What is the role of fasteners in construction?

The role of fasteners in construction: tiny parts build a solid foundation for construction

In the grand narrative of construction engineering, fasteners may be just an inconspicuous "supporting role", but this seemingly tiny part plays an irreplaceable core role in the entire life cycle of a building. From the steel and iron skeleton of skyscrapers to the bricks, tiles, beams and columns of residential buildings, fasteners are like "invisible guardians" in building structures. With their unique connection, fastening and protection functions, they lay a solid foundation for the safety, durability and functionality of buildings.

1. The connection hub of the building structure

In the building structure system, the effective connection between different materials and components is the prerequisite for forming a complete force system. Whether it is the splicing of steel beams and steel columns in steel structures, the combination of wooden beams and wooden columns in wooden structures, or the overlap of steel bars in concrete structures, fasteners play a key connecting role. Taking steel structure buildings as an example, high-strength bolts tightly connect steel beams and steel columns through strong pre-tightening force, so that the components can be synergistically stressed and jointly resist external loads such as wind loads and earthquakes. These bolts not only ensure a reliable connection between components, but also allow the structure to produce slight deformations when subjected to stress to a certain extent, thereby effectively absorbing energy and improving the seismic performance of the building.

In wooden structures, nails, screws and bolts are the main tools for connecting wooden components. They firmly combine wooden boards, beams and columns to form a stable frame structure. Unlike steel structures, the connection of wooden structures must not only consider mechanical properties, but also the characteristics of wood, such as shrinkage and swelling of wood, grain direction, etc. Appropriate fasteners can ensure the strength of the connection while avoiding connection failure due to wood deformation, ensuring the long-term stability of wooden structures.

2. Ensure the stability of the building

During use, buildings need to withstand various loads, including their own weight, the weight of personnel and equipment, wind loads, snow loads, and earthquakes. Fasteners provide strong fastening force to tightly connect building components into a whole, so that the entire structure can bear the load together and avoid structural damage caused by local connection failure. In high-rise buildings, wind load is one of the main design loads. At this time, the quality and installation quality of fasteners directly affect the wind resistance of the building. For example, the connecting fasteners between the curtain wall and the main structure must have sufficient strength and rigidity to ensure that the curtain wall will not fall off under strong winds and ensure the integrity and safety of the building facade.

Earthquakes are one of the most destructive natural disasters to building structures. Under the action of earthquakes, building structures will vibrate violently and deform. Fasteners can disperse earthquake energy to various components through their own deformation and energy dissipation characteristics when an earthquake occurs, thus preventing the structure from collapsing due to excessive local forces. For example, in earthquake-resistant design, special shock-absorbing connectors are used. These connectors can ensure the stability of the structure under normal use, and play a shock-absorbing role when an earthquake occurs, reducing the degree of damage to the building caused by the earthquake.

3. Improve building safety

Building safety is the primary goal of building design and construction, and fasteners play a vital role in ensuring building safety. First of all, the quality of fasteners is directly related to the safety performance of building structures. Unqualified fasteners may have problems such as insufficient material strength, insufficient thread precision, and improper surface treatment. These problems may cause loose connections and breakage during the use of the building, thereby causing serious safety accidents. Therefore, in construction projects, the quality of fasteners must be strictly controlled, products that meet national standards and design requirements must be selected, and strict quality control must be carried out on the on-site inspection and installation process of fasteners.

Secondly, the correct installation and maintenance of fasteners is also a key link in ensuring building safety. During the installation process, operations must be carried out in accordance with design requirements and construction specifications to ensure that the fastening force of the fasteners meets the specified standards and avoid connection failure due to improper installation. For example, in steel structure construction, the tightening of high-strength bolts requires the use of a special torque wrench and the operation must be carried out in accordance with the specified sequence and torque value. During the use of the building, fasteners must also be inspected and maintained regularly to promptly detect and deal with problems such as looseness and rust to ensure that the fasteners are always in good working condition.

4. Promote efficiency and innovation in construction

In the process of building construction, the rational selection and installation of fasteners can significantly improve construction efficiency. Standardized and serialized fastener products are easy and quick to install, which can reduce the on-site processing and adjustment time during the construction process. For example, in prefabricated buildings, standardized fasteners are widely used in the connection between prefabricated components. These fasteners can be installed in advance in the factory, and only simple splicing and fastening are required on site, which greatly shortens the construction period and improves construction efficiency.

In addition, with the continuous development of construction technology, the research and development and application of new fasteners have also provided possibilities for architectural innovation. For example, the emergence of self-drilling screws has made it possible to directly connect steel and wooden structures without pre-drilling, simplifying the construction process; the development of intelligent fasteners can monitor the stress state and working performance of fasteners in real time, provide data support for the health monitoring of building structures, and promote the development of buildings towards intelligence.

From simple nails to high-tech smart fasteners, the role of fasteners in the construction field continues to expand and deepen. It is not only the hub of building structure connection, but also the key to ensuring the stability and safety of buildings. It also plays an important role in improving construction efficiency and promoting architectural innovation. In the future development of construction, with the continuous emergence of new materials and new technologies, fasteners will continue to contribute to the development of the construction industry with their unique functions and values, and protect the safety and stability of every building.