Segments - Segments (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018	Apr. 01, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 5,568,419	$ 4,815,179
Earnings (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	515,912	548,975
Total assets	16,121,246		$ 15,841,258
Operating Segments [Member] \| Steel Mills [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	3,580,694	3,190,507
Earnings (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	560,503	644,183
Total assets	8,147,875		7,671,217
Operating Segments [Member] \| Steel Products [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,468,711	1,212,357
Earnings (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	85,814	66,919
Total assets	4,407,472		4,323,907
Operating Segments [Member] \| Raw Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	519,014	412,315
Earnings (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	74,547	26,391
Total assets	3,567,900		3,396,110
Corporate and Eliminations Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(3,543,040)	(2,866,700)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	(204,952)	(188,518)
Total assets	(2,001)		$ 450,024
Intercompany Eliminations [Member] \| Steel Mills [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	898,326	658,360
Intercompany Eliminations [Member] \| Steel Products [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	35,770	29,701
Intercompany Eliminations [Member] \| Raw Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 2,608,944	$ 2,178,639

Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all assets that are recognized. Assets are probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(12))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(11))
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Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations, including income (loss) from equity method investments, before deduction of income tax expense (benefit), and income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 940
-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68072869&loc=d3e41242-110953

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
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Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Section S99
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