Steel is one of the most common materials in the world, with over 1.3 billion tons produced annually. It’s used in tools, ships, buildings, infrastructures, automobiles, appliances, and machines. In fact, steel is so commonplace that we often forget how beautiful it can be, or how integral it’s been in creating some of the sights that we constantly marvel over. Steel pipe distributors have been manufacturing the backbones of some of the world’s most famous sites for hundreds of years. Read on to learn of some of the most famous steel structures in the world.
Willis Tower
Formerly known as the Sears Tower, this remarkable structure has been dominating Chicago’s skyline since 1973. It took three years to build and features a unique design of several distinct structures of varying heights bolted together to create the building. This design has been established to give the tower added strength against Chicago’s famous winds.
The Empire State Building
Perhaps one of the most famous buildings of all time, the Empire State Building stands at 103 stories, making it the tallest building in the world for over 40 years. The frame is made entirely of steel and weighs 57,000 tons. Although it was built in 1931, the construction took only 13 months. We can only imagine how busy the country’s steel pipe distributors were during that time!
Burj Khalifa
Located in Dubai, this building is currently the world’s tallest man made structure, coming in at 829.8 meters. The structure was completed in 2009 after 5 years of construction. A bundled tube design was used to reduce the amount of steel required to build it. It contains 163 floors, a large park, an observation deck, and a massive fountain that shoots water 150 meters in the air.
The Eiffel Tower
Arguably the most recognized landmark in the world, Paris owes its show-stopping landmark to steel. It was built in 1889 for the World’s Fair and has delighted both tourists and locals ever since. In fact, it consistently remains the most-visited paid monument in the world. It stands at 320 meters and was the tallest building in the word until the Chrysler Building went up in New York City.
