Quote:
Originally Posted by cozy
Thanks so much for this. When you say "hang the floor" you mean support it, right? Since they are called tubes, I am assuming they're hollow. Why is that better?
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In case you were referring to only the tubes themselves and why are they hollow, in most instances when lighter loads are being hung, 'rods' are used which are just what they sound like, a solid, round cross section of steel... when the weight becomes greater, a larger steel member is necessary and that can take any number of shapes, whether a typical 'I' section or a round or square tube... it's not solid because it doesn't need to be... it's really all a function of the steel necessary to do the job, cost, and meeting the aesthetic objectives of the architect...
BTW, a structural cross section in steel, is always significantly stronger in tension (hanging) than it is in compression (holding up)... think of suspension bridges and the difference between the towers and the cables...