The rebuilding of the Iron-making Area Center (administration building) of Kashima Works has started. The building sustained damage to part of the production and shipping facilities from the earthquake. In order to ensure the safety and security of people working in and around the iron-making area of the Works, this centre will be rebuilt as a structure specifically designed to provide greater safety from tsunami.
For this centre, the company has adopted the “pilotis construction”, a design concept being proposed by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation for earthquake and tsunami-resistant structures to serve as bases at times of disaster. In the pilotis construction, the ground story has only independent bearing columns, eliminating walls and providing atrium-like open space, to allow tsunami waves to flow through them, thus evading their destructive forces.
For columns, EG-COLUMN (round pipe column made by high-efficiency electro-gas arc welding), which is developed by us jointly with KATAYAMA STRATECH CORP. and others, will be used. For beams, HYPER BEAM® (external-dimension constant H-shape) and SMART BEAM® (welded light-gauge H-shape), both our key structural products, are used. Steel structure has the futures of a short construction term and low cost. It also can take a large spanning and realize flexible space with few columns.
Based on the results of this rebuilding project and others, the company shall continue to propose steel-structures that are strong and reliable at times of disaster.
Outline of Kashima Works Iron-making Area Centre include three storeys above the ground, a building area of approximately 1700m2 with an estimated 1,400 persons as maximum number of evacuees to be housed at times of disaster.
The construction has started July this year and will be completed in October 2014.
