There was a great deal of discussion about building with steel after the collapse of the World Trade Center. In a catastrophic fire with intense heat the steel can bend and lose its strength. The coating that they put on steel beams during construction is not enough protection. A hi-rise fire is very difficult to deal with no matter what materials are used. The article above suggests that concrete surrounding steel or just reinforced concrete will withstand much more than just steel. I realize that steel might be more economical but from a safety perspective I wonder why that isn't more of an issue.
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"If this is a blessing, it is certainly very well disguised" Winston Churchill
Last edited by AZheat; Apr 27, 2007 at 5:16 PM.
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