Steel is the backbone of innovation and economic growth for most of this country’s infrastructure. Beginning in the 19th century, technological advances started making the production of steel cheaper while also improving the quality of the product, helping fuel the growth of American cities, railroads, bridges, and factories. With technological advances making it stronger and even lighter, steel is necessary to build future infrastructure.

Steel is a common and important building material because of the benefits it adds to a structure. It offers high strength durability, performance, flexibility, reduced weight, configuration adaptability and safety. It is also sustainable and cost-effective.

Benefits of Steel in Construction

Steel has not changed much since the 19th century. The reliability of the product is what makes it essential to construction. Steel is known for its strength, durability and efficiency because it can handle the wear and tear of outdoor environments. In addition, structures made from steel have longevity and require little maintenance. Another benefit of steel is that it does not need excessive space to support a structure, allowing for slender columns and better space usage.

Computer machinery has also made an impact on efficiencies in the steel industry. Prefabricated steel sections can be quickly produced in off-site fabrication shops, providing dimensional accuracy and ensuring that the steel used is the right size and density.

Steel can be shaped, cut and molded to fit different designs, making its versatility vital for all types of construction. In addition, it is one of the most sustainable construction materials due to its ability to be reused and recycled without experiencing any downgrade. Steel reduces the usage of nonrenewable minerals and does not require excessive energy or the use of harmful products. The recycling of automobiles, refrigerators and toasters, to name a few, has allowed steel to increase its overall strength and toughness, providing better resistance to heavy loads. The elements found in these products can include copper, titanium, nickel, chromium and manganese. When combined, it produces alloy steel, resulting in highly resistant properties against corrosion.

Test of Time

Steel can be installed anytime, regardless of the weather, which means projects can remain on schedule. In addition, the prefabrication of steel allows for dimensional accuracy, easy installations and efficiencies in reducing construction waste.

In addition, it is easier to modify steel buildings to accommodate new applications and vertical expansions. Engineers can effortlessly strengthen existing beams or add to existing steel-framed structures. Steel modifications can be done without the need to vacate premises, making steel construction ideal because it reduces costs and allows business to continue as usual.

RK Steel is the heart of many of RK’s construction projects. RK’s foundational knowledge in construction paired with RK Steel’s expertise in fabricating and installing structural steel, custom steel, metal products and miscellaneous metals, results in best-in-class projects.

Written by Ileana Morales

How Steel Can Improve Sustainability in Construction, accessed May 10, 2022, Nearby Engineers

Made in America: The Past, Present, and Future of the Steel Industry, accessed May 10, 2022, Boyd Metals

Pros and Cons of Using Steel in Construction Projects, accessed May 10, 2022, BuilderSpace.com

Most people automatically picture a man when thinking of a construction worker. However, women are just as qualified and capable of being successful in the industry. Construction careers require high levels of skill and determination, perfect for anyone who enjoys creating and working with their hands.

Currently, women make up 10.3% of the construction workforce in the U.S. Just two years ago, that number was closer to 9%. While that number has not jumped significantly, it has steadily increased over the past decade.

Although still inadequately represented, 31% of women in the industry hold professional or management roles, many of which have moved into those roles in recent years. This shows that companies have been increasing efforts to promote and educate women about the benefits of working in construction.

Technological advancements, such as hydraulic equipment, have also made brute strength less important to get the job done. Regardless, some men still feel that women cannot carry their share of the workload and some women are concerned they might be considered masculine for working in the industry. Recruitment bias and non-inclusive work cultures also remain a concern.

Despite stigmas, more women are seeing the earning potential and diverse opportunities available in the industry. They are steadily working towards changing views about gender norms and leveling the playing field. Additionally, nearly 87% of women who work in the industry hold office positions, squashing most of the gender concerns.

In recent years, the construction labor shortage has presented an opportunity to hire more women than ever. Diversity is important in solving the labor shortage crisis and research has shown that gender diversity brings economic benefit to companies. Those companies with higher gender diversity in their workforce who have proved to be much more likely to outperform the industry average. Hiring more women in construction is a win-win situation.

Many organizations, like Professional Women in Construction, provide mentorship, networking and opportunities for growth and business development to women in the industry. The goal of Women in Construction Week is to bring awareness to those opportunities, directing interested women to training programs and local mentorship groups, and encouraging women to become role models. By highlighting the value of construction jobs for women, other women and young girls can see the industry as a viable career path.

The RK Apprenticeship Program began an all-female apprentice class last year with great success. If you, or someone you know, is interested in learning more about our apprenticeship program, click here.

 

The Rise of Women in the Construction Field, National Center for Construction Education & Research, December 3, 2020
How Women in Construction Positively Impact Profits and Collaboration, Digital Builder, March 5, 2020
Just 9.1% of America’s construction workers are women—here’s what it’s like to be one of them, CNBC Make It, January 29, 2019
Women in Construction: The State of the Industry in 2021, Big Rentz, January 19, 2021

By: RK Steel

When it comes to choosing materials, steel is preferred among designers because it can be used to rapidly build economical, durable and safe structures. However, its downfall is the tendency to react with oxygen and water, causing corrosion.

Applying the correct protective coating to structural steel upon installation can give a steel frame a long life, limit corrosion and reduce ongoing maintenance needs. Older paint systems consisted of five or six coats but, in recent years, have been replaced by fewer coats of thicker film. These paints are composed of three main ingredients: pigments, binders and solvents. Each layer applied has a specific function.

Breaking Down the Layers

Primer is applied directly to clean steel, providing corrosion resistance and good adhesion to the subsequent layers. Intermediate coats help to build up the total film thickness; generally the thicker the coating, the longer the life of the steel. In addition, these layers decrease the permeability of oxygen and water, delaying moisture penetration and improving tensile strength. The finish coat not only gives the paint job the desired glossy appearance but also acts as the first line of defense against condensation, weather and sunlight. An additional stripe coat is often applied directly to welds, fasteners and external corners to bring the thickness in those areas to satisfactory levels.

Paint Application Methods

The method of application used can have a significant impact on the quality and durability of the coating. Airless spray is often used under controlled shop conditions. Brush, rollers and air spray are typically used for on-site application.

Temperature and humidity are the main conditions that affect the final paint job and can be more easily controlled under shop conditions. Air and steel temperature can affect how the solvent evaporates, as well as drying and curing times. Paints should not be applied when there is moisture present or if the humidity level is high. This can affect the overall paint application and drying time.

Metallic Coatings for Structural Steel

Hot-dipped galvanizing is sometimes applied to structural steel surface. It is a process that involves immersing the steel components into a bath of molten zinc, leaving the surface uniformly coated with more durability, abrasion resistance and increased protection. Since this requires a dipping process, there are obvious restrictions on the size of pieces that can be galvanized. However, when it can be used, it is a highly sustainable, producing minimal waste.

Conclusion

The primary quality of steel is its physical strength, or load-bearing capacity, which is generally long-lasting. It is only compromised by corrosion, adversely affecting the steel’s safety. The life of a structure depends on the rate of reaction to its environment, as well as the protective coatings applied. Corrosion protection must be applied from the onset to minimize this process, preventing or greatly reducing the rate of corrosion.

By: RK Steel

The United States is the world’s largest importer of steel, importing approximately 35 million metric tons last year, which accounted for 33% of all steel used in the entire country. Nearly 60% of this total imported steel originates from five countries, 25% of which comes from Canada and Mexico.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration placed tariffs of 25% on steel imports and 10% on aluminum imports coming from various countries to the U.S. The goal of these tariffs is to incentivize U.S. companies to buy steel and aluminum from U.S. producers, with the idea being that this will make the domestic metal industry stronger.

What is a Tariff?

A tariff is a border tax or duty placed on a particular class of imports or exports. Tariffs have been used by governments since the 18th century. Originally, their main purpose was to raise revenue, now they are more often used in order to make foreign products less attractive to consumers; protecting domestic industries from competition.

Steel and Aluminum in the U.S. Construction Industry

Raw steel has many uses in the construction industry, including reinforcing steel in structural concrete, structural steel framing, miscellaneous metal framing and supports. Although the tariffs will affect all these, the single biggest impact will be on structural steel in steel framed buildings.

The cost of structural steel is typically composed of four main elements – raw material, fabrication, delivery and erection at the site. While the cost of these can vary over time and by geographic location, raw steel is typically around 30% of the total cost per ton of structural steel.

What Effect Do They Have?

For those involved in the construction industry, the tariffs raise direct and immediate issues. Contractors are often required to supply and use large quantities of various types of steel products. These tariffs present contractors with considerable uncertainty and financial risk.

These tariffs are a direct charge on imported steel and aluminum products, however, the effect of the tariffs is not limited to imported steel. Volatility is rising in the domestic steel market due to the anticipation of higher cost imported steel, as this will likely lead to an increased demand for domestic steel. The result has been a surge in domestic steel prices.

Challenges Facing Contractors Moving Forward

Contractors main concern will be in relation to price fluctuations between the time they submit a bid to when the contract is awarded. The most likely response to this heightened risk will be an inevitable increase in bid prices to cover the risk of fluctuation. In addition, they may add a clause which limits the amount of time a price can be held.

By: RK Steel 

Testing Welding Candidates Before Hiring is Key

Quality and safety are top priorities when it comes to steel fabrication. In order to produce high quality products, it is important that steel fabricators test welding candidates before they are hired. Some companies will even retest certified candidates to ensure they meet company requirements.

The most efficient way to test welders is to have the capabilities to do so in-house. That said, there are few steel shops in Colorado that test in-house. The majority of shops send their tests to an outside source; results can take over a week to get back and can cost around $20,000-30,000 a year.

Companies that test in-house save time and money with certified weld testers that can review four to five tests a week. On average, two out of five candidates pass and move onto the interview process.

Tests and Standards for Welding Candidates

A 6G test consists of a 2” pipe weld. The test takes an hour and is examined with side bends. Some companies perform an industrial radiography test to examine the internal structure and integrity of the weld.

The structural steel tests are the 3G, vertical position, and 4G, overhead position. These tests go through a four-hour process starting with the visual test. During this test, the inspector looks for any discrepancies or holes that would compromise the end product. The coupon then goes through a root bend and cap bend test. If the candidate passes the bend tests, they are certified, and deemed a good candidate for hire.

Inspecting Steel Before It’s Installed on a Project is Required

Even with a team of certified welders fabricating steel projects; on-going special inspection requirements are necessary for all projects. These inspections are done by an outside party unless you are an AISC certified fabricator and erector, which employee certified testers to perform in-house inspections.

RK Steel is a premier shop for end-to-end design, fabrication and erection of structural steel and miscellaneous metals. RK Steel abides by the AWS Structural Steel and ASME certification standards. We pride ourselves on weld testing candidates before interviewing. Contact us to discuss your steel needs.

Wind energy is growing across the United States, with nearly a quarter of the states producing 10 percent or more of their electricity from wind farms. Triple the amount produced just a few years ago.

Over the past decade, Colorado has doubled the number of wind turbines in the state to nearly 1,900. According to a report released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, wind energy produced 14 percent of Colorado’s electricity in 2015 with more turbines planned for the near future.

Decreasing Emissions, One Blade at a Time

Wind power is a cleaner source of energy than fossil fuels, and because Colorado is one of the country’s leaders in wind energy production, it’s helping the state comply with the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. The plan was established to focus and take action on climate change by reducing carbon pollution. Wind power has grown both nationally and internationally in recent years and has drastically reduced carbon dioxide emissions worldwide.

According to the American Wind Energy Association, “Wind energy is leading the United States to a low-carbon future. Not only is wind energy reliable and affordable,” said Emily Williams, Senior Policy Analyst, “but it’s providing sustained emissions reductions in the sector that contributes the most to climate change, the power sector.” Each wind turbine avoids approximately 4,200 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, which is equal to taking 900 cars off the road. Multiply that by 1,900 wind turbines in Colorado alone and it’s like removing 1.75 million cars from our roads.

Technology Advancements Increase Production

Over the last 10 years, innovative technology breakthroughs have increased reliability, efficiency and capacity of wind turbines making them more affordable than ever.

Improved Weather Forecasting: Better forecasting has been a major factor in the increase of wind energy production. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meteorologists examine the forecast for energy potential from wind and notify utility companies so that they can adjust the turbines to pull the maximum wind power.

Larger Turbine Blades: To continue the shift to cleaner energy, more wind has to be captured. One solution has been to increase the length of turbine blades by a few additional feet. This small increase could generate more than double the electricity. Taller towers and longer blades could make wind the leading producer of energy worldwide.

Better Gearbox Design: Improvements in gearbox design have reduced their maintenance costs and increased their lifespan, reliability and load sharing between gears.

Transmission Improvements: Energy is collected from the wind farms, typically in rural areas, and transported through large transmission lines to urban areas where the majority of electricity is used. The electricity then travels through smaller distribution lines delivering electricity directly into buildings. New technologies, such as Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) which increases ampacity, High-Temperature Low-Sag Conductors (HTLS) which doubles capacity load and Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) which enhances controllability and increases power transfer, have allowed for increased capacity within the transmission grid.

Job Growth for Colorado and Beyond

The wind energy sector currently employs nearly 90,000 Americans, with 300,000 more jobs expected by 2030. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wind Turbine Service Technician ranks as the fastest-growing occupation over the next decade. Wind energy is continuing to expand in Colorado, which will not only provide hundreds of new jobs to Coloradans but will also save energy customers money.

RK Steel has been assisting in the design, engineering and fabrication for the production and maintenance needs of one of the world’s leading wind turbine companies in Colorado. Some of our major projects in the wind energy sector have included custom-built shipping stands to steady blades during transportation on trucks and railroads, special lifting equipment tools and custom metal parts, such as those used to assemble the hubs of wind turbines. For more information about custom-built products that RK Steel can build for you, contact us at rksteelestimating@rkindustries.com.

By: RK Steel

Steel canopies are durable, attractive, versatile and offer a convenient way to create a sheltered space. They can also provide significant cost savings as they only require concrete piers rather than full concrete slabs. Steel canopies can be built as freestanding structures or as add-ons to existing buildings and have a variety of uses.

Why Steel Canopies?
Wood canopies require significant ongoing maintenance and have been known to fail in severe storms. They can be costly to build and are not portable. Tent canopies can be great for a temporarily shaded space outdoors but lack durability and will quickly deteriorate after repeated exposure to the elements.

What Purposes Can Steel Canopies Serve?

RK Steel is an expert at fabricating and installing steel canopies for Balfour Beatty, Denver Transit Partners and the Regional Rail Stations providing protection from the elements for riders awaiting the next train. These particular canopies (pictured above) were 40′ long and installed as an assembly to reduce costs. RK Steel prefabricates canopies in a climate controlled shop to ensure that on-site installation will be smooth. Contact us at rksteelestimating@rkindustries.com to discuss your steel canopy needs.