Structural steel
![A steel I-beam, in this case used to support timber joists in a house.](/Images/godic/202501/04/I-Beam_0025602.JPG")
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![Metal deck and open web steel joist receiving spray fireproofing plaster, made of polystyrene-leavened gypsum.](/Images/godic/202501/04/Owsj_deck_fireproofing5602.jpg")
Structural steel is a category of steel used as a construction material for making structural steel shapes. A structural steel shape is a profile, formed with a specific cross section and following certain standards for chemical composition and mechanical properties. Structural steel shapes, sizes, composition, strengths, storage practices, etc., are regulated by standards in most industrialized countries.