1 23
photos:
Soaring 270 feet into the air, The United States Air Force Memorial's three spires symbolize the conquest of flight over gravity. Stainless steel is now the material of choice in the sophisticated architectural design world. Owing to the durability of the material, by at least 100 years, the Memorial should retain its original and spectacular appearance.
However, stainless steel is notoriously difficult to handle. Mariani Metal was required to use stainless steel with extremely low sulphur content - low sulphur stainless steel 316. This requirement allows low-sulphur steel to machine very well and fends off the effects of the environment, extending the lifespan of the structure, considerably, in addition, welding often robs the alloy of valuable chromium, making those areas much less resistant to corrosion.
The quantity of material was enormous - 1 million pounds of stainless steel, 7,000 pounds of 100% radiographed weld metal, covering 17,500 square feet of surface area. Nothing on this scale had ever been attempted before.
|