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.

Almost everyone can picture a sports stadium, an airport, or a bridge – we have all either been in, at or on one of them at one point in our lives. A huge football stadium that can close its roof, an airport by the sea that is impervious to corrosion, and a glass-bottomed bridge that allows only the most steel-hearted of pedestrians to look deep into one of the most famous canyons on earth – all made possible through innovations in steel.

Rolling Back the Roof at NRG Stadium

This year’s pro-football championship game between Atlanta and New England will be held at Houston’s NRG Stadium where hardcore Falcons and Patriots fans are rushing to get their hands on some of the few tickets left. Tickets are reselling for an average of $5,101, but if you want a view from the 50 yard-line it is going to set you back USD $11,000 to $12,000.

NRG Stadium, completed in 2002, is famous for being the first-ever NFL stadium with a retractable roof – allowing events to be held in open air or air-conditioned comfort.

The Houston Texans play at NRG Stadium (formerly Reliant), November 18, 2007. (Photo courtesy of Ed Schipul)

Designed to utilize the principles of kinetic architecture, the roof is able to open and close without reducing the overall structural integrity. The roof’s panels are 117m x 152m and supported by two sections of five trusses each that meet at the 50-yard line. These two sections are supported by two supertrusses that run for almost 300m each along the field’s sidelines. Along each supertruss is a wheel rail to guide the roof as it opens and closes, in as little as 10 minutes.

With so many moving parts, the retractable roof represents an amazing feat of engineering. The steel beams, trusses, and motors weigh thousands of pounds, but it is still able to zip open in a few minutes. Come rain or come shine, ticketholders will be able to stay dry until the winner raises the Lombardi Trophy at the big game on Monday.

Stainless Steel at Incheon International Airport
With over 49 million passengers each year, Incheon International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, and consistently ranked as one of the best. Internationally praised for its remarkable facilities and services, which include a spa, golf course, movie theater, museum, and ice skating rink; the airport also prides itself on its efficient design.

A bird’s-eye view of the second passenger terminal at Incheon International Airport. Because of its non-corrosive properties and stylish appearance, POSCO’s 446M steel will be used as an exterior material.

When the first passenger terminal was built in 2001, they decided to use POSCO’s 446M stainless steel. The 446M steel contains high amounts of chromium (26%) and molybdenum (2%), which gives it superior corrosion resistance – excellent for use in exterior construction near coastal areas, like Incheon.

Seventeen years after the construction of the first terminal, there have been little signs of corrosion. So, as preparations began for a new second terminal, the airport decided to use the same type of stainless steel. Also, a bead blast process will be applied to the steel that will give it a rough texture to lower the reflectivity rate for aircraft pilots during take-offs and landings.

Despite being located on a small island in the Yellow Sea, the stainless steel used at Incheon Airport has been almost completely unaffected by corrosion. Already in its 17^th year of operation, the stainless steel exterior will ensure that it lasts much longer.

Seeing Deep into the Canyons at Zhangjiajie, China

The majestic Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, located in the western part of Hunan Province, is one of the most beautiful sites in China. Made famous in the Western world when James Cameron used it as inspiration for the landscapes in his film Avatar (2009), it is best seen atop the world’s highest and longest bridge.

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge view from west side of gorge. (Photo courtesy of HighestBridges)

Sitting 300m over the canyon, the Zhangjiajie glass bridge gives visitors a breathtaking, and terrifying, view of the park. The bridge is supported by 4 support towers and a steel frame with over 120 glass panels set into its walkway. The towers are installed directly into the canyon sandstone and each panel of glass is layered, so that even if one layer cracks, the others will hold.

Those with stomachs of steel can enjoy the bridge while experiencing one of the most beautiful parts of the world. The glass floor may seem fragile, but the steel frame holds it together to create one of the most amazing yet vertigo-inducing views.

If we look around, we will see that steel is everywhere. For something that seems so ordinary, it can also change the way we see buildings, and even change the way we see the world.

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Korea has been experiencing more than 30 earthquakes on average every year since it began its first seismic observation in 1978. With that said, Korea has never been safe from earthquakes. When the strongest earthquake in Korea’s history (with a magnitude of 5.0) hit Ulsan, many people felt chaos as windows and plates broke into pieces and objects fell off shelves.

If you take a glance at earthquake-related news around the world, the damage for some countries end only at a few buildings collapsing, even when hit by an extremely forceful earthquake with an 8.0 magnitude. But for other countries, such as Italy – which was struck by a very strong earthquake recently – citizens must suffer through a greater number of casualties and even destructions of complete cities.

The difference is due to the seismic designs of newly-built architecture and the seismic retrofits of existing architecture. These advances show the importance of earthquake-resistant steel when it comes to modern architecture built from using rebar and steel frames.

This article explains the concept of seismic designs and seismic retrofit, and examines the current status of earthquake-resistant steel that continues to evolve.

Architectural design that resists earthquakes

Earthquakes force impacts architecture, and earthquake loads, which are known as inertial forces caused by ground motion, can focus its load on a particular layer or particular structural components due to an unexpected movement from non-structural elements or horizontal/vertical structural irregularity. Thus, it is crucial for every seismically-designed structure and its structural components to secure a certain level of strength to endure earthquakes. Not only that, every structure must also be ductile enough in order to flexibly respond to the violent shaking of earthquakes.

Earthquake-resistant design not only allows structures to remain safe even after a quake hits, but also considers earthquake loads during the design process. The quake-resistant design includes seismic structure, vibration control and vibration isolation.

Seismic structure refers to strengthening the building interior’s horizontal axis in order to reinforce the structure’s endurance for the building’s side-to-side vibration caused by earthquakes. Though sturdy and stable, the disadvantage of seismic structure is that it increases the weight of the building, which makes it hard to be applied to skyscrapers.

Vibration control is a method that minimizes the shock that a building receives by adhering a special device called a ‘damper,’ which works to reduce the level of earthquake vibration, located in between the building and its horizontal axis. This method is efficient in that the damper can be adhered onto the existing structure, easing the design process.

Vibration isolation is a method that reduces earthquake loads through laying groundwork that separates the building from the shaking surface during earthquakes. Buildings with vibration isolation systems are not affected as much by severely vibrating surfaces, which is why the method is so frequently used for building skyscrapers and bridges.

If you take a look at skyscrapers, most of them are designed in simple shapes such as flat planes, cylinders, square pillars and quadrangular pyramids. Complex designs with many corners may look beautiful from the outside, but they tend to be highly vulnerable to earthquakes. Therefore, the usage of simple designs can be seen as an outcome of attempting to increase the building’s resistance to earthquakes.

Ways to improve the seismic performance of existing architecture

A building with a shear reinforcement truss (a frame structure that connects junctions with pins so that the structural members do not bend) inserted into its architecture.

It was in 1988 when South Korea decided on the criteria for architectural seismic design. As of October 2015, the number of facilities needing seismic design reached more than 105,448, but only 42.4% (44,732) of these facilities have been renewed to be earthquake-resistant (data from the Ministry of Public Safety and Security).

Reinforcement of a reinforced concrete structure’s external bracing (a diagonal component that diagonally connects the upper pillar with the lower pillar).

Therefore, in cases where existing structures need extension work or a function change, more than half of the parts included will need to improve their resistance to earthquakes.

Three ways to improve the seismic performance of existing buildings

1.  Build new earthquake-resistant structural components and increase the strength of their designs.

2.  Improve existing tenacity of structural components through reinforcement, and get rid of components that are weak against earthquakes.

3.  Extract and dispose unnecessary parts so that the overall building weight gets lighter.

Buttress: A structure of stone or brick built against a wall to strengthen or support it.

Lessons learned from the Sichuan earthquake & the evolution of steel

As buildings nowadays continue to get bigger and taller, the role of steel, which is both stiff and ductile, is becoming more important for earthquake-resistant design. In this regard, development of different types of ultra-high strength steel and earthquake-resistant steel is in its active stage.

Such evolution of earthquake-resistant steel has a lot to do with the lessons learned from the big Sichuan earthquake outbreak in 2008, which destroyed the city and cost many lives. The incident was severe enough to cause considerable concern amongst people, and many asked questions such as, “Aren’t we still hopelessly preparing for earthquakes that might occur out of nowhere even though we’re living in the 21st century?” and, “Don’t we need to take a more thorough measure in preparing for earthquakes?

A tuned mass damper, which controls vibration at Taipei 101’s higher floors during earthquakes, can reduce the maximum vibration level by more than a third and is the biggest damper in the world, with a diameter of 5.5m and a weight of 660 tons.

Previously, Steel Structure (SS) or Steel Marine (SM) was used for conventional building, while Steel News (SN) was widely used for earthquake-resistant buildings.

As the importance of earthquake-proof design for skyscrapers continues to rise after the big Sichuan earthquake, more improved earthquake-proof steels began to come to life. These evolved steels include TMCP steel, which has excellent seismic and welding performance, and HSA steel, which is appropriate for building skyscrapers. HSA800 in particular is known for its strong minimum tensile strength, which is 40% higher than that of existing steels used in building structures, as well as 30% lighter in weight. For this reason, HSA800 was used for constructing the Lotte World Tower, which is currently the highest building in Korea.

It would be worth keeping track of the future evolution of steel, which will only get stronger and continue to resist earthquakes.

Quick Fun Facts

An earthquake bolt is a seismic retrofit material, not an architectural decoration.

After the earthquake outbreak in Charleston, West Virginia in 1886, the region applied earthquake bolts on buildings as a post-tensioning method for dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake.

Written by Myongji University’s School of Architecture Professor JaeIn Lee

The opinions expressed in this POSCO Report piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of POSCO.

How POSCO is Making the World Earthquake-Resistant

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Under the agreement, POSCO Daewoo will supply solar panel modules produced by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), for installment on general houses and skyscrapers across the U.S.

The global business network and financing capability of POSCO Daewoo, together with HHI’s diverse array of manufacturing technologies, have been the driving force behind the success of this contract.

As interest in eco-friendly energy increases globally, the demand for solar panel modules is steadily rising. POSCO Daewoo is utilizing its abilities on building a value chain of its solar power business by carrying out various projects for related materials, ranging from raw material for the solar panel modules (such as polysilicon), intermediary materials (cells), to the finished products.

POSCO Daewoo has focused on landing new business partners through local subsidiaries, which they think have been the main factor in beating lower-priced and leading competitors. The company hopes to participate in future projects with American solar power firms as well.

Since 2010, POSCO Daewoo has been running its renewable energy division and is seeking to emerge as a forerunner in the area of sustainable energy trade both intra- and inter-nationally.

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Steel and Skyscrapers: A Brief History

The history of skyscrapers dates back to the second half of the 19th century when steel became a cornerstone of the world’s industrial economy. Steel framing and steel reinforced concrete made “curtain-wall” architecture possible, which led to the world’s first skyscrapers. Steel further evolved the capabilities of skyscrapers, allowing them to reach new heights. From the humble beginnings of the first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building, built in Chicago in 1895 and standing 42m, skyscrapers now reach extraordinary heights.

Here are the four tallest skyscrapers in four of the regions of the world today. 

Burj Khalifa, Dubai, Middle East

Rising to 829.8m over the gulf city of Dubai, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. Designed by Skidmore Owings and Merill (SOM), the Burj Khalifa used a bundled tube design and a composite of steel and concrete to reach its record height. The Burj Khalifa employed a bundled tube system which is a system of construction that uses an interconnected frame of steel tubes. Thirty-nine thousand tons of steel rebar was needed for the construction. The Burj Khalifa houses a mix of residential, corporate and retail space.

Shanghai Tower, Shanghai, Asia

Standing 632m, the 128-story Shanghai Tower is located in Shanghai’s financial district of Lujiazui, Pudong in China. Though currently still under construction, following its topping out in 2013, the Shanghai Tower is the tallest building in China and the second-tallest building in the world, surpassed only by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The Shanghai Tower is the tallest of a group of three adjacent supertall buildings in Pudong and is composed of three important design strategies, the asymmetry of the tower’s shape, its tapering profile and its rounded corners, all of which will allow it to withstand typhoon wind forces common in Shanghai. 

One World Trade Center, New York, North America

Designed by the same firm that designed the Burj Khalifa, the 104-story One World Trade Center reaches a height of 417m. Including the spire, its total height is 541m (1,776 ft.), a tribute to 1776, the year the U.S. won its independence. Surpassing the Willis Tower (formerly Sear’s Tower) in Chicago, the One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the U.S. The tower’s structure is designed around a strong, but lightweight, steel frame made of beams and columns. The lighter structures enabled savings in greenhouse gases and a 30 percent decrease in carbon emissions during construction. There are 70 elevators and nine escalators in the One World Trade Center. (Image: http://bit.ly/1DsqmBK)

The Shard, London, European Union

The Shard is a 72-story glass pyramid tower, rising above the city of London. It was completed in 2012, and stands 245m. The design uses an intelligent combination of steel and concrete. Steel structures were used from the ground floor to the 40th floor. From there to the 69th floor, concrete replaces the framing material, before the design reverts back to steel. Construction required 12,000 tons of steel.

As the world continues to grow and urbanize the ability to adapt building structures and materials will continue to evolve. Steel will continue to be essential in helping the world’s buildings reach new heights.

The infographic below shows how each of these four gravity-defying structures compare. See how each stack up in height and the amount of steel necessary to make each possible. (Image: http://bit.ly/1eUAFTc)

The mere mention of the city conjures up images such as towering skyscrapers, luxury hotels and mysterious desert dunes.

But compared to its neighboring emirates, this “Miracle in the Desert” has very few gas reserves. As such, Dubai began preparing for the post-oil era long before its onset. The large increases in oil prices after the Gulf War of 1990 encouraged the city to focus its efforts primarily on free trade and has since transformed into a global hub for trade and logistics.

Now, countries throughout the Middle East are looking to Dubai, which is considered the world’s most strikingly modern and prosperous city, as a model of success.

Seeing the potential of the region, POSCO opened its first office in the Middle East in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1975. Later, in 1998, the steel company opened the Dubai presence of its Singapore office, which was promoted as the Dubai office in 2006.

Currently, there are four employees working at this location who oversee POSCO activities in 19 countries: 14 in the Middle East and 5 in North Africa.

In response to changing marketing conditions, the Dubai office is working to increase the sales of products by focusing on reinforcing its solution-based marketing capabilities. It is also working hard to promote POSCO’s innovative solutions to its clients ordering construction projects, and is seeking to create new business opportunities with other Middle Eastern offices of POSCO affiliates.

To get an idea of where the future of POSCO is headed in terms of construction, it only makes sense to take a look at some of Dubai’s most impressive architectural projects of the past which used steel as a construction material. Here are three of them:

Burj Khalifa

Also known as the “Jewel of Dubai”, this 164-story building is the tallest free-standing structure in the world. The building took about five and a half years to build, and used over 31,400 metric tons of steel rebar. Laid end to end, this would stretch over a quarter of the way around the world!

The Burj Khalifa has since become a symbol of the wealth and progress embodied by the Persian Gulf city and currently houses a mix of residential spaces, corporate suites and the Armani Hotel Dubai, the world’s first hotel designed and developed by Giorgio Armani himself.

Princess Tower

(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)

Also a record-breaker, the Princess Tower is the world’s tallest residential tower at 414 meters and 107 floors. The building boasts 763 luxury apartments, including a number of penthouse apartments overlooking the Palm Jumeirah, a dramatic artificial archipelago that resembles a palm tree.

Yet the most impressive aspect of the Princess Tower is its grandiose exterior, which includes a decorative dome that sits atop the building like a giant crown. The dome, which was finished in February 2012, has a mast on the top of it, which weighs 110 tons and is made of aluminum and steel.

O-14

(Image courtesy of Archdaily)

O-14’s façade is an inventive merger of structure and solar shading that is based on a perforated exoskeleton that challenges the concept of an office building altogether. The 1,300 openings in the tower’s shell create a sensational show of natural light that allows for a unique and ever-changing interior space, and permits cool air to filter through the building, thus saving energy.

The outer concrete and steel skin of O-14 also play a fundamental role in supporting the inner tower with an array of linking beams. Eliminating the need of interior columns creates more floor space, and as such, more areas for rent.

Considering the fact that Dubai is seemingly always under construction, and in constant pursuit of breaking even more world records, it’s certain that the demand for steel and POSCO’s services will continue to increase.