Aluminum can be utilized for more applications than almost any other metal in the construction industry. The use of aluminium in design and construction has a strong history, primarily due to its ability to be flexible, lightweight and durable. With regulatory changes and an increased focus on compliant cladding solutions, many within the design and construction industry are now wondering what the best option is.
Aluminium comes in various grades, each suited to different applications. Therefore, it is just as critical to consider what grade of aluminium is required for your project, as it is what material you want to feature in the first place.
There are seven different alloys (or blending agents) commonly used in aluminum manufacturing. Each series starts with a number between one and seven – the number identifies what alloying element has been added to the aluminum. Specifying the suitable grade of aluminium for your project, whether it be industrial or architectural, will depend on the qualities of that alloy. Different alloys have different benefits, including workability, corrosion resistance, heat treatability, electrical conductivity, strength and flexibility.
The most common aluminum used in the general construction and fabrication industry is 3000 or 5000 series alloy.
It is important for engineers and architects to have a clear understanding of the features, benefits and downfalls of the different grades of aluminum when requesting a specific type for a project. For example, when it comes to the 5000 series marine grade aluminum, this type of aluminum alloy has a high tensile strength and is highly resistant to corrosion, which leads people to think it’s ideal for the Australian coastal market where buildings are near saltwater. However, it is the ultimate choice for use in building ships, or for the finer, decorative details on marine vessels. The pitfall of using 5000 series on a building’s facade, however, is the lack of machinability and thermal expansion compared to that in the 3000.
Because of these concerns, fabricated aluminum, like that used on wall panels and general construction facades, would be better engineered with 3000 series aluminum, which forms very well (without cracking or fracturing) but also has a reliable tensile and impact strength. Builders and installers prefer 3000 aluminium due to its benefits – including machinability, corrosion resistance, enhanced spanning perfomance and lower thermal expansion rate.
When designing and manufacturing Vitradual, Fairview made the decision, based on machinability, performance and durability, to use 3000 because it ultimately is an architectural grade aluminium, specifically suited to facades.
