This year, more skyscrapers will fill the skylines of cities, mostly in Asia. Continuing on from previous years, cities, architects and the general public alike are favoring low-energy, sustainable buildings and showing a tendency to renovate existing buildings with reinforcements where possible.

Take a look at 2 of the tallest skyscrapers built in 2017, and some of the most exciting building projects coming scheduled for completion in 2018.

2017: Ping An Finance Center

The Ping An Finance Center is located in the city of Shenzhen, and is the second tallest building in China and fourth tallest building in the world. The entire structure measures 599.1 meters, or 1,965 feet, offering 119 floors of office and retail space.

Stainless steel keeps the Ping An Finance Center protected against the strong winds and salty climate of Shenzhen. (Source: Kohn Pedersen Fox)

The Ping An Finance Center is classified as a composite building, meaning both steel and concrete materials are used to make up the main structural parts of the skyscraper. This can apply to any of the following combinations – steel columns with concrete beam floors, steel structure with a concrete core, steel columns encased in concrete or a system of steel tubes filled with concrete. The exterior is outfitted with a sculpted stainless steel facade for maximum corrosion resistance to coastal climate.

2017: Lotte World Tower

Korea’s Lotte World Tower is the tallest building in Korea and the fifth tallest building in the world measuring 555.7 meters and 1,823 feet from the ground to the very top. Construction began in Seoul back in 2011 and took 7 years to complete. The 129-story building is made of a reinforced concrete core, concrete encased steel columns and steel floor spanning.

Seoul’s Lotte World Tower was built with 40,000 tons of steel. (Source: Arch Daily)

POSCO supplied the 40,000 tons of steel to build the Lotte World Tower, consisting of both regular and thermomechanical control processed (TMCP) steel. As part of POSCO’s solutions marketing, the company proposed using 120 mm thick high-performance grade steel (SM490TMC) instead of welding 40 mm and 80 mm thick plates together for better performance and cost efficiency. The steelmaker also proposed the use of a steel column flat plate structure and steel piping for enhanced shock, high-wind and fire resistance.

Lotte World Tower also features solar panels, wind turbines and water harvesting systems as part of a sustainable, eco-friendly design.

SEE ALSO: Steel Wonders of the World: POSCO Steel Builds the World

2018: Hanking Center Tower

The Hanking Center Tower scheduled for completion in March of 2018, will set a new world record as the tallest all-steel building in all of Asia. Most skyscrapers are made of a mixture of concrete and steel, but the Hanking Center Tower is composed of a unique, all-steel structural system. The main body is also detached from the core by about 9 meters, held together by a series of sky bridges and steel braces to allow the building flexibility to withstand seismic activity and maximum exposure to natural light.  

The Hanking Center Tower is the tallest all-steel building in Asia. (Source: Curbed)

At 350 meters, or 1,148 feet, the Hanking Center Tower will be classified as a super tall building when completed in west Shenzhen, China. The building underwent extensive seismic and wind tunnel tests for performance verification, and residents and visitors alike will be able to enjoy the sky gardens and spacious open spaces in the heart of the city.

2018: Salesforce Tower

San Francisco has a new tallest building with the opening of the Salesforce Tower in January of this year. Standing at 326.1 meters, or 1,070 feet, the skyscraper also made extensive use of steel for its columns and floor spanning and features a reinforced concrete core. The Salesforce Tower is also one of San Francisco’s most-expensive buildings at USD 1.1 billion.

The Salesforce Tower is the tallest building in San Francisco. (Source: Curbed)

Not only is the 65-story building San Francisco’s tallest building, it is the city’s first commercial building to use a water recycling system. The city government, Boston Properties and Salesforce teamed up to support blackwater reuse that will give tenants of the building access to recycled water. The skyscraper also has net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

2018: Comcast Technology Center

The 341.7 meters, or 1,121 feet tall Comcast Technology Center opened early this year, and stands as Philadelphia’s tallest skyscraper. The USD 1.6 billion building also has smart features, including a central plant that acts as the brain of the building, using artificial intelligence to learn human patterns.

The Comcast Technology Center is a green building with smart features. (Source: The Skyscraper Center)

The skyscraper can track the number of people inside, predict weather patterns and will only generate just enough energy required for any given time. The building also makes use of water running through all parts of the building to cool temperatures and has a special, silver coated glass which can repel heat from the sun. As such, the Comcast Technology Center is one of the most technologically advanced and green buildings in the U.S.

Continuing on from a strong year of construction in 2017, the new skyscrapers of 2018 and beyond will continue to strive for environmental sustainability, incorporate newer technologies and make extensive use of steel for cost efficiency and safety.

Weather Events of 2017

2017 saw some of the worst natural disasters across the globe. The Atlantic hurricane season hit hard, and Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria were especially devastating. Hurricane Harvey caused 82 direct deaths, and an estimated USD 180 billion worth of damage. Hurricane Irma swept across 9 U.S. states leaving 75 people dead and damage costs of USD 50 to 100 billion. Hurricane Maria is the worst natural disaster on record in Dominica with the official death toll at 51, but over 900 cremations have taken place in Puerto Rico following the storm.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey shows the importance of resistant housing. (Source: CNN)

In addition, typhoons, tornados and other weather events wreaked havoc on communities around the globe raising awareness for the need for better emergency and disaster relief systems and stronger shelters to withstand natural disasters.

Natural-Disaster-Resistant Homes

For people living in areas prone to natural disasters, a resistant home can make the difference between total property loss and a safe haven. Worldwide, home builders and buyers alike are prioritizing the home’s ability to withstand natural disasters, leading to innovative architectural feats.

The Tsunami House was built to withstand natural disasters. (Source: My Fancy House)

On Camano Island in Washington State, the “Tsunami House” is made to be a safe waterfront home, able to withstand stormy waters. The main living level was built five feet above ground, and the foundations are built on pilings capable of withstanding high-velocity waves. The lower home area was designed with breakaway walls. For both strength and aesthetic purposes, this house contains steel inside and out, with composite and galvanized exterior siding, aluminum windows, and milled finish steel materials indoors. A steel staircase structure ensures safe passage.

The SURVIV(AL) House is sustainable and has a safe room in case of hurricanes or tornadoes. (Source: Inhabitat)

Another example of a home built to survive natural disasters is the SURVIV(AL) hurricane proof house is a solar-powered home with a steel-encased safe room built to withstand the effects of extreme weather like hurricanes and tornadoes. Students from the University of Alabama created this home with a safe room that can withstand a two-by-four plank landing at 200 mph.

The Ophir home sits on a hillside with exposed steel frames to withstand earthquakes. (Source: Inhabitat)

The Ophir home was built in 2010 by a couple in New Zealand following a 6.3 magnitude earthquake that forced many people from their homes and community. The couple, however, built their home back up from scratch, but this time, made sure it would not collapse under any circumstances. Not only can the home withstand earthquakes, it is designed to maximize exposure to sunlight for sustainable living as well. A distinctive feature of the home is its exposed steel frames that support the concrete walls.

The Benefits of Building with Steel    

Steel is one of the most popular materials for construction, but its properties make it especially valuable for natural-disaster-resistant homes. Steel has a high strength to weight ratio for durability, without the heft and its associated transport costs. It requires very little maintenance, even when used as an exterior surface, and will withstand the effects of time. It is also an eco-friendly, cost-efficient material for construction.

Steel Frames are ideal for the construction of natural disaster resistant homes. (Source: Stratco)

In fact, steel can withstand forces up to 150 mph as an exterior material, without becoming damaged. Steel is also an excellent reinforcement when used with concrete, offering the stiffness, strength and ductility needed to help a building withstand damage from events like earthquakes. As part of a building’s foundation structure, steel reinforcements help anchor the foundation, and the entire home, keeping it where it belongs through wind, waves, quakes and rain.

The damage left behind by natural disasters this year show that the effects last well beyond the initial onset. While there is no such thing as a completely weather-proof building, steel can offer a great deal of security and help minimize the destructive outcomes of Mother Nature.

Cover photo courtesy of CENHS.

Biggest Challenges in Bridge Construction

The major challenges for building urban bridges are the availability of skilled labor, access to urban areas and environmental compatibility.

A worker paints the Anzhaite Long-span Suspension Bridge in Jishou, Hunan, China (Source: The Daily Mail)

Building bridges in megacities with the current scarcity of skilled labor will require a massive recourse to prefabrication. In a few circumstances, prefabricated bridge units will be transported on water with tugs and barges, which will allow the use of heavy, large units. In most cases, prefabricated bridge units will be transported on the ground through congested urban roads, which will lead to the use of light, modular units.

A floating crane lifts prefabricated deck sections onto the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (Source: San Francisco Public Press)

The availability of deck assembly areas and the interference of construction operations with adjacent infrastructure are additional challenges that will govern the bridge design process. As such, incremental launching construction from aerial platforms will see new applications, especially when combined with on-site welding of field splices among modular bridge units. The welding of field splices will also allow for optimized segmentation of bridge units, diminish the cost of field splices, and will relax the fabrication tolerances of the units.

Size Determines Cost, Cost Determines Everything Else

When constructing a bridge for an urban area, the size of a bridge governs the construction process. in turn, the construction cost of a bridge determines the materials and technology. Technology includes labor and investment in special construction equipment. The quantities of structural materials for a bridge depend on the design loads of the bridge, the flexural and shear span of the bridge units, and the mechanical strength of the material.

The Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in China is the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world (Source: The New York Times)

Small and large-scale bridge projects are both necessary in megacities and demand will only increase in light of the newly emerging megacities all over the world. When looking at both the construction of new bridges and the maintenance of existing bridges, the number of small-scale projects will definitely be larger than the number of large-scale projects. The impact these construction projects will have on the mobility of people and goods within a megacity is massive.

Although one may assume large-scale bridge projects with a larger budget will allow for design optimization and the efficient use of high-grade steels, scale economies in competition with other megacities will govern the availability of construction materials and workforce. Eventually, the scarcity of structural materials will lead to the efficient, eco-friendly use of steel and concrete in large and small-scale bridge projects alike.

Prefabrication and Incremental Launching for Bridge Construction

It is true that small-scale bridge projects have smaller budgets for technology, which limit design optimization and construction mechanization and increase the labor demand. Therefore, small-scale bridges will most likely be procured as packages of multiple bridges to acquire scale economies and a more efficient use of materials with the optimized design of modular units.

On the other hand, large-scale bridge projects allow for massive investment in special construction equipment, which will facilitate the prefabrication of modular bridge units in smart, eco-friendly factories. It will also diminish the labor demand of site assembly and the need for complementary infrastructure in an urban environment, as well as enhance the quality and durability of the final product.

Thus, large-scale bridge projects will be designed for modularity and have prefabricated standardized units with asynchronous production lines. Parts of the bridge will likely have different cycle times, just-in-time delivery, and require minimal site operations. Overall, construction technology and risk management of the trans-disciplinary relationships of mechanized construction will dictate the design of large-scale bridge projects in megacities.

Workers assemble a prefabricated bridge in Pennsylvania, U.S. (Source: Roads and Bridges)

Small-scale bridge projects will take advantage of incremental launching technologies. Launched bridges minimize the interference between deck construction and the obstruction to overpass, and this is a major advantage for urban bridges designed to overpass congested infrastructure. Launched bridges do not require extra clearance to support the deck during construction, which simplifies connecting the bridge with existing roads and railways. Launched bridges do not require additional right-of-way as the deck is built behind the abutment and incrementally pushed into position. Additionally, the construction area is far from the infrastructure to overpass, which minimizes the risk for workers and the traveling public.

Incremental launching applied to a bridge deck construction process (Source: CARLOS FERNANDEZ CASADO S.L)

Materials For the Future Generation of Urban Bridges

Steel and concrete are the most common materials for bridges. In the field of steel bridges, high-grade steel will reduce the self-weight of bridge superstructures and the cost of piers and foundations. New composite systems and mechanized plate corrugation will increase the buckling capacity of unstiffened web panels and compression flanges to avoid the use of welded stiffeners.

In the field of prestressed concrete, new steels for rebar will offer higher strength and corrosion resistance to increase the durability and service life of the next generation of urban bridges. Post-tensioning materials are already extremely efficient, and the challenge will revolve around finding new duct systems and passivating materials to able to avoid the quality concerns raised by cement grouts.

Full-span precasting has been employed in thousands of spans of high-speed railway projects and in hundreds of spans of light-rail transit projects. Both steel and prestressed concrete bridges will be present in the mass transit systems of megacities, and both types of bridges are perfectly compatible with steel decks should high-grade steel turn out financially competitive over prestressed concrete in the megacity-oriented life cycle cost analysis.

Modern large-scale bridge projects are designed for 75 or 100-year service life in the USA. The use of renewable protective materials can easily meet this target in steel bridges, but the evolution of design loads and service conditions of urban bridges is hard to predict. Steel bridges offer a major advantage over prestressed-concrete bridges from this point of view, as they are more adaptable and can be modified, strengthened and adapted to new use conditions.

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The U.S. is the birthplace of many iconic figures, movies, and buildings. The Statue of Liberty is one such work of art which stands as a symbol of freedom and independence. The Empire State building is another architectural icon in the center of New York, a city which in and of itself represents the U.S. Although these monuments appear majestic on the exterior, it is their interior composition that has kept them standing tall all these years. These and other international iconic structures embody the limitless ways steel builds culture around the globe.

The Statue of Liberty

A Gift from the French

An early sketch of the Statue of Liberty (Image courtesy of Copper Development Association Inc.)

More than a hundred years ago, the French sent a giant gift to celebrate America’s independence and to honor their friendship. The Statue of Liberty was first assembled in France, taken apart, shipped to the U.S. and then erected once more. It still stands tall, but even stronger today thanks to some important improvements made along the way.

As the Leaning Tower of Pisa is to Italy and the Eiffel Tower is to France, the Statue of Liberty embodies and represents America’s values of freedom and independence. Although Lady Liberty looks as smooth and stunning as her first debut, her journey was nothing short of rocky.

The statue was assembled in the U.S. in 1886. The iron and copper figure stood the test of time for almost 100 years. However, from 1982 to 1986, the statue underwent major reparations to so that Lady Liberty could make it to her centennial anniversary in 1986. It was a costly effort, and interestingly, marked one of the earliest joint efforts between the private and public sectors to fund a public project.  

What was wrong with Lady Liberty?

In short, the Statue of Liberty can be broken down into three main parts: the copper exterior (a sheet of copper that covers the entire statue), the internal skeleton or pylon made of puddled iron, and the Armature (a frame that connects the copper exterior to the internal skeleton).

The armature is made up of iron bars, 1300 of them, weighing 20 pounds each. Due to concerns about corrosion, layers of protective materials were applied to the bars, such as coal tar, aluminum, and lead. The coating itself weathered over the years and began to trap moisture. Thus, the iron started to rust.

Engineers decided to replace the entire armature, but with what?

Four prospective materials underwent extensive testing:

1. Aluminum bronze
2. Cupro-nickel
3. Ferralium
4. Stainless steel

The obvious choice was stainless steel as it would not rust, but also gift builders with its elasticity, light-weight, strength, and ductility.

Ten years after the repairs, in 1996, inspectors deemed the armature corrosion-resistant and it has remained so ever since. It would have been wiser and less costly to start with steel in the first place, as the engineers of the Empire State Building did, but it seems even steel could use… even more steel.

A Steel on Steel Testament

The Empire State Building Stands tall in the middle of New York City

In the Big Apple, The 86-year-old Empire State Building also recently underwent enhancements. Engineers added 39 tons of steel plates onto the building’s existing steel mast (the pointy part at the top, also known as the tower) to improve its carrying capacity.  

The planning for this project alone took over two years. Steelworkers, engineers, and builders had to take into account the bustling city below. High winds were another factor to consider. In the end, engineers came up with a cocoon-like encasing to be placed around the tower at the top of the building during construction to keep falling pieces in and strong winds out.  

Once set inside the cocoon, workers began wielding 39 tons worth of steel bars and plates onto the tower. The process was tedious as steel parts could only be transported into the cocoon in small pieces.  

In the end, the sturdier mast with a greater carrying capacity was worth the struggle.

The Empire State Building was built in 1931 and was the tallest building in the world at the time. Due to its unique design, the American Society of Civil Engineers named it one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. It is also a significant part of American culture, as the Empire State Building has been featured in more than 90 movies, including “King Kong” in 1933.  

Every year, the Empire State Building generates more than $100 million in revenue. About 20% of the revenue comes from the antennas attached to the 200-ft-tall steel broadcast tower. The remaining 80% is generated by the flocks of tourists that visit from all over the world, confirming the Empire State Building as an international landmark.  

However, it is not the only building receiving international attention and recognition.

The Leaning Tower of Abu Dhabi

The Capital Gate Building in Abu Dhabi, UAE leans westward in the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre complex (Image courtesy of Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center)

Abu Dhabi is another country where steel lays the foundation for iconic buildings. The Capital Gate Building may not have a long history, but it is an architectural wonder. It is often compared to Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa, but it has four times leaner The Capital Gate leans to the west a whopping 18 degrees.

How is this possible?

Engineers used a technique called pre-cambered core. Basically, they offset the core to counter the gravitational force created by the leaning mass of the building. The core or base of the building is a 7-foot mass of steel mesh and concrete locked down to almost 500 piles, which are drilled 100 feet into the ground. The external skeleton called a diagrid is also made of steel. These features, as well as some extensive math equations, allow the building to stand tall, at an angle.

The landmark leans in the center of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre complex and the Capital Centre master development. It captured international attention when The Guinness Book of World Records confirmed the Capital Gate Building as the “World’s furthest leaning man-made tower” in 2010.  

The list of iconic steel structures is endless…

Although the ones we discussed are just three iconic structures, it’s easy to see why steel makes up so many other buildings, statues, and memorials all over the world.  In the U.S. alone, iconic structures such as the Brooklyn Bridge, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the Willis (Formerly Sears) Tower are all made of steel.

Steel is cheaper, more sustainable and more durable than other materials such as iron and wood.

In addition, emerging technology will only further enhance the compatibility of steel for architecture and construction. One promising area of innovation is 3D printing for buildings.

The Mesh Mould 3D Printer developing a steel frame (Image courtesy of Gramazio Kohler Research)

Printing Steel in 3D

The typical concrete construction process consists of:

1. Setting up a steel/metal frame (rods) for the building
2. Pouring concrete over the rods
3. Formwork- using a wooden “shell” to hold the concrete in place as it dries

The problem with this process is the formwork. Because custom-made formwork is extremely expensive and non-reusable, builders opt for standardized, block-shaped formwork. This limits design creativity on top of the economic and environmental inconvenience.

Mesh Mould is a digital 3D printer in the works by researchers at the ETH Zürich research institute. The printer would produce steel frameworks that are both fine and dense, so that poured concrete would not seep out before it solidifies. The developers of Mesh Mould also created a special concrete mix to accompany the steel frames. Mesh Mould would eliminate formwork completely. Not only will this make the whole construction process more sustainable, it will lower material expenses and also save time. Others have taken notice as well. Mesh Mould received the 2016 Swiss Technology Award.

Statues, building, and monuments can be made of numerous different materials. However, when exploring iconic buildings and monuments that have stood the test of time and breached scientific barriers, steel proves to be the perfect fit.

Some of these landmarks date back more than 100 years, but they have endured. Go behind the scenes to see how director Damien Chazelle brought these classic buildings to life in the fantastical song and dance numbers of La La Land.

l Griffith Observatory

In La La Land, Griffith Observatory, and the park where it sits, is the setting for some of the more memorable scenes. Mia and Sebastian’s first dance number took place in Griffith Park on a road overlooking the city (see image below), and the observatory can be seen later in one of the couple’s various date sequences.

Sebastian and Mia at the Samuel Oschin Planetarium in the Griffith Observatory. (Photo courtesy of Lionsgate Films)

The Griffith Observatory opened in 1935 on land that was donated to the city of Los Angeles by Colonel Griffith J. Griffith in 1896. Sitting atop Mt. Hollywood, the observatory offers views of downtown LA, the Pacific Ocean, and the famous Hollywood sign. Visitors can access exhibitions on astronomy and space while also enjoying access to public telescopes and the Samuel Oschin Planetarium.

Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, California. (Photo courtesy of Floyd B. Barlscale)

With construction starting in June 1933 in the midst of the Great Depression, designers found materials and labor were cheap. The concrete structure was supported by a steel structure, while the three domes were raised “by wrapping copper sheets around steel frames.” The observatory has stood the test of time, hosting millions of visitors since its opening in 1935. However, in 2002 the observatory temporarily closed for restorations. The $93 million renovation retained the art deco exterior while updating much of the interior, including the planetarium.

Griffith Observatory (1933), Los Angeles, California. (Photo courtesy of Floyd B. Barlscale)

Due to its long history and iconic status in Los Angeles, the Griffith Observatory has appeared in many films and TV shows. In addition to La La Land, it can be seen in Rebel without a Cause (1955), The Terminator (1984), and even The Simpsons.

l Watts Towers

During one of the film’s montage sequences, Mia and Sebastian visit Watts Towers – a collection of 17 sculptures made of steel, metal, and concrete reaching heights of over 30 meters. Starting in 1921 and continuing for 33 years until 1954, Italian immigrant Simon Rodia made these sculptures using steel rebar, concrete, and wire mesh. He decorated them using found objects, mostly refuse, such as the green glass from cola bottles, seashells, and blue milk of magnesia bottles.

Sebastian and Mia visited the location where Watts Towers stand. Finished in 1954, the towers made of steel and concrete have stood the test of time. (Photo courtesy of The City Project)

At age 75, Rodia decided to give up on the project and go live with his sister in northern California. The city of LA attempted to have the towers removed due to safety issues; however, the art community convinced them to conduct a stress test first. Steel cables were connected to each tower as a crane attempted to move them from their foundations. The steel and concrete structures held firm with the crane ultimately buckling under pressure – forcing the city of LA to acknowledge their safety and keeping them in place for the public to enjoy.

l Colorado Street Bridge

Sebastian and Mia also visited the famous Colorado Street Bridge, allowing audiences to revisit one of the older landmarks of Los Angeles. Finished in 1913, the Colorado Street Bridge was thought to be the highest concrete bridge at that time. Its beautiful arches sit 150 feet above the Arroya Seco and have provided a romantic setting for many couples.

Sebastian and Mia talk a walk along the Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena, California. (Photo courtesy of Lionsgate Films)

When construction began in 1912, engineers faced several hurdles.  The slopes on both sides were steep and the arroyo bed was seasonally wet; however, engineers created a work-around by curving the bridge 52 degrees to the south and using massive archways to help reinforce the concrete structure.

To support the concrete bridge, the designers used a spandrel construction with support columns holding up the arched ribs of the bridge. In total, over 11,000 cubic yards of concrete and 600 tons of steel were used at a cost of $235,000.

The southward curve of the Colorado Street Bridge can be seen (sometime in the early 20th century). (Photo courtesy of the Pasadena Public Library)

The bridge was used to connect Pasadena to LA, but by the 1930s it was already overrun and insufficient for the city’s needs. After falling into disrepair in the late 80’s, and eventually closed after the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, the bridge reopened to the public in 1993 after renovations.

Today, the bridge is open to cars and pedestrians. Visitors can come and admire the design, concrete, and steel that have kept this bridge in use for over 100 years.

With award season in high gear, La La Land is poised to bring home quite a few statuettes. Behind the songs, love, and heartbreak sits the city of Los Angeles bathed in bright lights and decorated with some of the most beautiful buildings of 20th century America. Thanks to the steel holding them together, these structures have endured time, earthquakes, and multitudes visitors.

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Early scaffolding usually consisted of wood and rope – even today in parts of the world, bamboo is still used, even for high rises. But a much more common material for making stronger and safer scaffolding is steel.

Steel Transforms an Old Idea

At first, steel was used as coupling devices, replacing the rope used for joining together the wooden poles. One of the first uses of steel couplings? A renovation of Buckingham Palace in 1913. Then steel pipes arose, taking the place of wood poles in the 1920s.

Today, steel is the most common material for scaffolding in most of the world, with couplers, clips and clamps joining together standards, ledgers, braces, and transoms, to create elaborate frames that can completely encompass buildings, going up even more than 100 meters high.

However, creating gigantic scaffolding structures have weight. They take up space and need to be transported to and from the construction site. And workers need to put up that steel staging and take it down again.

A Better Solution

Which is why POSCO has created a major step forward in scaffolding technology – Ultra Light (UL) 700, a stronger, thinner, and lighter type of support structure.

Due to UL700 having 40-percent higher tensile strength than conventional steel scaffolding, POSCO has been able to reduce the thickness of scaffolding pipes from 2.3mm to 1.8mm. That makes UL700 25 percent lighter than conventional scaffolding, which in turn helps reduce transportation costs by 25 percent and gas emissions by 25 percent.

In addition, the lighter weight is less dangerous for workers, and reduces worker transportation time by 23.5 percent. UL700 is also more resistant to bending and has lower deformation, which also makes it more efficient. Despite all those advantages, UL700 is also very cost competitive, so companies can enjoy the scaffolding’s wide range of benefits and still come out ahead.

Check out this video to get an in-depth look at the many advantages that POSCO’s new UL700 steel scaffolding has to offer.

POSCO’s High Manganese Steel Floor Plate Wins the Jang Young Sil Award for Its Vibration-Resistant Qualities

PosCoZy Floor Plates Creates Quieter Apartments

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Each year for a decade, 100 students from universities around Korea have joined Beyond, looking to make a difference in people’s lives. The Beyond home-building program is called “Steel House.” This summer, following their inauguration ceremony at POSCO Center, the volunteers travelled around Korea to build the innovative steel homes. Dividing into teams of 20 people each, they traveled to Yangpyeong, Pohang, Incheon, Yecheon and Gwangyang, building homes for people in need all over Korea.

Previous home-building typically was done with bricks and mortar as well as wood. But these Beyond-built homes use steel throughout the construction, from foundations to finish.

Steel Creates Stronger, Safer Homes

Steel frames allow homes to be more spacious, as less floor space is taken up by the walls, while the frame allows for better heat and sound insulation. Plus, because these steel homes can be built so much faster than regular homes, it minimizes the resources and pollution needed for construction.

Each house uses the POSCO World Premium product PosMAC, specially adapted for construction to improve its durability. For the exterior, multicolor steel technology from POSCO C&C was combined with ribbed profile extruded panels to produce strong, beautiful homes.

Once each house was finished, the volunteers held a completion ceremony, celebrating their hard work, offering energetic performances and plenty of fun.

“The steel house activity means a lot to me because I can learn the value of working hard together,” said Beyond volunteer Eunji Hwang. “Having a cold glass of water after a long day’s work really felt good.”

The Beyond volunteers intend to take their good works beyond the borders of Korea, too. They’re going to be gathering in Vietnam in January to continue helping others, this time at Vietnam POSCO Village.

Building Bridges Over Troubled Waters

With significant facilities in Vietnam, POSCO has long been active there in lending a helping hand. For example, with the heavy rains Vietnam experiences for six months of the year, people there often have to deal with flooding.

So POSCO Beyond volunteers, together with volunteers from the local POSCO affiliates like POSCO SS VINA and POSCO E&C and local suppliers, came together earlier this year to build a steel bridge for one community.

Large steel bridges, equipped with steel handrails to hold on to, can span longer distances than existing concrete and wooden bridges and are more stable even in the worst flooding conditions. Thanks to POSCO’s bridge, now local children can get to school safely no matter the weather, and villagers can travel safely, too.

To see why steel bridges can be so important to these Vietnamese villages and how they make a difference in so many lives, check out this video:

At POSCO, our offices all over the world remain focused on improving the communities around them. Whether building homes or bridges, these are just a few more examples of the power steel has to better people lives, offering a more secure and happier future.

Recently, even more superheroes (not to mention villains) have made their way into the spotlight, thanks to a slew of new blockbusters. Find out how steel empowers these fictional characters to fulfil their roles and duties.

Colossus: A Lean, Mean, Metal Machine

A Russian mutant and member of the X-Men, Colossus is most known for his ability to transform into a form of “organic steel”—a power he uses for the betterment of human and mutant-kind.

When this change takes place, his entire 200-centimeter-tall body is metamorphosed into an armored state, making him even taller and heavier.

In steel form, Colossus possesses superhuman levels of strength, stamina and durability, enabling him to withstand great impacts, large caliber bullets and falls from monumental heights. And, much like steel itself, Colossus has great resistance to temperature extremes of hot and cold.

Unlike his appearances in past X-men movies, where filmmakers often highlighted the character’s transformation from bare skin to full metal exoskeleton, Colossus was only portrayed in metal form in the recently released Deadpool flick.

The decision to keep Colossus in his steel form was made to make things easier for filmmakers, but also made sense from a story perspective. After all, Colossus needs all of the protection he can get when he teams up with the loose cannon that is Deadpool.

Captain America’s Indestructible Shield

Vibranium is a fictional, super-strong metal that is often referenced in comic books published by Marvel Comics.

This rare metallic substance is native only to Wakanda, an African nation under the rule of Black Panther—a superhero who made appearances in this year’s production of Captain America: Civil War.

The story goes that a small amount of Wakandan Vibranium came into the possession of a scientist in the early 1940s who made numerous unsuccessful attempts to create a Vibranium steel alloy. One morning, however, he discovered that the two materials had bonded on their own in an unknown manner. The ultra-resilient alloy was then used to create Captain America’s shield.

Under normal conditions, the shield of Captain America is virtually indestructible. The defensive equipment has proved strong enough to absorb Hulk’s strength and repel an attack from Thor’s hammer without any visible damage.

The shield also absorbs all kinetic energy and transfers very little energy from each impact, meaning Captain America doesn’t feel recoil when blocking attacks. These properties also allow the shield to bounce off of most smooth surfaces, ricocheting multiple times with minimal loss in aerodynamic stability or velocity.

Captain Boomerang and His Blades of Steel

But superheroes aren’t the only ones who benefit from the power of steel. Villains, too, have made use of the metal to carry out their own personal agendas.

Captain Boomerang is one of them. This infamous Australian mercenary is renowned to be among the most lethal assassins in the world, which will become even more obvious when he makes an appearance in Suicide Squad this August.

The villain is reputed to be in top physical condition, capable of knocking down an A.R.G.U.S. soldier with a single blow, but is also a master boomerang thrower.

He is a very formidable opponent when armed with his trick boomerangs, which are each made with a steel curved blade, sharpened on both sides and perforated by elongated holes. When thrown, his boomerangs spin about an axis that is perpendicular to their flight direction, and are designed to return to the thrower.

Girder’s Steel Skin

Likewise, supervillain Tony Woodward, or “Girder,” also used steel to his advantage, as seen on recent episodes of the popular US TV series The Flash.

After being laid off at an iron works facility, Girder got into an altercation with his boss. He was subsequently knocked over a railing into a vat of molten steel. The S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator simultaneously exploded, causing him to transform into a meta-human with the ability to transform any part of his body into girded steel at will.

Taking advantage of the super strength of steel, he soon fell into petty crime and was known to hurt others to prove his superiority.

Girder is strong enough to overturn a car and is able to deliver punches that can smash concrete. His metallic skin can withstand extreme conditions, and bullets from handguns inflict virtually no damage on him. The Flash had to impact him at Mach 1.1 (1,347 kilometers per hour) before he could even break through the villain’s skin.

As the world’s most beloved stories and characters continue to develop, the number of superhero fanatics only continues to grow larger. It is certain that steel, a symbol of strength and indestructibility, will continue to play a part in these entertaining—and inspiring—stories.

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This waste can lead to environmental pollution and, as such, many efforts have been made over the past two decades to decrease the waste and upcycle the byproducts. As a result of this growing environmental awareness, steel slag is now highly regarded as a recycled material that can reduce environmental impact due to its resource-conservation and energy-saving properties.

What’s Steel Slag?
Slag, also known as steel aggregate, is the primary byproduct of steelmaking. The residue is comprised of minerals such as silica, alumina and titanium from ironsand, as well as other combinations of calcium and magnesium oxides derived from other raw materials.

During smelting, slagging agents and fluxes are added to the blast furnace or steelmaking furnace to remove impurities from the iron ore, steel scrap and other ferrous feeds. The slags secure the liquid metal from outside oxygen and maintain temperature by forming a lid. Being lighter than the liquid metal, the slag floats and can be removed with ease. All steel slag products are then rigorously tested before being released on the market to ensure that they will not adversely affect the environment, and that they are suitable for the application in which they will be used.

How Its Used
Slag is being used extensively for various applications throughout the world including Brazil, Australia, China, throughout the European Union and the United States. In fact, it is estimated that 7 to 7.5 million metric tons (7.7 to 8.3 million tons) of steel slag is used each year in the United States alone for a range of applications.

Because of its hydraulic property and the large bearing capacity it can provide, steel slag is often used as a road base course material. With high particle density and hardness, this slag has superior wear resistance, which makes it an excellent aggregate for asphalt concrete. Steel slag, when used in the asphalt layer, also makes roads safer to drive on by offering better skid resistance.

Moreover, due to its high angle of shearing resistance, high particle density and large weight per unit volume, steel slag is also used as a material for civil engineering works, ground improvement materials and cement. In fact, the use of slag to replace some of the Portland cement in concrete reduces the carbon footprint of concrete production, and generally improves the quality of the material.

Other applications of slag include rail ballast, soil conditioner, sewage treatment and even artificial ocean reefs. Through these applications, steel slag prevents landfill waste, reduces carbon dioxide emissions and helps preserve natural resources, among other environmental benefits. The sale of these byproducts is also economically sustainable, generating revenue for steel producers and forming the foundation of a profitable worldwide industry.

The widespread public awareness on the environmentally friendly features of steel slag, among other steel waste materials, has led to the significant increase in the recycling capabilities of steelmakers like POSCO, as well as the steel industry’s ongoing efforts to expand the utilization of these byproducts. As innovative technology developments and synergies with other industries continue to bring the steel industry closer to its goal of zero waste, the upcycling of byproducts such as steel slag remains the best possible solution for now.

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Determined to swiftly construct what was the “most ambitious government-sponsored engineering project ever undertaken in the US” at that time, Crowe immediately got to work in March 1931. Working alongside him was Walker “Brig” Young, an engineer representing the bureau. The two planned to build an arch-gravity dam, a structure that curves upstream and directs most of the water against the canyon rock walls, providing the force to compress the dam, and imagined that it would be bigger and grander than the pyramids of Egypt at its completion.

Hurried Beginnings

The first difficult step of construction involved blasting the canyon walls to create four diversion tunnels for the water, utilizing steel forms as sidewalls. Facing a rigid deadline of four months, workers, eager to make money as the Great Depression unfolded, labored relentlessly in 140-degree, carbon monoxide-filled tunnels with little to no clean water. Despite the growing number of deaths among workers, the unrelenting “Hurry Up Crowe” moved forward, determined to beat the deadlines in hopes of obtaining big bonuses.

When two of the tunnels were completed, the excavated rock was utilized to create a temporary coffer dam that successfully rechanneled the river’s path in November 1932. The second step involved the clearing of the walls that would contain the dam. “High Scalers” dangled from heights of up to 800 feet to clear canyon walls, wearing tar-dipped caps as helmets and clenching jackhammers and metal poles to knock loose material, a perilous job that resulted in even more casualties.

In the fall of 1932, one year ahead of schedule, construction began on the power plant, four intake towers and the dam itself. Cement was mixed onsite and lifted high above and across the canyon via aerial cableways. Using this method, a fresh bucket of cement was able to reach the workers below every 78 seconds. This ingenious innovation was yet another reason why Crowe had been granted the contract. Offsetting the heat generated by cooling concrete, nearly 600 miles of steel pipe loops were utilized to circulate water through the poured blocks.

Built with Ingenuity, Reinforced by Steel

As water (which now makes up Lake Mead) began to swell behind the dam, the final block of concrete was poured and topped off at 726 feet above the canyon floor in 1935. Nine hundred-ton steel doors were closed over the mouth of every diversion tunnel, and with that, the Hoover Dam was complete. Then, on September 30 of that year, 20,000 people watched President Franklin Roosevelt commemorate the completion of the awe-inspiring structure.

In the end, about 5 million barrels of cement and 45 million pounds of reinforcement steel had gone into what was then the tallest dam in the world. Altogether, some 21,000 workers contributed to its construction, while 107 died during the process.

The Hoover Dam disseminated the seemingly untamable Colorado River throughout the dry landscape of the Southwest, stimulating the development of major cities such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Phoenix. Today, it is capable of irrigating 2 million acres and its 17 turbines generate enough electricity to power 1.3 million homes. Deemed a National Historic Landmark in 1985, it sees approximately 7 million tourists annually, and stands as a testimony to the ingenuity of an entire nation.

For more information about the story behind the Hoover Dam, watch the full episode below:

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