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Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items]            
Taxes computed at statutory rate     35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate 35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate 35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate  
Non-cash gain related to correction of tax balances $ 13,200,000nue_NonCashGainLossOnChangesInValueOfTaxBalances   $ 13,200,000nue_NonCashGainLossOnChangesInValueOfTaxBalances      
Non-cash gain related to correction of deferred tax balances   21,300,000nue_NonCashGainLossOnChangesInValueOfDeferredTaxBalance   21,300,000nue_NonCashGainLossOnChangesInValueOfDeferredTaxBalance    
Current deferred tax assets 253,400,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent 255,500,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent 253,400,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent 255,500,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent    
Current deferred tax Liabilities 13,100,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesCurrent 14,600,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesCurrent 13,100,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesCurrent 14,600,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesCurrent    
Non-current deferred tax liabilities 779,300,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent 676,200,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent 779,300,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent 676,200,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent    
Net federal, state and foreign income taxes paid (refund received)     398,700,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet 64,800,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet 313,500,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet  
Cumulative undistributed foreign earnings 194,000,000us-gaap_UndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries 222,400,000us-gaap_UndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries 194,000,000us-gaap_UndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries 222,400,000us-gaap_UndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries    
Unrecognized tax benefits 63,001,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 65,975,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 63,001,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 65,975,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 80,862,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 80,897,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Amount of unrecognized tax benefits affects effective tax rate 62,900,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate 66,300,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate 62,900,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate 66,300,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate    
Estimate of possible decrease in gross uncertain tax positions, exclusive of interest, as a result of the expiration of the statute of limitations 11,800,000us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleAmountOfUnrecordedBenefit   11,800,000us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleAmountOfUnrecordedBenefit      
Expense (benefit) for interest and penalties     9,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense 900,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense 2,100,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense  
Accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions 28,200,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued 37,200,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued 28,200,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued 37,200,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued    
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]            
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items]            
State net operating loss carryforwards 462,800,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsStateAndLocal
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember		 824,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsStateAndLocal
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember		 462,800,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsStateAndLocal
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember		 824,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsStateAndLocal
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember		    
Foreign Country [Member]            
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items]            
Foreign net operating loss carryforwards $ 44,900,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsForeign
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember		 $ 50,500,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsForeign
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember		 $ 44,900,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsForeign
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember		 $ 50,500,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsForeign
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember		    
Maximum [Member] | State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]            
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items]            
Unused net operating loss carryforward expiration year     2034      
Maximum [Member] | Foreign Country [Member]            
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items]            
Unused net operating loss carryforward expiration year     2033      
Minimum [Member] | State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]            
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items]            
Unused net operating loss carryforward expiration year     2015      
Minimum [Member] | Foreign Country [Member]            
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items]            
Unused net operating loss carryforward expiration year     2027