Applications of Titanium Sheets in Modern Building Construction

Abstract

Titanium is most likely to play more important role in future civil applications. Its excellent properties such as: low density, high mechanical strength and good corrosion resistance give it some advantages and open the way for new applications both in modern technology and civil engineering. In many ways (e.g. specific strength, corrosion resistance) titanium, especially its alloys outstrip typical structural materials such as steel and aluminium alloys. The article discusses properties of titanium and its alloys, which are especially important in civil engineering applications due to their properties: low density, resistance to sea water and salty atmospheres of seashores, low coefficient of thermal expansion and excellent aesthetic qualities. Although the use of titanium in civil application is still limited it is expected that a demand for titanium building materials will steadily grow in the future. The characteristic titanium applications in the worldwide civil engineering are presented. It is highlighted that despite high cost of titanium relative to other materials, over a long span of 20 or more years titanium tends to be cheaper in terms of life-cycle costs. Furthermore, the article investigates the difficulties and opportunities associated with shaping titanium sheets. In the paper, some technological problems (e.g. low drawability, high susceptibility to galling and high spring-back) occurring in the sheet-titanium forming processes are discussed.