product spotlight
Structural Steel
Upward mobility
IMAGE: courtesy Malik Architecture
The futuristic world is always por-
trayed as one high on technology and
invention. Most sci-fi movies represent
this with an excessive use of metal and
metal surface structures. In the global
context, therefore, it’s no surprise that the
use of structural steel for construction is
on the upswing. And India is fast catching
up with this trend.
An alloy, steel has been used extensively
in the construction industry. However,
its application has now gone beyond the
use of basic MS bars. Steel members such
as beams, columns, floor plates, of varied
specifications are becoming more promi-
With our cities growing
vertically, the use of
structural steel
for construction is
continuing to mount,
observes Carol Ferrao
nent. Structural steel is also gaining vast
popularity as a framing material, specially
in the commercial sector in India – for
high-rises in particular.
One of the advantages of structural
steel is its ability to speed up the construc-
tion process. Its design, fabrication and
assembly cycle allows the framing system
to be completed at a much quicker pace.
Dr Rajkumar Singh, director of Kalyani
Centre for Technology and Innovation,
reinstates this: “After making mainframe
ready, which can be done quite fast, paral-
lel construction activities can continue on
all floors – saving 20-30% of time.”
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Building Information Modeling (BIM)
and 3-D interoperability are some technol-
ogy options that assist architects and steel
specialist contractors in the fabrication
and erection of building structures. This
shop fabrication mode enables work to
continue on site while the steel members
are being manufactured – an option that
concrete does not offer. Kamal Hadker, 1. With the
MD of Sterling Engineer Design Consul- assitance of
tancy Services Pvt Ltd, points out, “RCC technology, the
slabs require 28 days of curing to gain use of strucutral
full strength, but with structural steel this steel is becoming
28-day process can be eliminated – thus easier and more
saving valuable time and labour.” comprehensible.
039
product spotlight
Structural Steel

Photographs: courtesy Geodesic Techniques

4

other materials. These attributes play a

2&4. Strucutral 3 Illustrates Dr Singh, “It has a unique steel
steel is used in the
MMRDA office in
BKC, Mumbai.
3. Subodh
Shinde, manager,
ArcelorMittal
International India
Structural steel has the ability to adapt
to design, a plus point architects and
designers long for in framing systems.
With conceptual designs being the norm,
innovation is turning complex design into
reality. Structural steel sections can be bent
and rolled to create non-linear members,
an advantage most framing systems fail
to provide. Take, for instance, the Infosys
Technologies Ltd office at Hinjewadi, Pune.
major role in achieving LEED credits for
a structure. Another plus point is that no
water is used.
“Statistically speaking, the building
industry provides 5% to 10% of worldwide
employment and generates 5% to 15%
GDP; and the built environment accounts
for 40% of energy consumption, 40% of
carbon emission, 30% of the consumption
of natural resources, 30% of waste genera-
tion and 20% of water consumption.” says
2
Subodh Shinde, manager, ArcelorMittal
International India. Clearly, this material
could make a big difference in the creation
of a more sustainable environment.
framed shell with glass and aluminium Structural steel is particularly favoured
cladding in the shape of an ellipsoid. The for high-rise structures. Sunshine Tower,
shell is divided into 16 radial parts. The the tallest commercial steel building in
surface of the shell is formed out of a trap- Mumbai, testifies to its many advantages.
ezoidal grid. It has consumed 450 tonnes Having a relatively smaller footprint,
of structural steel. Thanks to the use of structural steel was the only plausible
structural steel, this interesting structure solution. The service core of the building is
was completed in a span of six months.” made of RCC and the office space in steel,
About 88% of structural steel is made resulting in a composite structure. The
from recycled products, and steel manu- steel columns are placed at the periphery
facturers are making constant attempts to level, thus giving clear floor space without
reduce its carbon footprint. According to the column in the span. The steel columns
experts, there has been over 30% decrease remain of uniform height throughout the
in the energy used for its production in the structure, an advantage only structural
past three decades. The assembly process steel could provide.
adds to its sustainability quotient when “Steel having better ability to accom-
compared to concrete construction, and it modate exceptional loading in the event of
also results in minimum debris at the time earthquake and explosion, is better suited
of demolition. to high-rise buildings, since these are more
Besides its ‘recycle’ nature, structural vulnerable,” maintains Dr Singh. Time is
steel can contribute to a sustainable en- also a crucial factor in the construction of
vironment in other ways. When designed high-rises, as Shinde elaborates, “With the
exceptionally well, it can provide a tight use of hot rolled sections, we can acceler-
building envelope for less air loss and ate the fabrication and erection process of
better HVAC performance over time. steel structures – which results in a faster
Because of its shop fabrication, it reduces construction process in comparison to
waste on site. Steel also has an outstand- RCC structures.”
ing reclamation rate, and its magnetic Despite its many advantages, there are
property facilitates easy separation from many apprehensions among architects and

040 ARCHITECT and INTERIORS INDIA | MAy 2011 | www.architectandinteriorsindia.com

 product spotlight
Structural Steel
Photograph: courtesy Malik Architecture
5 the speed of construction and cold formed
checkpoints to choose your steel
• Consistency of product
• Good strength, toughness and weldability
• Higher fatigue strength, especially for bridges
• Better fire resistance, earthquake resistance (high ductility)
and corrosion resistance
• Better dimensional accuracy
• Proper identification and certification of products
• Fine grained steel to be preferred
• Less surface defects and discontinuities needed
Information: courtesy Dr Rajkumar Singh, director of Kalyani
Centre for Technology and Innovation
5. Steel sections can designers about structural steel. Firstly,
be bent and rolled there is a perception that it’s expensive as
to create non-linear compared to concrete. Most engineers and
members, making it related professionals respond to this query
ideal for conceptual by comparing the lifecycle of the struc-
designs. ture. Structural steel with its properties
provides better durability to the structure.
6. Completed in “The total fabricated and erected cost of
a period of 27 the structure saved due to faster construc-
months, Sunshine tion, and more returns by selling more car-
Tower is the pet area should also get considered in the
tallest commercial cost analysis while making a comparison,”
steel building in declares Shinde.
Mumbai. Fire safety issues associated with struc-
tural steel is another anxiety cited by most
professionals and clients. In the case of
common fire, steel can lose its strength at
high temperature. A preventive measure
is the provision of encasing and partial
encasing of steel. Shinde offers some sug-
gestions, “Apart from a water sprinkling
system through the building, a variety
042 ARCHITECT and INTERIORS INDIA | MAy 2011 | www.architectandinteriorsindia.com
of different materials or systems can be
used to protect structural steel – such as
gypsum coating on steel members, mineral
fibres and cementaneous material that are
spray applied directly on the steel mem-
bers. Suspended ceiling systems are also
available for protecting floors and beams,
as well as the composite construction in
which concrete covers the steel members.”
Some experts such as Srinidhi Anathara-
man, founder and CEO of Geodesic Tech-
niques, however, stress the importance of
fire engineering – wherein encasing or fire
protection can be determined effectively
and as per requirement, resulting in better
cost management.
With architects and builders seeking
upgrades and innovative methods, the
structural steel industry is constantly work-
ing to meet the varied requirements and
specifications. With respect to materials,
steel members are now available with high
strength, high performance steel that re-
duces the weight of composite structures.
Fire-resistant steel, corrosion-resistant
steel, cladded/coated steel panels, normal
and coloured stainless steel are some
specific materials that have improved
the functional nature of steel members.
“ArcelorMittal has succeeded in creat-
ing structural steel combining high-yield
strength with excellent toughness at low
temperatures and outstanding weldability.
These material properties were considered
incompatible until now,” adds Shinde.
Steel sections and beams are available in
different shapes to meet specific require-
ments. For instance, the H-beams that re-
Photograph: courtesy Sterling Engineer design Consultancy Services
sult in reduced consumption of structural
steel. Profile metal decking that increases
steel trusses and wall panels that facilitate
growth of pre-engineered steel buildings,
are other innovations.
There are many parameters one must
consider while choosing steel as a main
framing system. Hadker states, “The use of
structural steel requires careful planning
in advance and discipline in its fabrication
and assembly on site.” The involvement of
key professionals like structural engineers
and steel contractors from the initial
stage of the project is crucial. A suggested
guide by Shinde: “The quality of steel can
be judged by its appearance. The more
lustrous the surface, the more refined the
steel. To summarise, the quality of steel is
measured by its hardness, brightness and
smoothness of surface, and the absence
of depressions or troughs. In general, the
choice of the steel grade is ruled in various
design codes. Several requirements are
specified: choice according to the material
properties, ductility requirements, tough-
ness and through-thickness properties.”
Discloses Anatharaman: “Steel is a safe
material and the fabrication eco-system
has been available in India for a long
time.” He suggests that composite struc-
tures that use high-strength concrete and
steel will be the most preferred construc-
tion choice in the future. While Hadker
believes that readymade structural designs
and mass production could be the futuris-
tic outlook for the sector.
The lack of information had dissuaded
the Indian building industry from using
this framing system for a long time. But
from the change in trends, it is obvious
that structural steel is making the cut. A&I
product spotlight
Structural Steel
Expert Opinion
Manjunath Raghavelu, MD of ArcelorMittal
International and Dr Rajkumar Singh, director
of Kalyani Centre for Technology and
Innovation, discuss steel structures
According to you, which is the
most note-worthy structure that
used steel extensively in India
and abroad? What do you find
interesting about it?
Manjunath Raghavelu: In India, we
have few already constructed applications
of structural steel. But we would like to
give an example of the ongoing Trump
Tower, a residential project in Mum-
bai. This will be Trump’s first signature
project in India. Trump skyscrapers are
considered iconic in several parts of the
world, such as the Trump World Tower
overlooking the United Nations’ office in
New York, or the Trump International
Hotel and Tower Dubai. Trump Tower
India will be a 67-storey high-rise building
with a construction area of 3,00,000sqft
and is expected to be as prestigious as all
of Trump’s other American and interna-
tional projects. ArcelorMittal has supplied
Jumbo European sections with high-
strength Histar 460 for composite column
application. The total cost of construction
of this project is estimated at approxi-
mately $360.4 million.
Internationally, we have a number of
applications of structural steel construc-
tion. The Hearst Tower in Manhattan,
New York, USA, is an excellent example of
architecture and design. It is constructed
044 ARCHITECT and INTERIORS INDIA | MAy 2011 | www.architectandinteriorsindia.com
using 85% recycled steel and is designed to
consume 26% less energy than a building,
which minimally complies with the state
and city energy codes. As a result, it is the
first new occupied office building in the
city to have been given a gold rating, under
the US Green Buildings Council’s Leader-
ship in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) programme. Over 85% of the steel
used for the structure is recycled material.
The Histar steel sections made in Differ-
dange (ASTM A913 grade 65, wide flange
structural shapes per ASTM A6) are used in
the wind bracing and gravity load system.
They are visible in the facade as diagonal
lines over all faces of the skyscraper. In
fact, these structural members are inclined
and function as bracing and column at the
same time. This structural system is called
a Diagrid, and is extremely weight efficient
as it contains roughly 20% less steel than a
conventional perimeter frame would - sav-
ing approximately 2,000 tonnes of steel.
Structural steel tonnage is about 10,000
tonnes. External cladding of tower Diagrid
is profiled stainless steel.
Dr Rajkumar Singh: Burj Khalifa,
Dubai is definitely a noteworthy steel
structure built in the last decade. The spire
of Burj Khalifa consists of 4,000 tonnes of
structural steel besides 55,000 tonnes of
reinforcement bars. The exterior cladding
of Burj Khalifa consists of 1,42,000MT
of reflective glazing and aluminium and
textured stainless steel spandered panels
with vertical tubular fins. This keeps the
building cooler. Taipei 101 is another
outstanding landmark structure.
What are the advantages of using
structural steel in high-rises in
particular?
Raghavelu: In the last few decades, ma-
jor developments in architectural look and
an increasing demand for lighter and high-
rise buildings resulted in an organised evo-
lution of structural systems. Steel structures
were predominant in these developments
and profiting from the inherent properties
of this material. The developments in the
steel industry contributed to the structural
efficiency of these new framing concepts
by providing new heavy sections and high-
strength steels with outstanding mechanical
properties. We can avoid the heavy RCC
column sizes and reduce the weight of the
structure extensively using structural steel,
which results in increase in carpet area.
Construction time is an important factor
in high-rise construction, and by using hot
rolled sections we can accelerate the fabri-
cation and erection process – which results
in faster construction in comparison to an
RCC structure.
Dr Singh: Structural steel has many
advantages in construction. It can be used
as structural members directly or as steel-
concrete composites. Its main advantages
in high-rise buildings are as follows: Faster
construction, floor space saving, saving
in height. Steel having a better ability to
accommodate exceptional loading in the
event of earthquake and explosion, is
suited to high-rise buildings since these
are more vulnerable
What are the upcoming structural
steel solutions that could interest
the design community?
Raghavelu: ArcelorMittal has started
offering high-strength structural steel in
India. This high-strength steel grade is
available in two options: Histar S355 with
yield strength of 355 Mpa and Histar S460
with yield strength of 460 Mpa. Designers
can achieve the economical design by us-
ing this high-strength steel, which results
in minimising steel tonnage requirement.
Section range of ArcelorMittal includes the
sections with a depth up to 1100 mm and
flange thickness up to 140 mm (hot rolled
sections, not fabricated). Use of these
 product spotlight
Structural Steel

Steel having better

ability to accommodate
exceptional loading... is
better suited to high-rise
buildings – Dr Rajkumar Singh
jumbo sections can minimise the fabrication and transportation cost, which again
results in economical structural steel solution.
Dr Singh: Structural steel enhances construction productivity because of its
shop fabrication approach, which runs parallel. The composite decking using pro-
filed steel decks results in a lot of time saving in building erection, and the steel
cladding panes with inbuilt photovoltaic cells is capable of generating substantial
solar power – thus making steel buildings less power-dependent. New systems
such as Girder-slab, Conxtech and side plate have recently entered the market in
response to designer demand.

What are the fire safety issues associated with structural steel, and
what are the best preventive measures for the same?
Raghavelu: Steel is an incombustible material. However, its strength reduces
tremendously at high temperature due to common fire. A structure subjected
to fire must be safe for the time necessary for the escape of the people and for
the safe operation of the rescue and fire brigade. The performance of these are
directly determined during standard fire tests. In addition to the insulation
characteristics evaluated in the tests, the physical integrity of fire-protection
materials is extremely important and should be preserved during installation.
Required fire-protection assemblies should be carefully inspected during and
after construction to ensure that they are installed according to the manufactur-
ers’ recommendations and the appropriate fire-resistant designs.
Dr Singh: Although steel is vulnerable to fire and loses strength at high tem-
peratures, in most of the cases it can recover properties on cooling, which is not
the case in concrete, wood, etc. Steel structures need a protective skin to keep the
temperature below critical point. Protective boards (like gypsum boards), sprays
(vermiculite cement, Pearlite) or intumescent paint coating are some solutions
available for passive fire protection. Fire-resistant steel is another answer, as its
elevated temperature strength is much higher.

Is structural steel a sustainable option for building construction?

Raghavelu: The objectives of sustainable development are to minimise the
ecological damage resulting from infrastructure creation, operation and main-
tenance. To date, sustainable building design has focused largely on building
in-service energy efficiency. As society makes determined moves towards sustain-
ability, construction has a very important role to play within this agenda, not only
because of its economic and social contribution, but also its impact on the quality
of our lives.
The future global challenge for the construction industry is clearly to meet the
world’s growing needs while at the same time limiting the impact of its burden
by drastic improvement of its activities. In construction, steel has developed as
a material of choice and offers a wide range of solutions that can make building
more energy efficient, less costly to operate and more comfortable. We at Arce-
lorMittal believe strongly in steel’s values for Green building and are committed
to helping deliver the benefits that our solutions bring to our customers, their
buildings and their owners. Steel is 100% and indefinitely recycled without any
loss of quality.
Dr Singh: Structural steel is the most recycled material on our planet. In fact,
today’s structural steel is made of 88% recycled product. The carbon footprint of
structural steel has been reduced by 47% since 1990. Energy used in the produc-
tion of structural steel has been reduced by 9% in the past 10 years and over 30%
in the past three decades.
No water is used in steel building erection. On demolition, a steel structure
does not create debris, and the entire material is reused/recycled. A&I

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