MOT for circular steel keeps steel structures in top condition

Steel is perfectly recyclable. By melting it down, new elements can be made in almost any desired shape. This is not very sustainable, as it takes a lot of energy. Donor steel does not have that disadvantage. A beam that was not dynamically loaded in a previous application can be used in a new application after an inspection. Van Ee Staalspecialisten has taken this circular use of steel to the next level under the name EECULAIR. The Barneveld-based company does this with the EECULAIR Monitor, a life-extending periodic inspection that checks and documents quality.

We are all familiar with the MOT for cars. This periodic inspection was introduced in 1980 and has been commonplace for decades. For reuse of structural steel, NTA 8713:2023 has been in force since 2023, through which the steel industry has regulated the safe use of this material. But that does not include a way to track circular steel during its continued service life. “We combine the application/deployment of circular steel into a total approach with a self-developed monitor to monitor quality,” clarifies Gerben van Beek, commercial director at Van Ee Steel Specialists. “Building owners have to pay attention to countless things with their properties. We relieve them in this way for the steel part. The EECULAIR Monitor periodically provides them with complete documentation, including measurement reports and photos. That means quality assurance according to NTA 8713, making a digital materials passport available via BIM and direct linkage to maintenance plans. The benefits for contractors, constructors and project developers lie mainly in lower failure costs, added value in tenders and risk management.”

Frequency

In late 2023, Van Ee brought EECULAIR steel to market; a year later, the company started monitoring. “Most projects can be monitored with an annual check,” Van Beek continues. “Think of stairs in buildings, noise barriers or support structures of galleries. If the owner deems a higher frequency necessary, that is of course also possible. For example, we visit the watchtower at the Binnenhof (see elsewhere in this issue; ed.) six times a year for the National Property Administration. Safety is of paramount importance there, and with hundreds of thousands of visitors, the intensity of use is high. So every two months we spot-check the connections and measure the thickness of paint and zinc. All the data goes into a self-developed app that eventually generates the full report.” 

Life Extension

Periodic inspections ensure that the steel structure remains in top condition. Van Beek: “You are already working sustainably by using circular steel. By extending the lifespan even further with monitoring, we take sustainability to an even higher level. This increases the value of the property, just as a complete maintenance booklet for a car increases the value considerably. In addition, with EECULAIR Monitoring, the building owner complies with the legal requirement of a periodic inspection and associated registration that comes with eligibility for subsidies. I notice from the weekly inquiries from contractors, developers and government agencies that there is growing interest in both circular steel and our additional services. This is understandable when you consider that monitoring provides certainty, reduces failure costs and adds value to circular projects and tenders.”