Structural stainless steel case studies
1 - Stonecutters Bridge Towers
Stonecutters Bridge, Hong Kong, is a cable stayed structure with a total length of 1596 m and a main span of 1018 m. Opened at the end of 2009, the bridge crosses the Rambler Channel and is the main entrance to the busy Kwai Chung Container Port. It is visible from many parts of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.
2 - Cala Galdana Bridge
The Cala Galdana Bridge crosses the Algendar River in Menorca. There are panoramic views of this popular beach-side holiday resort from the 55 m span, 13 m wide road bridge. The main structure of the bridge is entirely stainless steel and includes two parallel arches, two longitudinal beams and transverse beams supporting the deck.
3 - Composite floor at Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce
The new headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce of the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg was completed in 2004. It is located on the Kirchberg plateau of Luxembourg and comprises a fully renovated existing building of 5,000 m2 and new buildings providing an additional 20,000 m2 of office space. The new buildings form a succession of four distinct wings linked together by glass footbridges.
4 - Armada Platform Accommodation Modules
The Armada Platform is operated by BG Group and exploits three gas and condensate fields in the Central North Sea, 250 km east of Aberdeen. It comprises a four legged steel spaceframe jacket supporting a single integrated deck containing wellhead, process and accommodation facilities.
5 - Siena Footbridge
Completed in 2006, this stainless steel cable stayed footbridge spans 60 m over a busy motorway in the suburb of Ruffolo, Siena, in central Italy. The bridge girders and pylons are fabricated from a 'lean' duplex grade of stainless steel and it is one of the first times this grade has been used for a footbridge. The bridge has a striking appearance, is functionally efficient and cost-effective with a low life cycle cost.
6 - Masonry support system at Big Wood School
Big Wood Secondary School in Nottingham is situated on the edge of Bestwood Country Park, with approximately 750 pupils aged between 11 and 16 currently on the roll. As part of the UK Government's Building Schools for the Future initiative, the school is being completely rebuilt and the first phase of the £18 million development, the construction of three two-storey rectangular teaching blocks (about 40 m x 20 m in plan), was opened in the autumn of 2009.
7 - The Pavilion, Regent's Place
The Pavilion marks the new western entrance into Regent's Place, a 13-acre development in the heart of London which features retail, leisure and public spaces. It is a structure made entirely of stainless steel in which a field of vertical columns supports a roof canopy 8 m above street level. The pavilion is 20 m by 5 m in plan, with 258 highly slender rectangular hollow sections supporting a roof plane, reflecting sunlight during the day and projecting light at night from lights integrated into the paving.
8 - Thames Gateway Water Treatment Works
The first water desalination plant in the UK, the Thames Gateway Water Treatment Works in East London, opens in 2010. It will treat water from the brackish waters of the River Thames, producing up to 150 million litres of clean, fresh, drinking water each day during times of drought or extended periods of low rainfall, or to maintain supplies in the event of an incident at other water treatment facilities.
9 - New Beijing Poly Plaza Cable-Net Wall
Beijing's Poly Plaza is the new headquarters for China Poly, a state-owned organisation with diverse responsibilities in the defence trade, real estate, cultural industries and mineral exploration. In addition to the company's headquarters, the 100,000 m2 building comprises office space, shops and restaurants.
10 - Schubert Club Band Shell
The Schubert Club Band Shell is an outdoor venue for performing arts on Raspberry Island, in the middle of the Mississippi River in St Paul, Minnesota. It was commissioned by the Schubert Club and completed in 2002. The island had been neglected for many years before the Band Shell was built but now offers generous pedestrian walkways, unique and scenic vistas as well as a central location.
11 - Helix Pedestrian Bridge
The Helix Bridge is a landmark pedestrian bridge in Singapore, comprising a walkway surrounded by opposing double helix structures made from stainless steel. The design was inspired by the geometric helicoidal arrangement of DNA, which is seen as a symbol of continuity and renewal.
12 - Parliament Library Building Domes
The Parliament Library building in New Delhi, India, was completed in 2002. Given the significance of the building, the developers (Central Public Works Department) were keen to use the best materials possible, with the latest technologies. It was also imperative for the building to blend in with the surrounding environment. The result is a four-storey building, two floors of which are above ground.