METAL THICKNESS IN COLUMBARIUM APPLICATIONS
Columbarium Engineering Basics Series by Architarium

Recently Architarium has been receiving increasing inquiries about our metal thickness (also known as metal gauge). The underlying implication is that thicker metal is better. As engineers, we need to emphasize that metal thickness may or may not be an indicator of structural durability. And even if it is, it would be only one indicator of durability.

Some metals like aluminum are not as strong as other metals per cubic inch. Metal can be made thicker to increase its strength, but it still may not be as strong as other metals with less thickness Also, the term strength is inadequate when describing metal because metal has multiple material strength properties. Summarized, the strengths are: compression, tensile, yield, fatigue and impact. Given that the word “alloy” means “metal mixture”, alloys differ from each other in strength depending upon the particular mixture. So while one alloy might be suited for a particular use, it may not be suited for another. And the alloy may be better than other alloys of the same metal in a particular application but not better than alloys of another metal.

Furthermore, a thick metal with a variety of material strengths may have other weaknesses. For example, aluminum is highly chemically reactive – which means that it has a propensity interact with other elements and corrode. In fact, aluminum can corrode in multiple ways. Corrosion weakens a metal, negating its strength properties. A thick metal can also have a very high coefficient of expansion, like aluminum does. When combined with materials that experience thermal expansion and contraction at a different rate, damage can ensue.

Metal thickness and alloy are only two indicators of a structure’s strength: whether for the structure’s primary material or its hardware. A huge factor is how the structure is built. What engineering exists to withstand the various stresses that test the material strengths listed above? How are the joints handled? How does the attachment mechanism work? What precautions have been taken for corrosion: oxidization, rust, galvanic, electrolytic, etc.? How many dissimilar and potentially reactive materials are being used? These are only some engineering questions relating to structural integrity.

So if anyone tells you that “the thicker metal is, the better it is”, especially implying causation between metal gauge and structural durability, know that this position is misleading.