Development and use of high performance steel

Structural steel has been used in construction in the United States for more than 100 years, starting with the Eads Bridge in St. Louis (1867–1874). The material and its many products have undergone significant changes since the initial applications. Some of these were prompted by demands for higher strength and improved economies of construction, and many were caused by developments in joining techniques and fabrication. Increasingly complicated and demanding service and other environmental conditions have also been important. A brief review of some early steel developments is presented, but the major focus of the paper is today’s requirements for high performance steels, including the properties of tensile strength and stiffness, ductility, toughness, weldability and corrosion resistance.