<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001195958-08-000002
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20080601
<FILING-DATE>20080603
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080603
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>STEEL DYNAMICS INC
<CIK>0001022671
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3312
<IRS-NUMBER>351929476
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>IN
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>6714 POINTE INVERNESS WAY
<STREET2>SUITE 200
<CITY>FORT WAYNE
<STATE>IN
<ZIP>46804
<PHONE>2604593553
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>6714 POINTE INVERNESS WAY
<STREET2>SUITE 200
<CITY>FORT WAYNE
<STATE>IN
<ZIP>46804
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>KOLB JURGEN DR
<CIK>0001195958
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-21719
<FILM-NUMBER>08877002
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>011 49 30804 98632
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>REIFTRAGERWEG-16
<CITY>BERLIN-ZEHLENDORF
<STATE>2M
<ZIP>14129
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-06-01</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001022671</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>STEEL DYNAMICS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>STLD</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001195958</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KOLB JURGEN DR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ILSENSTEINWEG 23</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BERLIN-ZEHLENDORF GERMANY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>2M</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>14129</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>GERMANY</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-06-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2078</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>17204</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Grant of restricted stock to a director approved in advance by the board of directors and Compensation Committee, pursuant to the Company's stockholder approved 2006 Equity Incentive Plan, and exempt under Rule 16b-3(d)(1).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Number of shares shown reflects adjustments due to 2:1 stock split effective March 19, 2008.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Jurgen Kolb</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-06-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
