Steel expected to beat rock, paper and scissors

Steel has long been the material of choice when it comes to needing strength. Imagine if Superman was the "Man of Aluminum" or the "Man of Wood" or something. It just wouldn't be right. At any rate, a group of UMR students has received a $47,500 grant to compare steel with other construction and manufacturing materials. Products to be compared in the study include structural steel versus wood in residential construction, steel cans versus plastic frozen food containers in the food container market, steel roofing versus standard asphalt shingles in residential construction and automotive-quality steel body panels versus aluminum. The students are especially interested in the environmental impact of the materials through their life cycles, from extraction through end use. No word on whether a comparison between steel and kryptonite is planned.