Developments in structural steel construction in Southern Africa

This paper describes the developments in steel as a construction material in Southern Africa. Case studies of steel structures are presented and discussed. The discussion entails the extent to which the design of steel structures facilitates the ease of construction. It is recognized that steel has been with us for some time and that most of the world's spectacular bridges have taken advantage of the relative lightness of the material for long spans. More recently, high-rise steel-framed buildings have further demonstrated the versatility of steel. This is happening despite the fact that throughout its history, the steel industry has been dogged by high producer costs, almost inevitably resulting in heavily subsidized steel.