Construction and Infrastructure

New steels for construction

The European construction industry is vital to the European economy: an estimated 26 million workers depend on it, as does economic development overall. Steel is one of the most important structural materials, both in competition with other materials as well as for the new possibilities offered by new types of steel. Almost half the steel produced in the world is used in construction. To exploit the full potential of steel as a construction material, research is needed into new grades of steel, better building components and systems, composite structures, and improved construction technologies. Health and safety are the main performance aspects of steel for the built environment – essential for the security and quality of life of occupants and other users.

ESTEP has identified two main R&D themes that could contribute to boosting the performance of the construction industry and help it meet the many challenges it faces :

• Safe and healthy steel construction: here, new steels could contribute to better and more secure buildings that improve the quality of life of their inhabitants; for example, new steels to protect against seismic hazards.
• Sustainable steel construction: where new steels can contribute to more energy efficient buildings and more recycling of building materials.

Further information about the work of WG construction can be found in the ESTEP highlights of 2016.