The budget for the entire event was estimated to be around USD 10 to 13 billion to get PyeongChang in prime shape to host more than 6000 athletes and officials from all over the world. As a result, the winter games will take place in 13 different venues, 6 of which have been newly built and the remaining 7 were renovated specifically for use during these games.

The Olympic flame lands in PyeongChang during the flame lighting ceremony. (Source: Sputnik News)

As the biggest steelmaker in Korea, POSCO played a crucial part in building the International Broadcast Center (IBC), Media Residence Hotel and the Kwandong Hockey Center with its World Premium Products and innovative construction solutions.

SEE ALSO: POSCO Steel Shines at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics

International Broadcast Center

This year’s Winter Olympics will set a new record as the first Olympics to be broadcast live in all U.S. time zones, and all of this will be coordinated through the IBC. POSCO custom-made H-beams for the center’s pillars and columns using Pos-H, a type of steel produced by precisely cutting and welding POSCO’s hot-rolled steel plates and thick plates together.

The HSA5-based Pos-H is seismic wave resistant and can be customized to fit specific height and thickness requirements for different parts of a building. Plus, compared to existing hot-rolled steel which only comes in a standard size, manufacturers have the added benefit of reducing the amount of steel used, thus saving costs.

For the first time ever, all time zones in the U.S. can watch live coverage of the Olympics. (Source: Heerim)

POSCO also applied GI-Ace steel and fire-resistant cladding to the IBC’s columns to not only increase fire resistance but reduce construction time. POSCO’s dry fire-resistant cladding is different from traditional methods that require numerous layers of fire-resistant paint to be applied, requiring additional manpower and hours to complete. Dry-cladding can be wrapped around the surface of the columns in a one-time process.

Finally, the 5-story IBC is now capable of supporting a much larger load thanks to a new composite beam with concrete integrated into POSCO’s SM490 steel. Overall, POSCO supplied 8,218 tons of steel for the IBC.

Media Residence Hotel

The Media Residence Hotel is another important facility POSCO’s materials and construction solutions played a vital role in. POSCO wrapped the exterior walls of the 300-room, 4-story building with PosMAC, a magnesium alloy coating, that is 10 times more corrosion resistant than standard galvanized steel.

The interior walls are also lined with steel. Instead of wallpaper, the Media Residence Hotel is lined with a special type of printed steel that feels like fabric to the touch. POSCO also applied PosMAC to the modular bathroom floors instead of traditional tiles. PosMac is 5 times more corrosion-resistant than zinc plating, and has an aesthetically-pleasing finish. POSCO’s stainless steel, PossSD, made up other parts of the bathroom as it is also highly corrosion-resistant and workable. In addition, each entrance was made with POSCO’s high-strength and corrosion-resistant 329LD duplex stainless steel with surface treatment and color processing.

Media Residence Hotel was constructed off-site, then put together at the venue. (Source: The Korea Herald)

What’s noteworthy about this construction project is that 100 percent of the building was constructed off-site via modular construction. Compared to the time it would take to build a traditional concrete building of the same scope, the construction period for the Media Residence Hotel was 18 months shorter. Since each room is a relocatable building unit, it will be moved to a different venue and recycled as another hotel or dormitory. All in all, POSCO supplied 1,405 tons of steel for the entire construction project.

Kwandong Hockey Center

Kwandong Hockey Center will be home to some of the most exciting action of the winter games, and the facility was built on the “ice wave” concept to reflect the dynamics of ice hockey, waves of the nearby East Sea and the region’s strong winds.

Again, POSCO’s duplex stainless steel 329LD was used to cover the stadium’s exterior to protect against rapid corrosion that is prevalent in coastal areas. Aside from protection against corrosion, the stainless steel is extremely high in strength, allowing the builders to reduce the thickness of the steel plates by 25 percent compared to standard types of stainless steel.

POSCO’s duplex stainless steel keeps the Kwandong Hockey Center strong and corrosion-free. (Source: Curbed)

POSCO also aided the construction process by providing additional support such as internal wind pressure structural analysis, surface treatment and a panel processability evaluation to maximize the benefits of POSCO’s products.

With these new and upgraded facilities completed, PyeongChang is now equipped and ready to host the 23rd Winter Olympics. The only thing left to do now is to witness history as the best athletes from all over the world compete for gold. Best of luck to all the Olympic and Paralympic athletes!  

Cover photo courtesy of Snow Best.

For the International Broadcasting Center (IBC) completed last April, builders used POSCO’s Pos-H steel. Building parts were made by precisely cutting and welding the hot-rolled steel plates and thick plates. Pos-H is custom-made for structures and does not produce any waste unlike existing hot-rolled shape steel with fixed dimensions. In addition, POSCO’s dry fire-resistant cladding technique was applied to all the pillars of the IBC. The dry fire-resistant cladding technique eliminates the process of applying fire-resistant paint to pillars for fire prevention, and instead, fire-resistant materials are wrapped around the pillars.

The Media Residence that will house reporters during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics resembles a steel showroom due to its impressive design. PosMAC, which is over 5 times more corrosion-resistant than general galvanized steel sheets as it is coated with zinc, magnesium and aluminum, was specially printed to bring to life the fiber texture. PosMAC was used for the exterior of the bathrooms and walls for durability as well as artistic value. The surface steel plates plated with aluminum and zinc, called ALZASTA was treated to achieve a glittering spangle pattern texture and applied to the residence fire doors, valve enclosures and hallways. PossSD, stainless steel with a level of reflectivity equal to that of a mirror, was used inside the bathrooms.

The Media Residence was completed on December 15, after 8 months of construction. All of the 300 rooms were prefabricated in a factory and assembled at the site. This is known as modular construction. It reduced the construction period by 18 months compared to building with general concrete. More than anything else, modular construction makes it possible to move the structure to another location and reuse it. In this respect, modular construction is regarded as the best choice for the facilities that will be removed after the Winter Olympics. The Media Residence will be reused as a hotel or dormitory.

Finally, the Kwandong Hockey Center’s exterior walls are made of 329LD POSCO stainless steel, which is highly corrosion-resistant and robust. POSCO provided the structural analysis by calculating the optimal thickness for the walls and reduced the thickness by 25 percent.  

After the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympics, POSCO will continue to provide construction solutions through is WPP and technologies for its partners.  

Cover photo courtesy of Heerim.

So, what do these athletes from all over the world competing in various different sports have in common? They all rely on steel to enhance their performance and keep them safe while they compete for the highest honors in their profession.

Here are some of the most prominent ways steel plays its part in winter Olympic sports:

Blades/Edges of Steel

Ice Hockey

Ice hockey is easily the main attraction of winter Olympics as hockey finals are usually the last events of the Games. The same can be said of para ice hockey as well. Athletes glide through the rink on specially-made sledges, or sleds, and have as much, if not more, full-contact than regular ice hockey.

Stainless steel is the material of choice for ice hockey skate blades. (Source: FXBX)

There are several pieces of equipment that enable hockey players to perform at their best, including their skates and sleds. The deciding factor in the quality of skates comes down to the type of steel used in the blades, or runners. Harder types of steel are preferred for less wear and tear and so that athletes do not have to sharpen the blades too often.

That’s why most opt for stainless steel, for its high-strength, hard, ductile and corrosion-resistant qualities. For para ice hockey players, their sleds make or break the game, and materials like magnesium, high-manganese anti-vibration steel and stainless steel give them the edge they need.

SEE ALSO: How POSCO’s Advanced Technology Gives Speed to Korea’s Para Ice Hockey Team

Figure Skating

Blades on figure skates look similar to that of hockey skates, but are longer and heavier. Figure skate blades also have the thickest type of blades at 4 to 5mm. These blades were most commonly made of tempered carbon steel coated with chrome, but lighter materials such as stainless steel are becoming more common. At the professional level, many athletes wear skates with high-grade steels that are much more expensive than common skates. A distinct characteristic of these blades is the spiked front toe which gives figure skaters the traction they need for rigorous jumps and spins.

Figure skates have spiked toes to assist jumps and spins. (Source: Bend Source)

Short and Speed Skating

Like blades for hockey and figure skates, short track and speed skates are also made of stainless steel. Short track skates are slightly curved and shorter than speed skates, with slightly rounded backends for safety.  

Figure skates have spiked toes to assist jumps and spins. (Source: International Skating Union)

Speed skates are different from those for short track because the back-end of the blade is detached from the boot. this reduces friction and energy loss. Also, the detached blade allows the blade to remain attached to the ice longer than attached blades.

Skiing and Snowboarding

Steel also plays a crucial part in the construction of ski and snowboard edges. With high-quality steel, athletes can sharpen the edges more frequently, and sharp edges are crucial for carving and turning on snow. Edges are most commonly made of stainless steel, and they are inserted into the body of the ski or snowboard via “teeth” or T-shaped ridges. Most edges have a Rockwell 48 hardness.

Ski and snowboard edges are made of steel to achieve maximum sharpness. (Source: YouTube)

Rock-hard Skeleton, Ultra Sharp Blades

Bobsled

There are several variations of bobsled events during the Olympics: 2-man, 4-man and women’s doubles. No matter how many people are on a team, each bobsled has a steel chassis or skeleton and four steel blades attached to the bottom of the sleds. Every team must use the same type of steel for blades used in competition. Much like a car, materials that make up the bobsled must be lightweight yet strong so the athletes have the freedom to steer through the track. During competition, sleds slide through at an average speed of 150 km/hr.

Ski and snowboard edges are made of steel to achieve maximum sharpness. (Source: Lake Placid)

SEE ALSO: Ask an Expert: How POSCO GIGA STEEL Frames the G4 Rexton

Luge

The luge is considered to be the most dangerous winter Olympic sport due to high speeds and sharp turns of the track. After push off in a seated position, the person or pair lies flat on their backs and steer the sleds with their bodies. Sleds have a pair of steel blades attached to the bottom. Olympic rules prohibit teams from heating the blades before competition as it would decrease friction against ice. Instead, athletes try to maintain the sharpest blades possible.

The Luge is one of the most dangerous winter Olympic sports. (Source: Team GB)

Skeleton

Opposite of the luge, skeleton athletes race flat on their stomachs, with no brakes. Instead of starting on the sled, the athletes have to sprint for about 40 meters before hopping on. All skeleton sled frames must be made of steel, and blades are usually made of high-quality stainless steel. As for all the “sliding” sports, there are strict rules for the size and weight of the sleds.

Skeleton athletes sprint 40 meters before jumping on their sleds stomach first. (Source: MPR News)

Despite security concerns and uncertainty of whether Russia could successful host the 2014 Winter Games, the Sochi Olympics concluded with a grand finale last week including a well-organized closing ceremony that even wittily mocked fun at Russia’s own Olympic ring malfunction. There were moments of victory, anxiety, relief, not to mention controversy.

Image source: flickr

Controversial Judging Drama in Sochi

By now, news over the controversial judging for South Korea’s figure skating queen Kim Yuna is well known.  In spite of a flawless performance by Kim Yuna, the gold medal winner at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the gold medal for women’s figure skating went to Russia’s Adelina Sotnikova.

Image source: flickr

2014 Olympic Games, Sochi, Russia. 20 Feb. 2014. (EPA/Barbara Walton)

Amid the protest and criticism from fans and viewers all around the world, skating Queen, Kim Yuna, maintained her graceful composure and responded by saying, “The most important thing for me is to participate in the Olympic Winter Games…It’s my last competition, and I’m a happy to be here.”

What are skates made of? The science behind the steel skate blades of Olympic athletes

Image source: flickr

Women’s 5000 meter finals at Vancouver 2010 Olympics

While we think Kim Yuna was simply born with the gift of skating and she also invested thousands of hours to practice, another crucial element for Yuna and all other Olympic skating athletes are their steel skate blades.

Blades are essential for skaters and are made of tempered carbon steel and chrome. Skates produced with lightweight aluminum and stainless steel are becoming more popular with skaters.  The stainless steel used for skate blades is the same material produced by POSCO’s steel mills and are advantageous as it does not readily rust or stain with water like ordinary steel.

What is the difference between figure skates, short track skates and speed skates?

Beyond the blade material, the shape of the blades also makes a significant difference for skating athletes.

Images (Left to right): Figure skates, Short track skates, Speed skates

Image credit: POSCO Newspaper

• Toe technology for figure skates

Figure skaters like Kim Yuna are highly judged on their artistic movements and the height of their jumps and vigorous spins. As such, the spikes on the frontal toes are crucial to make this happen. Although figure skates are the shortest in length, they have the thickest blades at 4~5mm. Also, the boot reaches far higher up the ankle compared to other skates in order to prevent injuries from high jumps and spinning.

• Curved blade technology for short track skates

The deciding factor between gold and silver medals for short track skating athletes is how fast one can turn corners as they make their laps. To reach maximum speed while turning corners, short track skates are designed slightly curved and are shorter than speed skates. For safety purposes of athletes skating in close proximity and at high speeds, the backend of these skates have slightly more rounded edges.

• Detachable back-end technology for speed skates

Introduced by Netherland skaters at the 1998 Nagano Olympics with much hype and now adopted by most speed skating athletes, speed skates have a detachable back-end that reduces friction and energy loss. Since the blade is designed to detach from the boot, the blade can remain on the ice for longer even when there is leg movement.

Image source: flickr

Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, 20 Feb. 2014. (Reuters/Alexander Demianchuk)

Queen Yuna’s professional skating career has dawned, but it will be interesting to observe how skate technology advancements continue to evolve. Now that The Games have been declared closed, let the countdown to the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang begin! It will be the first Winter Games hosted in South Korea and 30 years since the 1988 Summer Games were held in Seoul. We’ll be there cheering on our talented athletes. Will you?