron work, railway couplings, water and steam pipes, row material for manufacturing steel, bolts and nuts, horse shoe bars, handrails, straps for timber roof trusses, boiler tubes, roofing sheets, armatures, electro-magnets, etc
  • 9.
    Non-Ferrous Metals Thereare 7 types of non-ferrous metals, namely : 1. Copper 2. Aluminium 3. Zinc 4. Tin 5. Lead 6. Cobalt 7. Nickel
  • 10.
    Metal Properties Uses 1. Copper • Latin cuprum (Cu) • ranks next to iron in importance and wide range of application • Alloys: brass, bronze, cupro- nickel (copper nickel) alloys  Reddish-brown in colour  Malleable  ductile  good heat and electrical conductivity  Turns green as it corrodes •Electrical wires •Heating pipes •Roofing 2. Zinc  bluish white in colour  corrosion resistant in air due to a thin oxide film forming on its surface •For galvanizing(coating steel) to stop rusting 3. Tin • Latin stannum (Sn) • tin based alloy with amounts of lead •Silvery-white colour •Lustrous & soft •Malleable •Ductile •resistant to corrosion •Weak & combined with other metals •coating for steel and sheet iron
  • 11.
    Metal Properties Uses 4. Lead • Latin plumbum (Pb) •can be cut white a knife. •makes impression on paper. •Lustrous & heavy metal •bluish-grey colour •possesses little tenacity. •very soft & plastic(can be easily moulded) at room temperature •Almost devoid of elasticity •Making shots, bullets, alloys, storage cells •sanitary fittings, cisterns, water-proof and acid proof chambers •gas pipes, roof gutters • printing types •damp-proof courses of buildings, cable coverings • preparation of lead oxides for paints •plates for storage batteries, covering for electrical cables
  • 12.
    Metal Properties Uses 5. Aluminium •Silver in colour •Very strong but light in weight •very good conductor of heat and electricity •non-magnetic substance •highly resistant to corrosion (oxide forms on the outside preventing corrosion) •Soft & malleable •Ductile •reducing agent in the manufacture of steel •making automobile bodies, engine parts •casting of steel •manufacture of electrical conductors •manufacture of paints in powder form •Making drink cans, high tension wires 6. Cobalt •If cobalt is red hot, It can decompose steam. •Lustrous •white metal •malleable •ductile •preparation of special alloy steels, ceramic products, television articles, etc. •forms the basis of all blue colours used in glass and porcelain manufacture.
  • 13.
    Metal Properties Uses 7. Nickel •If nickel is red hot, it can decompose steam. •grayish white in colour • lustrous •capable of taking a high polish and can easily be welded. •Hard & magnetic • malleable •It is not attacked by fused alkalis. •ranks below iron in electric conductivity. •resistance to corrosion is high. •widely used as a coating for other metals •preparation of alloys like german silver, nickel, nickel steel etc. •Manufacture of chemical apparatus, electroplating parts of machines, domestic utensils etc.
  • 14.
    Difference between Ferrous& Non-Ferrous Metals Ferrous Metals Non-Ferrous Metals 1. Contains any amount of iron in its basic form. Does not contains any amount of iron in its basic form. 2. That’s why they possesses magnetic property and makes them prone to corrosion. They do not possess magnetic property, but resist corrosion much better than ferrous metals. 3. They have a high tensile strength since they can carry a high amount of strain. They have very low tensile strength. 4. They have the ability for oxidation, known as corrosion. Oxidation of ferrous metals forms as a reddish-brown deposit on the surface & is oxide of iron. They have typically lighter weights, higher melting points & are basically resistant to corrosion. 5. Typically used when the magnetic attraction of iron may be a disadvantage. (used where strength is the primary focal point) Ideal for electronic & electrical applications. 6. Eg., pig iron, steel, cast iron, etc. Eg., cobalt, aluminium, zinc, etc.
  • 15.
    Steel •Steel isan alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by mass •There are 3 types of steels, namely : 1. Cast Steel 2. High-Speed Steel 3. Stainless Steel
  • 16.
    Steel Properties Uses 1. Stainless Steel • Also known as mild steel, is a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass. •can be magnetized permanently. •malleable •ductile. •not easily attacked by salty water. •rust easily and rapidly. •more elastic than wrought iron. •used for all types of structural works.
  • 17.
    Metal Properties Uses 2. High Speed Steel •can be easily hardened and magnetized permanently. •has a granular structure. •Not easily attacked by salt water. •Has more elasticity than mild steel. •rust easily and rapidly. •used for finest cutlery, edge tools and for an vibrations.
  • 18.
    Cast Steel •Caststeel would be a steel that has been ‘cast’ into a particular shape. •It is a iron with less than 2% carbon that has been formed into a particular shape via a metal working process. It is the manufacturing process for a steel plate. •It is also used in many purposes, such as in tools & decorative hardware.