Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Question 

With sand at 36000 per cu cement at 2200 per bag and metal cube at 11000 it is not viable to build building in concrete Better to carry out steel buildings 

Answer 

Aboce observation  /wueztio  reflects what many contractors and developers in Sri Lanka are now discussing seriously.

With approximate present prices:

• Sand — Rs. 36,000 per cube
• Cement — Rs. 2,200 per bag
• Metal — Rs. 11,000 per cube
• Labour — continuously increasing
• Formwork and shuttering — extremely expensive
• Interest rates and financing costs — still high

traditional reinforced concrete (RC) buildings are becoming economically difficult except for high-rise or specialized structures.

Steel-framed buildings are increasingly attractive because:

• Faster construction
• Less wet work
• Reduced labour requirement
• Lower foundation loads
• Easier future expansion
• Better suited for industrial buildings, warehouses, workshops, tourism facilities, and even medium-rise apartments

Sri Lanka may need to rethink its construction culture. For decades we copied heavy concrete-based systems from older urban models, while countries with high material costs shifted toward:

• Structural steel
• Light gauge steel
• Pre-engineered buildings (PEB)
• Composite structures
• Modular construction

Companies such as Lindner, BlueScope Steel and Zamil Steel helped popularize industrial steel construction globally.

In Sri Lanka, steel structures also reduce illegal river sand dependence and environmental destruction caused by excessive sand mining.

However, concrete still has advantages:

• Better fire resistance
• Better thermal mass
• Easier availability of local skills
• Preferred for very tall buildings
• More accepted by banks and valuation systems

The future may be hybrid:

• Steel frame + concrete slab
• Steel frame + lightweight panels
• Precast concrete systems
• Modular marine/offshore fabrication methods adapted for housing and industry

This is especially relevant if Sri Lanka wants rapid industrialization in areas like Trincomalee Harbour, logistics parks, shipbuilding, and export manufacturing zones.

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera