Development and prospect of applications of niobium microalloyed steels to building structures in China

The Chinese steel industry has been developing at an amazing rate for over ten years, providing great quantities of steel materials to downstream industries and also stimulating the development of these industries. In recent years, with the further development of urbanization and modernization, many high-rise buildings and large span structures have been built in China, and a large amount of steel has been used in those buildings. Before giving some examples of the buildings in which niobium microalloyed steels have been used, Chinese steel standards are reviewed. The new version of the code for the design of steel structures allows more steel grades to be considered for building structures. There is no doubt that niobium microalloyed steels, with outstanding mechanical properties, will play a very important role in the booming era of highrise buildings in China. (AU) Copyright © 2015 Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineração (CBMM) All rights reserved.