November 28, 2024

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Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan (Posco)

South Korea's largest steelmaker Posco said Thursday it aims to make a world free from the destructive effects of earthquakes, with its world-class earthquake-resistant construction materials.

According to Posco, the company's lineup of earthquake-resistant steel products has helped a slew of structures around the world to be able to safely withstand tremors since 1995.

Posco's Steel New Steel, or SN Steel -- a structural steel product that has been made to comply with strict earthquake-resistant construction regulations in Japan -- has been used to turn Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan into an earthquake-proof building. Posco supplied around 70,000 tons of thick plates for the construction of the airport, according to the company, which accounted for more than 90 percent of the building materials used in the construction.

Posco said with the material's strength, resilience and high wielding abilities, the company has been able to help a slew of structures, including Taoyuan airport, to be able to flexibly absorb seismic vibrations.

Posco's High-performance Steel for Architecture, or HSA, also played a role in equipping buildings with earthquake-resistant qualities.

According to the Korean steelmaker, with HSA being 1.7 times stronger than normal steel used for construction while also being 30 percent lighter, and especially suitable for skyscrapers, HSA has been used to make Lotte World Tower in Seoul, the tallest tower in Korea, along with Seoul National University Library and Dongdaegu Bus Terminal, earthquake-resistant.

Posco's customized earthquake-resistant steel called "Pos-H" further functions as one of Posco's key earthquake-resistant steel materials, with its capability to be customized freely and minimize the amount of materials used for construction processes.

According to Posco, the material had been used for construction of a slew of well-known Korean structures such as Starfield Changwon and the Goyang Data Center.

In addition to foraying into international markets in order to build earthquake-resistant buildings around the world, Posco says that it is aiming to expand its Korean business as well, as the country is considered not to be safe from earthquakes.

According to Posco, a series of earthquakes with more than 3.0 magnitude have hit the nation four times in just last seven years. Despite the frequent occurrences, the company added that more than 8 out of 10 buildings nationwide are not equipped with the necessary construction materials to withstand earthquakes.

"Earthquake-resistant steel required for structures is important to prevent casualties and secondary damage in the event of an earthquake," an official from Posco said in a press release.

"As Earthquake-resistant steel becomes more and more important to large buildings and public facilities ... Posco will expand the development and application of earthquake-related (construction) solutions," he added.

By Lee Yoon-seo (yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com)