Stainless steels are widely recognised in homes, healthcare settings, restaurants and urban environments, where they are used in applications such as toilets, elevators, cladding systems, handrails and architectural features.

By contrast, stainless steels are less often considered for structural applications, despite many of the 200+ available grades being suitable for structural components and products. Over many decades, stainless steels have been used in structures with highly positive outcomes, including the Progreso Pier in Mexico, which opened in 1941 and still stands strong today.

This steelTalk will examine the selective use of stainless steels in structures and explain how this approach can support more resilient, lower-maintenance and lower-emissions infrastructure. The session will explore why life-cycle thinking is important for materials selection decisions, particularly in environments exposed to chlorides, sulphur dioxides and other corrosive media.

In this steelTalk, Tim Collins, Secretary General at worldstainless, will outline the concept of selective stainless steel use in structures and illustrate, through real-world examples, why this approach should be more widely considered in structural design.