Topics
of interest
The efficiency of steel can, therefore, bring new and renovated constructions up to higher standards and improve economic, social, and environmental performances. Steel has all of the attributes required by the 21st century construction sector, and its inherent adaptability makes it an attractive option for an unpredictable and rapidly changing future.
At Arcelor Mittal, we are proud to serve a full range of customers, including manufacturers and contractors, who develop systems and methods for using our products and solutions to facilitate reduced impact designs.
Related news & technical articles
Constructalia: case studies, solutions, and so much more!
8 December 2020Constructalia, ArcelorMittal Europe’s reference website for steel in construction, is consistently filled with the newest content for engineers, architects, contractors, and every decision maker in construction projects.
Website NewsConstructalia: information at your fingertips!
10 November 2020As ArcelorMittal Europe’s reference website for steel in construction, Constructalia is all about putting information at your fingertips! With inspiration for architects and support for engineers, Constructalia is designed to provide engineers, architects, and every decision maker in construction projects with all of the relevant information and tools for their activities.
Website NewsTaking car parks to the next level with Magnelis®
27 October 2020Demand for convenient car parking is rising dramatically. However, the land available for parking is severely limited in many locations. This is making multi-storey car parks a very attractive option in city centres, near transport hubs, and at public buildings such as hospitals. To meet this demand in a cost-effective way, Kingspan, a leading building materials company, has developed a complete portfolio of solutions for car park builders. A key element is Magnelis® from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products which Kingspan uses to form the deck of each level in the car park. As well as cost-effective forming and quick assembly, Magnelis® offers long-term protection against corrosion to ensure the safety and viability of parking structures.
Product NewsPerformance and capacity of composite mega columns with encased hot rolled steel sections
The optimisation of construction materials, including the size reduction of structural system components, is fundamental in the modern construction of high-rise buildings. Composite structural components consisting of concrete and steel are a sustainable solution. This research paper investigates the use of composite mega columns, with hot-rolled steel sections fixed in concrete, as vertical structural systems. Tests were conducted to explore maximum capacity, displacements, stress distribution, ductility, and stiffness, culminating in suggested simplified design methods based on European, Chinese, and American codes.
ArticleSteel is the power behind renewable energy
Headlines throughout the world reveal that a global energy transition is underway. Oil and gas and electricity companies are announcing massive investments and strategic moves that embrace renewable energy.
ArticleArcelorMittal rails will keep the French Open players dry
19 August 2020From 21 September to 11 October 2020, all eyes will be on the French Open / Roland-Garros tournament. While encouraging Novak, Serena, Rafael, or Roger, we invite you to admire the new retractable roof of the central court! Thanks to ArcelorMittal Rodange rails, your favourite players will be protected from the rain.
Project News
Constructalia: case studies, solutions, and so much more!
Constructalia, ArcelorMittal Europe’s reference website for steel in construction, is consistently filled with the newest content for engineers, architects, contractors, and every decision maker in construction projects.
What is the most prevalent content for our users?
We work closely with the different Business Units of the ArcelorMittal Group and our valued partners to provide a wide range of content for steel in construction.
Constructalia is dedicated to ensuring that information is readily available and easy to access.
Some of our most accessed content includes:
- Case study gallery
- News centre (including technical articles)
- Product catalogue
- Solutions by application
- Solutions by construction
- Solutions by performance
- Project map
- Topics of interest
Connect with us!
Follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter for up-to-date information on the latest products, case studies, solutions, and so much more!
Text: Constructalia
Images: Constructalia
Constructalia: information at your fingertips!
As ArcelorMittal Europe’s reference website for steel in construction, Constructalia is all about putting information at your fingertips! With inspiration for architects and support for engineers, Constructalia is designed to provide engineers, architects, and every decision maker in construction projects with all of the relevant information and tools for their activities.
What are the most popular features for our valued users?
Our close collaboration with the different Business Units of the ArcelorMittal Group allows us to offer a complete overview of the company’s products and activities throughout many different areas in the construction industry.
Constructalia is packed to the brim with the latest innovations and developments in our steel solutions.
Some of our most popular features include:
- our document library filled with technical guides, brochures, EPDs, etc.
- design tools
- our software download centre
- BIM objects
- our new glossary for steel in construction
Follow us on social media
Follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter for up-to-date information on the latest software updates, design tools, documents, solutions, and so much more!
Text: Constructalia
Images: ArcelorMittal
Taking car parks to the next level with Magnelis®
Demand for convenient car parking is rising dramatically. However, the land available for parking is severely limited in many locations. This is making multi-storey car parks a very attractive option in city centres, near transport hubs, and at public buildings such as hospitals. To meet this demand in a cost-effective way, Kingspan, a leading building materials company, has developed a complete portfolio of solutions for car park builders. A key element is Magnelis® from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products which Kingspan uses to form the deck of each level in the car park. As well as cost-effective forming and quick assembly, Magnelis® offers long-term protection against corrosion to ensure the safety and viability of parking structures.
The challenges of multi-storey car parks
Multi-storey car parks offer unique challenges for their owners. As well as providing safe and welcoming spaces for potential customers, they must withstand weathering from the elements – and the effect of de-icing salts and other chemicals which are tracked into the structure. Floors are particularly vulnerable due to the high level of moisture which enters the structure through its open sides or via rain and snow on vehicles. Moisture in the atmosphere typically condenses on the underside of the floor, making this part of the structure particularly susceptible to corrosion.
A complex product requires Magnelis®
To address these concerns, Kingspan has developed a multideck floor system based on Magnelis®. The system is quick to produce, lighter than alternative solutions, and simple to assemble on-site. “We create the deck panels by roll-forming the steel in our factory,” explains Phil Smith, Kingspan’s Managing Director for the UK and Ireland. “It is a complex product – the deck panels need to include cut-outs to ensure the concrete adheres to the steel. But Magnelis® is easy to form.”
In the final step, the ends of the Magnelis® deck panels are engineered to ensure that the concrete does not slip off as Phil Smith says: “The process involves crushing the ends of the panels slightly so that the concrete has a rough surface to adhere to. This is done about two to three weeks before the panels are installed.”
Once the steel decking panels are manufactured, they are transported to site and lifted into place. Concrete is then poured over the steel to form the deck. “In the past we have used pre-cast concrete slabs to form the deck, but this is costly,” notes Phil Smith. “Another option is to use pre-coated or galvanised steel, but the coatings on these materials are often damaged in handling, transport, and on-site. Magnelis® is the best and most cost-effective option as it does not damage easily during transport or handling on-site. And if it is damaged, the self-healing property of Magnelis® repairs any cuts or scratches that do occur.”
10-year guarantee a major advantage
A key advantage of Magnelis® for Kingspan is the guarantee ArcelorMittal can provide on request. Phil Smith explains: “By using Magnelis® we can offer a 10-year guarantee on our decks. That can be extended up to 20 years depending on the location of the car park and the thickness of the Magnelis® coating. Currently we use Magnelis® ZM310, but we are working with ArcelorMittal to test Magnelis® ZM430.”
Kingspan utilises ArcelorMittal’s technical support at all stages of the project. “We are quite often involved in projects where the environment is aggressive such as swimming pools, car parks, and installations which generate energy from waste,” says Phil Smith. “In these projects we involve ArcelorMittal during the design phase to ensure we are selecting the right materials. ArcelorMittal also organises R&D workshops to Kingspan to help us get the most from their offer.”
ArcelorMittal’s dedicated Client Technical Support (CTS) personnel also provide a direct link between the customer and the steelmaker. They connect the customer’s technical team to ArcelorMittal’s support and R&D teams to provide quick feedback and advice on technical questions.
Sustainability at every step
Kingspan offers a complete range of solutions for multi-storey car parks including the Magnelis® composite decks explains Phil Smith: “We also have barrier protection systems, perforated facades, and solar panels for the top floor so the car park can generate energy for lighting, ventilation, and electric vehicle charging points. Our goal is to create sustainable solutions at every stage. And steel is our material of choice to reach this goal.”
That commitment to sustainability has seen Kingspan switch both of its production centres in the UK to 100 percent renewable energy. Kingspan is also one of only 130 companies to make the CDP A-list (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), a position the company has held since 2016.
About Kingspan
Kingspan is a global leader in high-performance insulation and building envelopes. Originally founded in Ireland in 1965, Kingspan now operates in over 70 countries around the world and employs more than 14 000 people. The company manufactures a range of complementary building envelope solutions for both the new build and refurbishment markets.
More info: www.kingspan.com/gb
Text: ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Images: Raised Floor Solutions
Related link(s)
Multi-storey car parks can accommodate a large number of vehicles in a relatively small space
Magnelis® can resist the corrosive effect of moisture which accumulates underneath each deck
Kingspan engineers the ends of each Magnelis® panel to ensure maximum adhesion of the concrete layer
Kingspan uses Magnelis® in their multi-storey car parks
Kingspan partnered with MetparkUK Ltd to install the Magnelis® decks in multi-storey car parks
Kingspan uses Magnelis® in their multi-storey car parks
Phil Smith, Managing Director of Kingspan in the UK and Ireland
A multi-storey car park under construction in Manchester, UK
Performance and capacity of composite mega columns with encased hot rolled steel sections
The optimisation of construction materials, including the size reduction of structural system components, is fundamental in the modern construction of high-rise buildings. Composite structural components consisting of concrete and steel are a sustainable solution. This research paper investigates the use of composite mega columns, with hot-rolled steel sections fixed in concrete, as vertical structural systems. Tests were conducted to explore maximum capacity, displacements, stress distribution, ductility, and stiffness, culminating in suggested simplified design methods based on European, Chinese, and American codes.
Paper abstract
“Steel reinforced concrete (SRC) columns are widely used in high-rise buildings, since they provide larger bearing capacity and better ductility than traditional reinforced concrete (RC) columns. This type of structural system is not currently explicitly addressed in the actual design codes. The paper aims at presenting the behaviour of a new configuration of mega columns - isolated steel reinforced concrete (ISRC) columns. A two-phase test was conducted on scaled ISRC columns designed based on a typical mega column of a super high-rise building. Phase 1 of the study includes six 1/4-scaled ISRC columns under static loads: every two of the specimens are loaded statically with the eccentricity ratio of 0, 10%, and 15%, respectively. Phase 2 of the study includes four 1/6-scaled ISRC columns under quasi-static loads: every two of the specimens were loaded under simulated seismic loads with the equivalent eccentricity ratios of 10% and 15%, respectively. A finite element analysis (FEA) was conducted as a supplement to the physical tests to provide a deeper insight into the behaviour of “mega columns”. An extended Plastic Distribution Method is defined to evaluate the capacity of the specimens. The method is based on simplifications similar to those proposed in EC4 [1]. The scope of this latter standard is limited to the consideration of one single steel profile. The method is validated by comparisons with experimental and with numerical simulation results using advanced finite element programs, showing a good accuracy in results.”
Research paper, abstract, and images: © Ernst & Sohn Verlag für Architektur und technische Wissenschaften GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin
Intro: Constructalia
Related link(s)
Performance and capacity of composite mega columns with encased hot rolled steel sections
Steel is the power behind renewable energy
Headlines throughout the world reveal that a global energy transition is underway. Oil and gas and electricity companies are announcing massive investments and strategic moves that embrace renewable energy.
Steel: a key material in a less carbon-intensive world
Renewable energy, which includes solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, and others, is at the centre of the transition to a less carbon-intensive society, which also puts steel at the centre of the conversation.
“Steel is required by each of these markets. Without steel, none of the renewable energy sources would be possible. Every renewable energy structure – a wind turbine, a solar panel - requires steel,” says Johannes De Schrijver, CEO of ArcelorMittal Projects.
An expansion of renewable power capacity
According to the International Energy Agency, renewable power capacity is set to expand by 50% between 2019 and 2024. This increase of 1200 GW is equivalent to the current total power capacity of the United States. Solar is expected to account for nearly 60% of the anticipated growth and onshore wind 25%.
Steel will play an important role in all renewables, including and especially solar and wind. Each new MW of solar power requires between 35 to 45 tons of steel, and each new MW of wind power requires 120 to 180 tons of steel.
The solar market
The solar market is divided into two areas. The first are smaller-scale rooftop panels mounted on homes, museums, and stadiums. The second is utility-scale projects, which are larger consumers of steel. These plants produce a standard 100 to 300 MW of energy while some in development are approaching 1000 MW.
Johannes De Schrijver notes: “These are basically small power plants, football fields full of solar panels. If you consider that each new MW requires 35 to 45 tons of steel, that’s a tremendous opportunity for us. This is an area that has our attention.”
Solar technologies
Solar power plants use three technologies, all of which use steel in the structure on which the PV modules or mirrors are attached:
- Solar Photovoltaic (PV) – panels are mounted on a fixed or moving structure that allows the panel to be optimally oriented to the sun throughout the day; the moving structure is gaining ground on the fixed structure with tracker technology accounting for half of all PV structures by 2025.
- Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) - panels with lenses that focus the sun’s ray on a small cell with a much higher energy generation capacity.
- Concentrator Photovoltaics (CPV) - converts sunlight to electricity by PV cells made of semiconductor materials; usually the material is salt, which becomes liquid and generates steam to create electricity.
ArcelorMittal has been a key player in supplying steel to major solar projects around the world including the Beryl Solar Farm in Australia and Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai as well as solar farms in Chile, Egypt, France, Israel, and the United States. The company is also finalising agreements with power-generating companies on solar plants using CSP or CPV technologies. One is the first of its kind that combines both Solar PV and CSP for a revolutionary capacity of 950 MW of energy.
Steel in the wind energy market
Steel is also a major contributor to wind energy, which can be grouped into three key markets:
- Onshore wind farms - relatively small and produce between 2 and 3 MW of power per turbine. A variety of steels is used for the structural tower itself, the house of the turbine, the turbine blades, plus electrical steels for electricity generation
- Offshore wind farms - much larger, with recent turbines producing 5 to 8 MW of energy. Offshore wind consumes more steel than onshore and is an area of interest among investors. Offshore has two advantages: the ability to go much higher with no obstructions and the free flow of wind. Offshore requires a combination of steels to support the huge foundations that are anchored to the sea bed. Steel is also found in the structural tower itself and the blades, which are much thicker and longer.
- New generation wind farms – these wind farms go the distance, literally. These farms will be built even further from shore, requiring a floating structure. Each turbine will produce 7 to 12 MW of energy.
ArcelorMittal: supplying steel to windfarms
ArcelorMittal has been a supplier of steel to some of the world’s largest windfarms, including:
- BorWin3, a 900 MW offshore wind grid connection in the German North Sea.
- East Anglia One, a 714 MW wind farm in the North Sea off the coast of England.
- Greater Changhua, a 2.4 GW wind farm in the Taiwan Strait.
ArcelorMittal Global R&D plays an important role in supporting this market through the development of new steel products and solutions:
- Magnelis®, a breakthrough corrosion resistant steel product, has enjoyed much success in the solar energy market. Magnelis® is the industry’s reference product for ground mounted structures and the product of choice in harsh outdoor and indoor environments.
- A-motion is a new steel solution for solar panels created by ArcelorMittal. A-Motion is a single-row, self-powered, and wireless solar tracker which features a wind-friendly design dimensioned to be safe in any position with no stow position required. With a limited number of components, a global supply chain with possibilities of local content and reduced O&M, the product answers the market’s needs.
“The future of steel in the energy transition is exciting,” says Johannes De Schrijver. “As the world’s largest steel producer with extensive downstream capabilities and fabrication and construction knowledge, we are in an excellent position to provide safe, sustainable steel for the future of energy.”
Text: ArcelorMittal
Images: ArcelorMittal
Related link(s)
ArcelorMittal rails will keep the French Open players dry
From 21 September to 11 October 2020, all eyes will be on the French Open / Roland-Garros tournament. While encouraging Novak, Serena, Rafael, or Roger, we invite you to admire the new retractable roof of the central court! Thanks to ArcelorMittal Rodange rails, your favourite players will be protected from the rain.
Premium rails provided in record time for the French sports monument
The Rodange site produced the 44 crane rails used for the construction of the retractable roof of the court. The A150 rails are the largest in our DIN range and were produced in 110CrV of superior quality. This shade has long been exclusively developed by ArcelorMittal with special straightening to ensure perfect track alignment.
The rails were mainly produced for the Philippe Chatrier central court roof. Once the rails were manufactured, the finishing operations were managed and organised in Yutz, France for:
- Cutting: The rails were cut to length according to customer specifications, including 45° corner cuts while respecting the required lengths with a tolerance of +/- 1mm.
- Hardness: The A150 are the highest quality in the range.
- Handling: Made with textile straps only, without magnets or chains, despite the size of the rails (the A150 are the largest rails in the range of crane rails produced in Rodange).
- Fast delivery
In total, it took only two months between ordering and shipments to provide the end customer with completely finished rails - from production to delivery. Thanks to good internal cooperation, we were able to provide the customer with a complete solution.
The revival of an iconic tennis court
Built in 1928, the Philippe Chatrier central court has undergone a complete renovation to modernise the stands and build a retractable roof.
This roof will not only allow the organisation of night games, but will also protect players from the rain in case of bad weather. It is composed of 11 panels of 100 metres and 350 tonnes each which slide on our rails. Thanks to our high quality products, this 3850-tonne roof will open and close in 12 minutes.
Click here to see the construction of the retractable roof.
Text: ArcelorMittal Luxembourg, Constructalia
Images: ArcelorMittal Europe
Video: Roland-Garros
Related link(s)
Philippe Chatrier Central Court at the Roland-Garros / French Open
Équerre d'argent 2019 winners: A special jury prize for the Roland Garros Stadium
Retractable roof of the Philippe Chatrier central court at the Roland-Garros Stadium
Retractable roof mechanism of the Philippe Chatrier central court at the Roland-Garros Stadium
Philippe Chatrier central court at the Roland-Garros Stadium
Steel in construction
The modern high-performance construction sector is under increasing pressure to reduce waste and increase recycling by choosing the best products and technologies currently available. With steel products and technologies being inherently low waste through all stages of their life cycle, steel has its ever-increasing significance in today’s construction sector, driven by market demand for sustainable materials and procedures of the 21st century.
Useful information
MoreTopics
of interestMainly, but not limited to, the major environmental benefits of steel include:
- 100% recyclability
- Minimum on-site waste due to high quality shop prefabrication
- Life cycle energy savings due to insulation and air tightness of the envelope
- A long-lasting structure that reduces the need for future building resources (zero depletion of iron resources)
A similar review of progress made in steel buildings demonstrated that:
- Steel construction is efficient, competitive, and makes a significant contribution to society.
- Construction can be quickly assembled using high-quality, nearly defect-free steel components that are efficiently manufactured off-site.
- Steel framing and envelope systems allow, together with other materials, for building design with low overall environmental impacts.
- Steel-based construction systems provide flexible spaces that have the potential to be easily modified and adapted so that the building’s life can be extended by accommodating changes in use, layout, and size.
- At the end of a building's life, steel components can be dismantled, reused, or recycled without degradation of properties.